Thursday 11 March 2021

Everything You Should Know about Hidradenitis suppurativa

 What is Hidradenitis suppurativa?

Hidradenitis Suppurativa is a chronic skin disease not spreading by contact and it also called Acne Inversa. Hidradenitis suppurativa is a skin disease that causes small and painful lumps (a compact mass of a substance with an irregular shape) in the skin. Lumps can form tunnels under the skin or it can become open. Hidradenitis suppurativa normally affects those areas of the body that rubs with one another including, the groin, buttocks, anal region, breasts, and armpits (underarms). Also affects those areas where sweat or oil glands are present. Hidradenitis suppurativa diseases exist in 1-4% of the whole population of the world and most commonly in women.


Hidradenitis suppurativa mostly occurs at beaning of puberty and It can remain for several years and increases with time Medications and surgery can help in the prevention of Hidradenitis suppurativa.

Singn and Symptoms of Hidradenitis suppurativa:

Hidradenitis suppurativa can affect one or more areas of the body. The symptoms and signs o Hidradenitis suppurativa are given below.
  • Blackheads: Small hollow or indented areas of skin containing blackheads.
  • Painful lumps (compact mass): Hidradenitis Suppurativa disease is characterized by redness, pain, warmth, and swelling of body tissues, cysts (sac-like pocket of membranous tissue having fluid, air, or other substances grow in your body or under your skin.) and infections. This condition normally starts with a single, painful pea-sized lump beneath the skin that subsist for weeks or months and later more lumps start to grow. These lumps form where skin rubs together, such as the inner thighs, buttocks, and breasts.
  • Hidradenitis suppurativa condition is chronic and often goes many changes like increasing pain with time and sudden outbursts or intensification may occur.
  • When the affected area flare-ups the inflammation becomes very intense and the patient may suffer from fever and becomes tired. The patients can have intolerable pain.
  • The abscesses often drain pus (thick yellowish or greenish opaque liquid produced in infected tissue) and form unhealable wounds. 
  • Tunnels formation: With the passage of time tracts connecting the lumps may occur under the skin. These wounds heal very slowly and can leave pus, which may have an unpleasant smell.
  • After a series of problems, abscesses may become interconnected through tunnels under the skin and create a harder condition to treat. 
  • Some people with Hidradenitis suppurativa conditions encounter only mild symptoms. stress, hormonal changes, Excess weight, heat, or humidity may worsen symptoms. In females, the disease intense level may start after menopause.

When to contact a Doctor?

In the early stages of hidradenitis suppurativa prevention and treatment if very effective. Some of the cases in which you have to contact a doctor. (i) if it is painful (ii) returns after treatment (iii) When spread in many areas (iv) flares.

Causes of hidradenitis suppurativa:

There may be many causes of hidradenitis suppurativa and the exact cause is not known. The prompt reason for Hidradenitis Suppurativa is stopping up of the apocrine glands, because of dead skin cells become caught in the gland, overproduction of oil, or bacterial accumulation. It starts when hair secretory cavities in the skin become blocked. Many theories say that hidradenitis suppurativa causes also include: an auto-immune reaction, hormone imbalances, genetic disorders, excess weight, and smoking. It is likewise realized that more sweating and being overweight will build the danger of this condition. Furthermore, wearing tight clothing, exorbitant shaving, utilizing lithium medications and hot sticky atmospheres have been identified as activating factors.

Factors that increase risk of developing hidradenitis suppurativa:

Age and gender: Hidradenitis suppurativa most commonly targets women between the ages of 18-29. Early age occurrence of HS increased the risk of developing the more widespread disease.

Obesity: Many types of research have proved a relationship between being overweight and hidradenitis suppurativa disease.

Family Background: A tendency to develop hidradenitis suppurativa may be a genetic transfer.

Smoking: Smoking is also lead to hidradenitis suppurativa.

Stages of hidradenitis suppurativa: Hidradenitis Suppurativa occurs in three stages. 

Stage 1: This stage is characterized by the involvement of a single or multiple abscesses without scarring that may be incorrectly diagnosed as acne. 

Stage 2: This stage is characterized by occurring of repeated abscesses, injury, and sinus tract formation. At this stage inflammation will reduce the person's level of movement. 

Stage 3: This stage is characterized by intense inflammation that causes swellings up to the size of baseballs. Scarring is widespread in infected areas.


Hidradenitis Suppurativa Treatment:

Hidradenitis Suppurativa treatment depends on the condition stages. Antibiotics may be prescribed to treat Hidradenitis Suppurativa infections and for anti-inflammatory effects. Corticosteroids (steroidal drug), Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and other anti-inflammatory drugs are also commonly used. For some conditions, surgery is necessary. In some countries, Electron Beam Radiotherapy is also used for surgery.

Sadly, medical treatments for HS have limited efficiency and may cause side effects. Lifestyle changes, dietary changes, and natural extracts are sometimes more efficient to stop this condition and control its recurrence, and a complete cure is possible without any medical treatment. By Lifestyle changes, we mean the use of balneotherapy, hydrotherapy, and icing of the area. Dietary changes include the consumption of an anti-inflammatory diet, the use of specific vitamin and mineral supplements, and maintaining healthy body weight.

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