Meet Ole, aged 39, suffering from hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) and psoriasis

Ole suffers from two skin diseases, HS and psoriasis, both of which have significantly impacted his quality of life. He was diagnosed with psoriasis during his teenage years and with HS at the age of 33. His initial symptoms of HS were a small, inflamed abscess on his back. Ole consulted a doctor who specialized in HS, received a diagnosis, and was prescribed a cream to treat the abscess.

When he was initially diagnosed, Ole was fortunately treated by a doctor familiar with HS. However, during later travels abroad, he experienced intense pain and found an abscess the size of a golf ball on his thigh. The pain was so severe that he had to seek immediate treatment at a local hospital. Unfortunately, the doctor there was not familiar with HS, and Ole could not consult his regular dermatologist.

The hospital doctor administered several injections into the abscess to reduce the inflammation and alleviate pain. However, due to the doctor’s lack of knowledge about HS, Ole endured significant pain and his skin was badly damaged from the injections. Upon returning home, he had to undergo laser surgery to fully remove the abscess and repair his skin. The surgery was complicated due to the anesthesia, and the wound took a long time to heal.

Topical creams proved ineffective in treating Ole’s HS, and after a couple of years, he was offered a biologic treatment. However, because Ole has a fear of needles, a family member must assist with his weekly injections, which is both frustrating and stressful for him and his family. Since the injectable is the only approved treatment for HS, Ole has no choice but to continue with it. However, he hopes that an oral treatment option will one day become available.

“In my family, we speak openly about having HS, as both my mother and sister also have the disease. I grew up with HS around me and understand how negatively it affects the lives of those living with it, as well as their families.”