Hailey-Hailey Disease

Posted by danavs @danavs, Oct 31, 2016

I have a painful and itchy hereditary skin disease known as Hailey-Hailey. I am 78 years old and it has gotten much worse as I age. Before I fell twice in the last few months I was seeing my dermatologist every two months; now I talk to him on the phone or leave a message about my condition and prescription needs. The worst place on my body is between my legs and behind, causing horrible pain when I sit or try to get in and out of a car. I have the blisters, whelps, crusting, raw skin, and bleeding over much of my body and everything (clothing, bedding) hurts my body. Have had the disease in between legs/behind for 18 months; it gets a little better, then worse again and when urine touches it, I sometimes cry or almost scream. Do any of you or someone you know have HH?

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Skin Health Support Group.

@dschoening

I take 250mg Magnesium every day and use Pimecrolimus cream or Tacrolimus ointment and it has kept my skin healed since April of this year. Maybe that would help you. I also wear very loose clothes and keep friction to a minimum. If you are overweight please tey to loose a few pounds as that helps and drinking 64 oz. Of water ever day. I hope you get better and find your normal again. I have had HH since I was 35. I am 56 now.

Jump to this post

I also have Hh and have the worse flarup at the minute,please help me

REPLY
@denziejones

I also have Hh and have the worse flarup at the minute,please help me

Jump to this post

Try to keep area clean, but do not rub ot it shreds the skin. Wear loose clothing and use cool compresses to keep skin clean. Friction is your enemy.
I use Vaseline to keep skin from rubbing if I can't get to doctor or run out of my meds.

Sweating will make your skin tacky and tear. Stay cool during a flare up. Stay hydrated.
Do not shave the area, if possible use Lazer hair removal so stubble doesn't rub a lesion on corresponding area.

Stress is a trigger. I have had HH since I was 35. I'm now 60. First couple years was hard figuring out what it was and what I could do. I found a great dermatologist in Omaha that had treated many with HH. She is a God send.

Don't let your lesions get infected. Take it easy until they heal.
I hope you have a speedy recovery

Denise Schoening

REPLY

I have has HHD since 1986. I use Bactroban cream and sometimes I mix it with xylocaine jelly to numb the pain. Two years ago, I found a new dermatologist at the university medical center. He tried me on cyclosporine, even though HHD is not an autoimmune disease, and I was shocked to find out that it worked! My flareups went down to zero! He then put me on a maintenance dose of methotrexate, and it worked pretty well for me. I also got Botox injections to bring down the amount of swelling especially in the summer. I had a pretty bad breakdown between my legs about two summers ago, because I was walking in the heat. So I had to stop walking in the heat and I used baby powder with corn starch. I was surprised at how cool the baby powder felt on my skin that was red and inflamed. I still use the baby powder to try to keep things cool between my legs and it works most of the time.

REPLY
@danavs

@huitzilin76 and anyone with HH- My dermatologist had me try a compound Naltrexone 3mg caps because my HH had gotten so bad. This drug in 30mg is for some other problem, but scientists discovered it helped HH get well as long as you continue taking the compound. The first thing it did was stop the itching, then the pain and every thing except between the legs & behind was gone. The HH between legs & behind was shrinking. Then I ended up in the hospital where they stopped the drug to see if it was interfering with blood pressure meds. The HH returned with a vengeance! So I called dermatologist to have doctor put me back on the compound, which he did. Now I'm just waiting and praying it will start working again. Just 2 days without compound made such a difference. If your dermatologist will try this one on you, don't let anybody take you off it. It may take a month or more to start working but be patient and I hope it will work for you. It was miraculous how it worked and I intend to keep taking it now and praying it will work again.

Jump to this post

At the minute I have a bad outbreak,it is the worst yet and it's affecting my mental health.

REPLY

Yeah I have hh as well and it's at its worst at the moment,seeing dermatologist in 2weeks , can't keep it at bay anymore.

REPLY

Update to my earlier post. After scouring the web for information I stumbled upon a case where someone used an over counter Castellini w/ phenol to treat their outbreak in the groin area. I decided to give it a try since my other prescription meds weren't helping. I've been applying it twice a day for the past 4 days and my
lesions have almost all healed. I have some bumps that remain on one side but the bumps on the other side have disappeared. So I am hopeful that the remaining bumps will go away soon. I was at my wits end before acquiring the Castellini. It's been a real God send for me.

REPLY
@jbenbow

I was using it daily when the outbreak was horrible. Now that I am 100% better I am waiting to see how it goes. My doctor has a request to Otezla to add haleys to the list of excepted medications it takes a while but with my results I will hang in there and let everyone know how that goes.

Jump to this post

How is the meds working out so far.

REPLY
@colleenyoung

Hi @rose82, welcome to the group. I moved your message to the Hailey-Hailey disease (HHD), also known as benign familial pemphigus, discussion group here:
- Hailey-Hailey Disease https://connect.mayoclinic.org/discussion/hailey-hailey-disease/

I did this so you can read some of the previous posts and connect easily with fellow HHD members like @skrammy54 @angelalmoralesc @patience83 @mickey1014 @z68m @bennett311629 @denziejones @angaz. Many of them have also lived with HHD for many years (decades) like you.

Rose, have you found that the flares have improved over time? Wearing skirts is a good idea.

Jump to this post

Janice Benbow here I have had hailey hailey since I was 25 now 72 I have found something that works brand name Plum Flower SUBDUE the DAMPNESS and Plum Flower the great windkeeper, Have been taking for 2 months and its gone for now.

REPLY
@dschoening

Try to keep area clean, but do not rub ot it shreds the skin. Wear loose clothing and use cool compresses to keep skin clean. Friction is your enemy.
I use Vaseline to keep skin from rubbing if I can't get to doctor or run out of my meds.

Sweating will make your skin tacky and tear. Stay cool during a flare up. Stay hydrated.
Do not shave the area, if possible use Lazer hair removal so stubble doesn't rub a lesion on corresponding area.

Stress is a trigger. I have had HH since I was 35. I'm now 60. First couple years was hard figuring out what it was and what I could do. I found a great dermatologist in Omaha that had treated many with HH. She is a God send.

Don't let your lesions get infected. Take it easy until they heal.
I hope you have a speedy recovery

Denise Schoening

Jump to this post

I am in UK and this materialised in 2008 when I was 57. I am now 72. It started in the groin area but then took up residence under my arm pits. I am in one of the worst flares there at the monent. Last summer while in Italy my anal area became hot and rubbed from all the walking and this year because I have been trying to exercise due to a back problem i have broken out in the sacral area. Never had it there before. I take 4000 iu of D3 and 500mg of magnesium, K complex and a probiotic. I try hard not to go on antibiotics but use a red light on any suspicious spots and wash with Octenisan and dust with cornstarch. I have been referred to St. Thomas' rare disease unit in London and have an appt on 11/6/2024 where I am hoping they will prescribe low dose naltrexone. I am on a facebook site for this disease called Hailey Hailey Disease New Approaches. We are all about trying what works naturally first rather than harmful meds and steroid creams which tend to thin the skin. By all means join us we have over 3000 members worldwide. This disease is for life so managing for the long term with first do no harm protocols is the best we can hope for. Diet is key as sugar, wheat and anything processed does not help our condition. Since our immune system needs to be in tip top shape to deal with this it is important to have a healthy diet and keep weight down. Friction and sweat is my nemesis as it is for many others. Mepilex dressings have been a life saver for me. I wear them every day in groin area and they provide a good barrier between clothes and skin. This may not be life threatening but it sure as hell is life limiting. Sending healing vibes to you all.

REPLY

I have Hailey Hailey Disease am 72. It manifested itself when I was 58. I belong and am admin for a group called Hailey Hailey Disease New Approaches. World wide our members total over 3,000. I'm based in the UK. Our ethos is first do no harm. That means ditching the conventional meds unless absolutely necessary ie infected but as it is a genetic disorder we felt we needed to start a group that could manage this for the long term. There is a wealth of information in our files and if you need help please apply to join us. You will be asked a couple of questions before accepted but don't let that put you off. There is help out there. All the best to you. Jan

REPLY
Please sign in or register to post a reply.