Many people living with the skin condition, hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), remain undiagnosed and for those who do manage to get a diagnosis, this process can take up to eight years, according to a new campaign run by the Irish Skin Foundation.

HS is also known as acne inversa. It is a chronic skin condition characterised by recurrent and painful nodules, boil-like lumps or abscesses. These occur in the groin, perianal area, buttocks, armpits and under the breasts, where certain sweat glands (apocrine glands) are located.

This new campaign, #Five17Eight, aims to raise awareness of this condition and offer support to those affected. Its name comes from the fact that people living with HS may seek the opinion of five different healthcare professionals, attend 17 appointments, and wait eight years before a correct diagnosis is made.

These figures are based on a study of Irish people with HS that was carried out last year. The SHIP study looked at 150 people with HS in four different hospitals in Dublin, Cork and Galway.

It found that 63% of those affected had feelings of depression or hopelessness as a result, while 76% felt that participating in sport was very difficult. Some 70% admitted that every day tasks, such as shopping, were frequently affected by the condition.

"By the time I see someone with HS in a hospital setting, their symptoms are usually at the more severe end of the scale, often with multiple nodules and/or abscesses causing severe discomfort and pain.

"Commonly, it has taken a number of years before somebody with HS recognises the symptoms as something other than boils, acne etc... It is not surprising that the SHIP study has shown high levels of depression and feelings of isolation among a group of people who can suffer quite profoundly before getting the help they need," commented consultant dermatologist, Dr Anne-Marie Tobin, who was one of the study's authors.

According to David McMahon of the Irish Skin Foundation, symptoms are often mistaken for infected hair follicles, acne or even sexually transmitted diseases.

"A late diagnosis can be detrimental to a person's quality of life, and if it progresses can become very painful and physically debilitating, which is why early intervention is very important. We believe that it should not take eight years for people to get a HS diagnosis," he said.

Figures suggest that between 1-4% of people are affected.

The foundation has launched an online hub dedicated to HS, which can be viewed here. It includes a blog by Barry McGrath of Limerick, who was diagnosed with HS in is 30s, but had been showing symptoms since his teens.

"You could literally throw a stone from my house to the local shop, yet just a few years ago, I was unable to walk this distance due to the severity and pain of my HS," he noted.

However, Mr McGrath recently completed a 35-mile hike in Germany, something he never thought he would be able to do due to the severity of his condition.

For more information on HS and the #Five17Eight campaign, click here