HIDRADENITIS SUPPURATIVA   A SKIN DISORDER   NOT AN INFECTION   TURNS RED, SWELLS AND HURTS   RECURRENT

FAQ Sheet

Question:  What is hidradenitis suppurativa and how is it managed?  Will it go away?

Answer:  Hidradenitis is te medical term for inflammation of hair follicles, oil (sebaceous) ducts and sweat glands in the skin.  The term suppurativa means "suppuration" or pus forming.  The problem usually occurs in the axillae (under the arms), groin (between the legs), and/or under the breasts.  These are the areas where the sweat glans and hair follicles are most concentrated on our bodies.  One or more tender, red lesions(s) may appear resembling a "boil".  These often drain on thier own eventually or may go away gradually.  Occasionally one may need to be incised and drained by a health care provider.  Scarring often occurs at the site fo the lesions. 

The cause of hidradenitis suppurativa is not known.  It is considered a severe form of acne because it arises from the oil glands and hair follicles.  Heredity most likely plays a role.  It is managed by primary care physicians and dermatologists.  There are medications sometimes used to treat this condition aimed at thinning the sweat (sebum).  This condition typically has no cure and recurs.  There is no known reason for the sudden onset of this condition, but it typically occurs in teenagers and adults.  There may be a family predisposition for this as well.  It is more common in women than men but occurs in either.

Treatment may include:

• Hot packs applied to the abscess sites
• Surgical drainage or removal of abscessed area(s)
• In severe cases, surgical removal of all involved skin in the affected area with skin grafts
• Medicaltions for acne:such as accutane, dapsone, or minocycline have been used
• Antibiotics, if there are clear signs of infection as the skin may stretch and allow secondary invasion of bacteria such as staphylococcus or streptococcus
• Antibiotics should be avoided as this is not an infectious problem, but is a skin disorder
• Overuse of antibiotics can lead to your bacteria becoming resistant to them

Reference: htttp://www.mayoclinic.com