Hidradenitis Suppurativa — VA Disability Rating & Claim Guide
This is not legal or medical advice. Always consult with a VSO or accredited claims agent.
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The DBQ for Hidradenitis Suppurativa
Your C&P examiner fills out DBQ 21-0960F-2 (Skin Diseases) — the form that decides your rating. You can have your own doctor complete the same DBQ and submit it as evidence.
Have a C&P exam coming up? See exactly what the examiner will ask about Hidradenitis Suppurativa — and how to describe it.
Prep →2026 Compensation Rates
Monthly compensation for Hidradenitis Suppurativa, based on your overall combined VA disability rating.
| Rating | Monthly (Alone) | Monthly (w/ Spouse) | Annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10% | $180.42 | — | $2,165.04 |
| 20% | $356.66 | — | $4,279.92 |
| 30% | $552.47 | $617.47 | $6,629.64 |
| 40% | $795.84 | $882.84 | $9,550.08 |
| 50% | $1,132.90 | $1,241.90 | $13,594.80 |
| 60% | $1,435.02 | $1,566.02 | $17,220.24 |
| 70% | $1,808.45 | $1,961.45 | $21,701.40 |
| 80% | $2,102.15 | $2,277.15 | $25,225.80 |
| 90% | $2,362.30 | $2,559.30 | $28,347.60 |
| 100% | $3,938.58 | $4,158.17 | $47,262.96 |
Common Symptoms
Document these symptoms in your claim. The more thoroughly you describe how they affect your daily life, the stronger your claim.
Functional Limitations
VA rates disabilities based on how they limit your ability to function. Describe these limitations in your personal statement.
Rating Criteria for Skin
General rating schedule for skinconditions. Your specific rating depends on severity documented in your C&P exam.
No more than topical therapy required during the past 12 months
At least 5% but less than 20% of the entire body, or exposed areas affected
At least 20% but less than 40% of the entire body or exposed areas, or systemic therapy
40% or more of the entire body, or exposed areas, or constant/near-constant systemic therapy
Will adding Hidradenitis Suppurativa raise your rating?
Enter your current combined rating and the level this condition would rate at. We'll do the VA math.
New combined
10%
New monthly
$180
Change
+$180
Rates shown are the 2026 veteran-alone amounts (no dependents). VA combines ratings with "whole-person" math and rounds to the nearest 10, so adding a condition does not simply add its percentage. Full combined-rating calculator with dependents →
Peer-Reviewed Medical Evidence
Real, verified studies from PubMed/NIH that support a Hidradenitis Suppurativa claim. Bring these citations to your accredited VSO or C&P exam — they help show your condition is recognized in the medical literature and, where noted, linked to other service-connected conditions.
Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2022 · nexus to depression, generalized anxiety disorder, suicide, diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, inflammatory bowel disease, spondyloarthritis · PMID 33493574
Finding: Systematic reviews of 30 comorbidities led an expert panel to recommend routine screening of HS patients for depression, generalized anxiety disorder, suicide, smoking, substance use disorder, obesity, dyslipidemia, diabetes mellitus, metabolic syndrome, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, inflammatory bowel disease, and spondyloarthritis, among others, because these conditions occur at elevated rates in HS.
Why it helps: This authoritative consensus document supports an association between HS and a broad cluster of physical and mental-health comorbidities, useful when arguing those conditions are secondary to a service-connected HS (or vice versa).
JAMA Dermatology, 2019 · nexus to depression, anxiety · PMID 31166590
Finding: Across 10 studies and 40,307 HS patients, the pooled prevalence of depression was 16.9% (95% CI 9.9-27.2%) and the odds of depression were significantly higher in people with HS than without (OR 1.84, 95% CI 1.57-2.15); anxiety prevalence was 4.9%.
Why it helps: Provides pooled, quantified evidence supporting an association between HS and depression/anxiety, relevant to a secondary mental-health claim linked to a service-connected skin condition.
Journal of Clinical Medicine, 2025 · nexus to myocardial infarction, ischemic stroke, heart failure, cardiovascular disease · PMID 40004643
Finding: In a matched retrospective cohort using TriNetX, after adjusting for cardiovascular risk factors HS patients had a relative risk of 2.06 (1.83-2.32) for myocardial infarction, 1.62 for ischemic stroke, 2.21 for heart failure, 1.95 for major adverse cardiac events, and 2.57 for all-cause mortality versus healthy controls.
Why it helps: Supports an independent association between HS and cardiovascular disease and mortality even after adjusting for shared risk factors, useful for a secondary cardiovascular claim.
Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology, 2021 · nexus to metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, polycystic ovary syndrome, depression, suicide, substance use disorder, inflammatory bowel disease, spondyloarthropathy · PMID 32460374
Finding: This systematic review reports HS prevalence around 0.7-1.2% in European/US populations and documents its association with metabolic syndrome and other cardiovascular risk factors, type 2 diabetes, PCOS, depression, suicide, substance use disorders, inflammatory bowel disease, and spondyloarthropathy.
Why it helps: A comprehensive review supporting associations between HS and metabolic, endocrine, gastrointestinal, rheumatologic, and psychiatric comorbidities relevant to secondary nexus arguments in either direction.
Dermatologic Therapy, 2020 · nexus to depression, anxiety, suicide, bipolar disorder · PMID 32385861
Finding: This review estimates that roughly one in four adults with HS experiences depression and one in five has anxiety, and reports that bipolar disorders, psychoses, schizophrenia, and suicide are more common in HS patients than in healthy individuals.
Why it helps: Adds support for an association between HS and a range of psychiatric conditions including suicidality, useful for a secondary mental-health claim alongside the chronic pain and disfigurement of HS.
International Journal of Molecular Sciences, 2023 · nexus to insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes · PMID 37108132
Finding: In a 40-patient case-control study, insulin resistance (77%) and metabolic syndrome (44%) were highly prevalent across the HS cohort, and metformin treatment was associated with reduced fasting insulin and improved cardiovascular risk biomarkers.
Why it helps: Supports an association between HS and insulin resistance/metabolic syndrome, relevant when linking HS to diabetes or metabolic comorbidities in a secondary claim.
Every citation is real and verified against PubMed. This is general information, not medical or legal advice — your accredited VSO or representative can advise on your specific claim.
Evidence Checklist
Gather these types of evidence before filing your claim. The strongest claims include multiple evidence types.
Common Treatments
Documenting ongoing treatment strengthens your claim and supports higher ratings.
Secondary Conditions Linked to Hidradenitis Suppurativa
These conditions are commonly claimed as secondary to Hidradenitis Suppurativa. A secondary condition can increase your overall combined rating and monthly compensation.
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Filing a Hidradenitis Suppurativaclaim? Don't skip these.
Most veterans filing for Hidradenitis Suppurativa should also be looking at:
Quick calculator
Estimate your combined rating →
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Health care
Estimate your VA Priority Group →
Priority Group 1-8 determines what care you get and what it costs. Service-connected = lower copays, full access.
Where you live
Compare 50 state veteran benefits →
State property tax exemptions for SC vets vary 10x. Some states fully exempt 100%-rated vets, others give nothing.
Home buying
VA home loan + funding fee waiver →
ANY service-connected rating waives the funding fee. On a $400K loan that's ~$8,600 saved.
Draft your Hidradenitis Suppurativa personal statement
7-step wizard that builds your VA claim personal statement using your own words. Detects presumptive eligibility, cites 38 CFR + DBQ, includes federal-crime disclosure. You review and edit before filing.
Start draftingNot legal or medical advice. Always have a VSO or accredited rep review before filing.
Start Your Hidradenitis Suppurativa VA Claim
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Secondary Condition Claim Guides
Detailed guides on claiming each secondary condition linked to Hidradenitis Suppurativa.
Hidradenitis Suppurativa Claim Guide by State
Find state-specific VA facilities, veteran benefits, and filing resources.
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Educational content, not professional advice
This article is published by Military Transition Toolkit for educational and planning purposes. It is not legal, medical, or financial advice. VA rating criteria, benefits, and regulations change — verify anything benefits-affecting against VA.gov, 38 CFR Part 4, or a VA-accredited representative (VSO, agent, or attorney) before filing.
MTT is a veteran-owned planning tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Department of Veterans Affairs, the Department of Defense, or any military branch.