Digital health-language equity

Already
spelled right.
Time for tech
to catch up.

Hidradenitis suppurativa is a recognized medical condition. Its name deserves recognition in the technology we use every day.

Founded by Shyla Harvin, medical studentAugust 6, 2026

Support the initiative ↗Understand the issue
LIVE SIMULATION
!
Flagged as a mistakeThe spelling is correct. The system misses it.
MEDICAL TERM / INPUT STREAM

hidradenitis suppurativa

!Correct spelling. Still flagged.
AN ILLUSTRATION OF THE CHANGE WE’RE ADVOCATING FOR.
This demo does not test your device or change its dictionary.
01 / UNDERSTAND HS

First, what is hidradenitis suppurativa?

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory skin condition. It can cause painful nodules and abscesses beneath the skin, often in places where skin rubs together. HS can affect quality of life even when symptoms may not be visible to others.

FOLLICULAR OCCLUSION + INFLAMMATION

HS is a real medical condition.

HS involves occlusion (blockage) of hair follicles and inflammation, which can lead to painful, recurring nodules beneath the skin. Symptoms and severity vary from person to person.

NOT CONTAGIOUSIt cannot spread from person to person.
NOT A HYGIENE ISSUEHS is not caused by being unclean.

Medical background: American Academy of Dermatology: HS causes · MedlinePlus

Neon purple skin and hair follicle illustration A glowing purple skin cross-section with markers for the hair shaft, follicular blockage, sebaceous gland, and inflammation. Keratin can block a follicle and inflammation may follow.
01
Hair shaft + follicleThe hair grows through the follicle.
02
Follicular blockageKeratin can plug the follicle opening.
03
Sebaceous glandA nearby oil-producing skin gland.
04
InflammationMay develop around the affected follicle.
KERATIN PLUGOCCLUSIONINFLAMMATION

In HS, keratin buildup can block a hair follicle. Inflammation may follow, and painful nodules or abscesses can form.

Illustrative anatomy, not to scale or for diagnosis. For personal medical guidance, speak with a qualified healthcare professional.

02 / THE PROBLEM

Correct spelling.
The technology says otherwise.

Hidradenitis suppurativa is the correct name of a recognized medical condition. Yet some digital tools may flag the term as misspelled or suggest a different word. That mismatch can interrupt communication and make an already misunderstood condition harder to talk about.

THE TERM ENTERED

Correct medical language

hidradenitis suppurativa

The condition name is spelled correctly.

WHAT A TOOL MAY SHOW

Flagged or changed

hidradenitis suppurativa

A spelling alert or replacement suggestion can imply the word itself is wrong.

Illustration of the issue being documented. Behavior varies by device, app, keyboard, language settings, and software version.

It interrupts communication

People may need to pause, correct, or explain a term that should be recognized.

It can obscure the condition

Search, captions, and messages can carry the wrong wording when a tool changes the name.

It sends the wrong signal

Repeatedly marking a correct medical term as an error can reinforce the sense that HS is unfamiliar or not real.

PAGE 02 / FULL DETAILSHow we document the problemContinue to the dedicated page for the testing methodology and full protocol.
03 / PROJECT PROGRESS

Every step gets us
closer to recognition.

Select a milestone to see what has been completed and what the initiative is working on now.

CAMPAIGN TRACKERACTIVE / COMMUNITY-LED
4 / 4initial entries flagged
15support statements received
01formal platform request submitted
COMPLETED / BASELINE

The first recognition gap was documented.

Four entries were tested on an iPhone 17 Pro Max with iOS 26.6 and the default English (US) keyboard. Each was flagged.

INITIAL DEVICE TEST / 4 OF 4 FLAGGED

This tracker reflects milestones recorded by the initiative. Platform responses are added when confirmed.

04 / SUPPORT

Help Spell HS Right
move forward.

Choose the way that fits you. Every step helps make accurate health language easier to use.

01TEST

Check a device or app

Try the condition name in your keyboard or a digital tool and share the result with the project.

Submit a platform test ↗
02ADD YOUR VOICE

Share a statement

Tell us why accurate spelling and recognition matter to you. You choose whether your statement can be published with your name or anonymously.

Add your statement ↗
03USE A WORKAROUND

Add HS terms to a personal dictionary

Adding HS terms to your personal dictionary is a temporary workaround you can do on your own device while we work toward broader recognition. It may help your keyboard recognize the condition name.

Open the dictionary package ↗
05 / VOICES FOR RECOGNITION

Community support,
in their own words.

These are submitted statements of support for Spell HS Right.

01 / 05