Hidradenitis suppurativa
Hidradenitis suppurativa (stage I) in the armpit. This is a very mild case of Hidradenitis suppurativa.
References
Hidradenitis suppurativa is a chronic, recurrent, and debilitating skin condition. It is an inflammatory disorder of the follicular epithelium, but secondary bacterial infection can often occur. The diagnosis is made clinically based on typical lesions (nodules, abscesses, sinus tracts), locations (skin folds), and nature of relapses and chronicity.
Non-biologic and non-procedural treatments are often used as monotherapy for mild disease and can be used in conjunction with biologic therapy and surgery for moderate to severe disease. Recent studies highlighted in this review add support for the use of intralesional corticosteroids for HS flares and localized lesions, and there is evidence that monotherapy with tetracyclines may be as effective as the clindamycin/rifampicin combination.
Many treatments are used for hidradenitis suppurativa, including antibiotics, retinoids, antiandrogens, immune-suppressing drugs, anti-inflammatory medications, and radiotherapy for early lesions. The top recommended treatments are adalimumab and laser therapy. Surgery, either simple excision or complete local excision with skin grafting, is the preferred option for severe, advanced cases that don't respond well to other treatments.
The exact cause is usually unclear, but believed to involve a combination of genetic and environmental factors. About a third of people with the disease have an affected family member. Other risk factors include obesity and smoking. The condition is not caused by an infection, poor hygiene.
No cure is known. Cutting open the lesions to allow them to drain does not result in significant benefit. While antibiotics are commonly used, evidence for their use is poor. Immunosuppressive medication may also be tried. In those with more severe disease, laser therapy or surgery to remove the affected skin may be viable. Rarely, a skin lesion may develop into skin cancer.
If mild cases of hidradenitis suppurativa are included, then the estimate of its frequency is from 1-4% of the population. Women are three times more likely to be diagnosed with it than men. Onset is typically in young adulthood.