Hidradenitis suppurativa

Hidradenitis suppurativa is classified as a chronic inflammation skin disorder that causes deep and painful cysts in the body. Most commonly, it affects the hair follicles as well as oil and sweat glands, which make it more common in the genital, axilla, and skin fold areas of the body. It is not known what causes HS, however there is a genetic predisposition as well as lifestyle and hormonal effects that contribute to this disorder.

HS tends to be very painful and uncomfortable due to the deep cysts it forms. In females, it is common to notice more lumps around the menstrual cycle as it is said to have a hormonal influence. These areas tend to heal as hyper-pigmentation or even deep scars, which affects many the patient’s quality of life. 

Treatment of this condition will depend on your symptoms. There are topical washes and gels as well as oral antibiotics to help prevent the cysts from occurring. In office treatments include drainage, intra-lesional injections, lasers, and even excisions of the cysts to alleviate any discomfort and improve aesthetic satisfaction. For more severe cases, certain biologic injections are used in order to prevent future lesions from occurring.

Lifestyle modifications are also helpful in improving the quality of life with patients with HS. Since skin friction is known to cause more lesions on the skin in patients with HS, it is important to wear loose fitted clothing as well as losing weight if you are classified as over-weight or obese. 

As of today, there is no cure for HS, however, making serial follow up appointments with your dermatology provider helps create the best treatment regimen for you and your symptoms.