Originaly published at news.unchealthcare.org
Scars are often perceived as imperfections. But for Clifton Young, a 43-year-old man from Council, N.C., his surgical scars represent something more: Freedom. Dignity. Confidence.
For the past 20 years, Young has lived with a chronic inflammatory skin condition called hidradenitis suppurativa (HS)—a disease that causes painful lumps in areas where skin rubs together, such as the armpits and groin. The condition often leads to bleeding and draining wounds that can be both physically and emotionally devastating.
Young bounced from dermatologist to dermatologist to receive procedures, where doctors gently opened and released fluid from the wounds. But the relief never lasted. The painful lumps always returned—larger, deeper, and more numerous than before.
He felt desperate. Powerless. Even suicidal.
“On Thanksgiving Day 2022, I couldn’t even enjoy time with my family because I was bedridden from the pain,” said Young. “At that time, I was wishing that I would go to sleep and just not wake up. I was at my wit’s end.”
After years of suffering, Young finally found hope at UNC Health. In 2024 and 2025, he received numerous successful surgical procedures with dermatologist Chris Sayed, MD, and urologist Brad Figler, MD, FACS.
“These two gentlemen changed my life,” stated Young. “They never judged me, which has happened so much, being a physically heavier person. They listened to me. They gave me long-term relief from my symptoms. That’s the difference that I found between the doctors at UNC Health and those at other locations.”
What is Hidradenitis Suppurativa?
HS affects 13 million people in the United States. But not many have heard of it. Until his diagnosis at 23-years-old, Young was unaware of what was happening to his body. Once it had a name, he was able to do some research.
HS does not have one true cause. Dr. Sayed, who is a nationally-known HS researcher, says there are several contributing factors, including genetics and the presence of other coexisting inflammatory conditions.
HS can be divided into three stages, based on the patient’s symptoms:
- Stage 1: Mild symptoms with isolated, tender abscesses and minimal scarring.
- Stage 2: Moderate symptoms with widespread lesions, scarring, and the formation of tunnel-like wound passages beneath the skin.
- Stage 3: Severe symptoms with interconnected abscesses, deep scars, and significant skin area involvement.
The Emotional Aspect of HS
People with HS do their best to control their pain, manage their daily lives, and dress their wounds.
Like any chronic disease, HS comes with a huge mental burden. The visible wounds greatly impact their self-esteem and compel people to hide parts of their body—or isolate themselves from society. For the above reasons, patients with HS have a high risk of developing new-onset depression and anxiety.
Young, a Continuing Education Information Administrator and former Lab Technician at Southeastern Community College in Whiteville, N.C., helps students navigate non-traditional pathways into higher education through Continuing Education. In his role, he helps develop Continuing Education courses that “walk” over for Curriculum credit. It’s a role he loves.
But his condition often limited his movement and led to moments of deep embarrassment.
One day, in the middle of a meeting, he bled through his bandages and his clothes. Another time, a doctor claimed that he was solely seeking pain medication, while another physician told him that all he had to do was lose weight.
“I became withdrawn after that,” said Young. “I just went to work and went home. I stayed in a shell for years because it was so embarrassing—it stripped me of my dignity. How do you tell people what’s happening to you, especially in public? And how do you get help when no one listens?”
Life-Changing Care at UNC Health
Young’s disease was extensive. Years of scarring and painful abscesses had taken their toll. They riddled his back, abdomen, and had completely taken over his groin.
After trying various treatments, including drainage procedures, anti-inflammatory infusions, and pain-relieving injections, he was referred to Dr. Sayed’s HS Clinic within UNC’s Department of Dermatology.
The clinic manages all stages of the disease and partners with other departments including plastic surgery, reconstructive urology, pain medicine, and mental health specialists to provide patients with comprehensive and progressive health care.
Upon meeting Dr. Sayed for the first time in December 2023, Young was overcome with emotion.
“He supported anything I wanted to do, at whatever pace I was comfortable with,” said Young. “He had this patient, caring nature—and a complete understanding of HS and what we go through every day. It was unlike anything I’d ever seen.”
During his initial visit in late December 2023, Young elected to go through a surgical reconstruction procedure with Dr. Figler to help repair extensive urological damage brought on by his HS. As luck would have it, Young received the life-changing procedure in early 2024.
“It can actually be very difficult to find surgeons with the skill and willingness to help patients with complicated HS,” said Sayed. “Working at UNC with partners like Dr. Figler in reconstructive urology is truly unique since I don’t know of anyone else in the state of North Carolina that is willing to handle similar cases.”
A few months went by Dr. Sayed then performed multiple “deroofing” procedures. The surgical procedure involves completely and carefully removing inflamed HS-affected tissue to reduce the frequency of recurrence and allow full healing.
“I was a new person,” stated Young through tears. “Not to have to deal with bleeding and drainage, not to have these recurring abscesses anymore, and to live life without pain…it was a transformative experience for me.”
“My Scars Tell a Story”
In the wake of numerous procedures, Young is now happier than he has been in decades.
“HS always has the potential to flare up and return in the future,” said Dr. Sayed. “But right now, Clifton’s HS is very well controlled and his disease activity is essentially in remission, thanks to current medications and a few surgeries over the last couple of years.”
Young now advocates for other patients through HS Connect, the largest patient advocacy group for HS in the world. As part of the group’s “Mentee Program,” Young performs outreach efforts and support through social media and the program’s website.
Once wanting to hide from the world, Young now serves as an informative and empowering voice for people with (and without) HS. People often thank him for telling his story, for helping them feel heard. He thanks Drs. Sayed and Figler for their knowledge and compassion.
Without their medical expertise, Young eludes that he might not be telling his story today.
“My scars tell a story,” writes Young in an article on HS Connect. “They tell the story of a man who did not give up on a dreaded disease or allow that disease to consume him entirely. Those scars show I fought my fight with HS, and while it might have won the battle, it did not win the war.”