How do I manage sitting pain from HS at work?

Use a pressure-relieving seat cushion (donut or coccyx cushion), request a standing desk as a reasonable accommodation, take brief standing breaks every 30 to 45 minutes, and wear loose-fitting clothing that does not press on affected areas. Communicate your needs to HR if sitting restrictions are affecting your ability to work.

Can HS qualify me for remote work as an accommodation?

In many cases, yes. Remote work can be a reasonable accommodation under the ADA if your HS significantly limits major life activities such as walking, sitting, or self-care, and if remote work would allow you to perform the essential functions of your job. The key is demonstrating the connection between your medical condition and the accommodation request.

How do I handle a flare during a work shift?

Prepare a workplace flare kit in advance (see our Toolkit page). If a flare becomes severe during a shift, communicate with your supervisor as early as possible. Having a pre-established accommodation plan that includes flexibility for flare days makes this conversation much easier. Document flare days and their impact to support future accommodation requests.

Workplace HubWorking With HS

Daily Life

Working With HS

A realistic look at the daily challenges of managing Hidradenitis Suppurativa in the workplace, and practical strategies for each one.

Most workplace resources for chronic illness focus on the legal framework. This one starts somewhere different: with the actual experience of trying to do your job on a day when sitting hurts, when you are exhausted from a night of disrupted sleep, and when you are spending mental energy managing symptoms that no one around you can see.

HS is not just a skin condition. It is a systemic inflammatory disease that affects energy, mobility, sleep, and concentration. Understanding this is the first step toward advocating effectively for yourself at work.

Note: This page covers practical strategies and workplace dynamics. For information about formal accommodation requests and your legal rights, see our HR Conversations and Accommodations guide.

The Daily Challenges

These are the most commonly reported workplace challenges among people living with HS.

Sitting and Positional Pain

HS most commonly affects the groin, buttocks, thighs, and underarms. Prolonged sitting places direct pressure on these areas, which can worsen pain, increase drainage, and make it difficult to concentrate. Standing for long periods creates its own challenges, particularly for lesions on the inner thighs or legs.

Fatigue and Energy Management

Chronic pain is exhausting. The immune system's constant inflammatory response in HS consumes significant energy, and many patients report a level of fatigue similar to what people with other chronic inflammatory conditions describe. Flare days often bring a level of exhaustion that makes sustained concentration difficult.

Uniforms and Dress Codes

Many workplaces require specific clothing that may be incompatible with HS management. Tight waistbands, synthetic fabrics, restrictive collars, and formal footwear can all worsen HS symptoms. Requesting a dress code modification as a reasonable accommodation is often appropriate and achievable.

Unpredictable Flares

HS flares do not follow a predictable schedule. A severe flare can make it genuinely impossible to sit, walk normally, or focus. This unpredictability makes it difficult to plan around HS, and it is one of the most common reasons HS patients request flexible scheduling accommodations.

Sleep Disruption and Morning Functioning

Pain from HS lesions frequently disrupts sleep. Waking up after a difficult night and then having to perform at work is a reality for many HS patients. Morning stiffness, wound care routines, and dressing around affected areas all add time and physical effort to the start of each day.

The Mental Load of Concealment

Many people with HS spend significant cognitive energy managing how they appear to colleagues: monitoring for drainage, checking clothing, managing odor, and planning bathroom visits. This constant background vigilance is exhausting and diverts mental resources from actual work tasks.

Remote Work and HS

Remote work has been transformative for many HS patients. Here is why it helps, and how to approach requesting it.

Remote work eliminates commuting, which can be physically taxing during flares.

Working from home allows you to manage wound care, change dressings, and adjust positioning without the social stress of doing so in a shared space.

Temperature control is easier at home, which matters because heat and sweating are major HS triggers.

You can wear comfortable, loose clothing without dress code concerns.

Video calls allow you to participate fully in meetings even on days when walking or sitting is painful.

If remote work is not currently available to you, it may be a reasonable accommodation worth requesting.

Ready to request remote work as an accommodation?

Our HR Accommodations guide walks you through how to frame the request, what documentation you need, and what to expect from the interactive process.

Read the Accommodation Guide

Shift Work and HS

Shift workers, healthcare workers, retail employees, and others in non-standard schedules face specific challenges. These strategies apply to you.

Discuss shift rotation predictability with HR. Irregular sleep schedules worsen inflammation in many HS patients.

Request access to a private bathroom or changing area for wound care during shifts.

Keep a compact flare kit in your locker or bag at all times (see our Toolkit page).

If your role requires extended standing, ask about anti-fatigue mats, seating options, or rotation to lower-impact tasks during flares.

Document the relationship between specific shift patterns and your flare frequency to support accommodation requests.