Hidradenitis Suppurativa Definition, Reason, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention
Understanding
Hidradenitis suppurativa is a condition of chronic skin inflammation with the appearance of painful red bumps. This condition, which is often called “Acne Inversa” because of its pimple-like shape, is usually accompanied by a painful sensation and involves the armpits, under the chest, and groin.
The lump that appears may become infected and fester and give off an unpleasant odor when it bursts. Usually, when the lump bursts it will leave a scar. Generally, cases of hidradenitis suppurativa are mostly found in people who are in puberty.
Symptom
Some of the symptoms that can be found in hidradenitis suppurativa are:
- Lump with pus on the skin (0.5–2 cm)
- Signs of inflammation of the involved skin, such as redness, feeling warm
- In chronic inflammation, multiple abscesses, fistulas, and sinuses can form
- The most common sites affected are the axillary, groin, and perianal areas
Reason
The cause of hidradenitis suppurativa is still not known with certainty. However, it is suspected that there are several things that cause this skin disorder, such as genetic and environmental factors.
This disorder usually occurs in all parts of the body with hair follicles. One of the initial events that start the occurrence of hidradenitis suppurativa is the presence of hair follicle blockage. In addition, various factors that also play a role in the occurrence of this disorder are excessive sweating, hormone disorders, obesity, and genetic disorders.
In addition, the age factor is also thought to influence the risk factors for hidradenitis suppurativa. This skin disorder is more common in adolescents who are puberty or those in their 20s. This case is rarely found before puberty or in old age.
Diagnosis
Determining the diagnosis of hidradenitis suppurativa skin disease is enough to do through a physical examination of the affected area. Patients may show a lump that is painful and accompanied by an abscess, the presence of sinuses in the axillary area, groin or perineum.
Based on the severity of the disease, hidradenitis suppurativa is classified into three stages according to Hurley’s stage, namely:
- Stage one is a solitary or multiple abscess that is well demarcated, without scarring and without any sinus passages.
- The second stage is the formation of recurrent abscesses, with the formation of sinus tracts
- The third stage shows coalescing abscess lesions, scar formation, and coalescing of the sinus passages.
Treatment
Treatment of hidradenitis suppurativa skin disorder depends on the severity of the disease. There are several things that can be done to relieve pain, speed up the healing process and prevent its spread, such as:
- Lifestyle. Warm compresses, keeping the affected area clean, wearing loose clothing, and losing weight are some of the things you can do to reduce the incidence of hidradenitis suppurativa.
- Medical treatment. Some examples of treatment options for hidradenitis suppurativa are antibiotics, steroid injections or TNF inhibitors. The choice of antibiotics that can be used are erythromycin and clindamycin.
- Surgery. If the skin lesions that occur are chronic enough with a lot of scar tissue, surgery can be considered.
Prevention
Avoiding various trigger factors for hidradenitis suppurativa skin disorders can be done to reduce the risk of hidradenitis suppurativa. You can keep your body weight ideal and keep your skin clean to avoid this skin disorder.