I Thought My Skin Rash Was From the Heat. It Was Actually Hidradenitis Suppurativa

Riley Moscicki, a 25-year-old public relations specialist from Rochester, New York, never had skin problems growing up. But at age 24, after a trip to Georgia, she developed small bumps anywhere her clothing had rubbed against her body. She figured it was a reaction to the intense heat, or perhaps some ingrown hairs. But they doubled in size over a few weeks, becoming so painful she couldn’t exercise or work comfortably. A trip to the emergency room revealed she had hidradenitis suppurativa (HS)—a chronic condition that causes painful, pus-filled lumps under the skin. Here’s her story, as told to health writer Julia Ries.

I had just returned home from Savannah in July 2023 when I noticed that my skin felt super sensitive and irritated. There were a handful of tiny pea-size bumps on my bikini line, armpits, and underboob area. They didn’t concern me at first. I figured my skin was reacting to the Georgia heat. I’ve also dealt with ingrown hairs forever—I’m a person of color with naturally curly hair, so for me, a little bump here and there was normal. I didn’t tell anybody about them at first because my friends and family always yell at me for picking at my skin. I assumed the issue would go away after a few days.

Within a week, however, the bumps grew to the size of a quarter. I showed them to my mom, who thought they were strange. That’s because the mounds were hard and also sensitive to touch. Pus started coming out of the ones near my groin after a few days. I thought maybe I picked up a random skin infection on my trip.

Around early August, the bumps went away. I felt relieved, but a couple of weeks later, I noticed new ones appearing in my armpits and near my groin. Some were the size of a penny, but others were as big as a quarter. I went to another friend’s wedding in mid-August—but the discomfort was so bad that I couldn’t even dance. I don’t even know how to describe the sensation—it’s like any time I moved, my skin stretched. It was so unbelievably painful—even walking hurt—so I ended up leaving the wedding early.