Hidradenitis Suppurativa Information

Alternate Names : Hidradenitis Suppurativa ; Skin Tags; Cutaneous skin Tags

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic fistula- and abscess-forming disease of the cutis and subcutis of unknown etiology. Disease recurrence is frequent and may cause severe complications.

Hidradenitis Suppurativa is a skin disorder which usually starts as one or more red, tender, swellings in the groin or axilla and which causes chronic scarring and pus formation of the axillae and groin areas. The condition usually continues for years with periods of flare and remission. Hidradenitis suppurativa is confined to areas of the body that contain apocrine glands. These areas are the axillae, areola of the nipple, groin, perineum, circumanal, and periumbilical regions.

Hidradenitis suppurativa is painful and can be disabling but is rarely fatal, except when it progresses to overwhelming systemic infection in an immunocompromised patient. The disease is a chronic acneiform infection of the cutaneous apocrine glands that also can involve adjacent subcutaneous tissue and fascia.

What are the symptoms of Hidradenitis Suppurativa ?

The symptoms of Hidradenitis Suppurativa vary greatly, it can be as slight as black heads and pimples or as serious as large draining lesions, growing to the size of golf balls.

Hidradenitis Suppurativa Treatment:

Here are some effective treatment for Hidradenitis Suppurativa

• Take short course of antibiotics for acute abscesses (red, hot painful discharging lump) due to staphylococcal infection. Flucloxacillin or dicloxacillin are the most suitable, except in the case of penicillin allergy.
• Long-term sequelae included penile amputation and a case of fatal squamous cell carcinoma. Although radical wide excision of the HS-affected cutis is associated with the lowest recurrence rate, it is still considerable and warrants long-term follow-up.
• High-dose systemic steroids for their inflammatory effect.
• Birth control Pills, as a measure to balance hormones.
• Retinoids have been used with limited results.
• Radiotherapy is a treatment that is starting to be used again for HS.
• Persistent hidradenitis lumps may be excised after several months of conservative treatment.