What is Hidradenitis Suppurativa?

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is also known as acne inversa. Many patients mistake it for acne or folliculitis, and attempt to treat it as such, wondering why it doesn’t seem to go away. In this article we will discuss the symptoms, causes, and treatments for hidradenitis suppurativa in the following sections.

Why does your patient have Hidradenitis Suppurativa?

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), or acne inversa, is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that manifests as recurrent, and often painful draining nodules and tracts. Unlike acne, which tends to affect the face and upper torso, HS most commonly affects the skin folds such as the armpits, inframammary folds, buttocks, and groin.^1,2 Although the exact cause of the disease is unknown, it is suspected to be caused by the blockage of hair follicles by skin debris, resulting in inflammation, rupture, and possibly scarring.³

What causes the disease?

Inflammation

The body’s inflammatory response to things such as bacteria and skin debris in the hair follicles is thought to be the major driver in hidradenitis. It is often seen in association with other inflammatory diseases such as Crohn’s disease and inflammatory arthritic diseases. A defective skin barrier that allows for deeper penetration of irritants and bacteria can lead to worsening inflammation, and more severe disease.³

Genetics

About a third of patients with hidradenitis suppurativa report a family history of the disease. In patients who develop the disease earlier in life, more than half report a family history of hidradenitis suppurativa.⁴ Mutations that lead to abnormal inflammatory responses may be associated with the disease.^5-8

Hormones

Hidradenitis suppurativa is more common in women, with reports of flare-ups during the pre-menstrual and menstrual phase of the menstrual cycle.³ There appears to be a link between excess androgens, such as testosterone, and HS in some patients. Medications that decrease androgen levels have been shown to decrease disease severity.^9-11

What Medical Treatments Are There for Hidradenitis Suppurativa?

There are a variety of treatments available for Hidradenitis Suppurativa. Here are some medications that can be used to treat HS:

For severe HS, surgery is also an option. There are many different types of surgery that can be performed for HS. “Wide excisions” are performed most often to remove affected tissue. Although surgery has helped many people who suffer from HS, it is not always curative. A meta-analysis of the literature found the recurrence rate to be 13.0% following wide excisions of the affected site.¹⁴ If you suffer from severe HS, talk to your physician to see if you might benefit from surgery.

What Factors Can Your Patient Control?

Weight

Obesity is a major factor that contributes to disease development and severity.^15,16 Those with higher BMIs tend to have more severe disease than those with lower BMIs and weight loss has been shown to alleviate disease.^17,18 This could be due to changes in hormones and/or friction in disease-prone areas.¹¹

Smoking

Smoking is another factor strongly correlated with hidradenitis suppurativa. It is a known trigger of the disease, and also believed to increase disease severity.¹⁹ Smoking cessation may even improve disease outcome, and must be seriously considered in order to successfully treat the condition.¹⁸

Diet

Dairy products and high glycemic index foods can cause insulin spikes, and may worsen symptoms.^3,20 Further research is needed to determine a link between diet and HS. However, removing these products from your patient’s diet may improve symptoms, and could be worth a try.