The HS Foundation (www.hs-foundation.org) estimates that between 1% and 4% of the world's population suffers from HS. The numbers are between 74 million and 296 million people. However, since many people are misdiagnosed or do not discuss their symptoms, it is difficult to know exactly how many people do have it. There is no one region or location where HS is more prevalent. It is spread out worldwide. HS primarily affects women and African-Americans, but men suffer from it as well. HS usually appears around puberty. However, there seem to be increasing cases of HS affecting children.