It is an inflammatory skin disease which characterized by a recurrent boil like lumps which conclude in pus like discharge, it is difficult to heal open wounds and scarring. The condition generally affects apocrine sweat gland bearing skin such as the groin, under the breasts and underarms. This disease is also referred to as acne inverse. This disease has been found to affect an estimated one percent of the population.

Very little research has been conducted regarding this disease and it is also termed as an orphan disease because rarely any pharmaceutical company has taken up the challenge to find a treatment or cure for this disease. It is known that it is caused by the tendency of the apocrine hair follicle getting but no body knows why it happens. The disease has been linked to auto immune disorders and has also been found to have a genetic link. This disease more commonly occurs in women as compared to men.

It has been found out that around eighty percent of patients of this disease have been diagnosed as clinically depressed.

Cause

The cause of this disease remains unknown. It is believed to be a disorder of follicular occlusion. It starts with follicular plugging that obstructs the apocrine gland ducts and perifolliculitis around the ducts. It is followed by the rupturing of the follicular epithelium, bacterial infection and formation of sinus tracts between the abscesses under the skin which leads to the characteristics symptoms and signs of hidradenitis suppurativa.

Symptoms

The symptoms of this disease vary considerably and they can be seen as black heads and pimples or large draining lesions may be formed which can grow to the size of golf balls.

Treatment

Till now not a single treatment has been developed specifically for this disease, therefore an active involvement is required in deciding the treatment. One must undertake proper research before deciding on a course of treatment. The treatment which may work for one patient might not work for the other. Antibiotics such as tetracycline are prescribed for a long term as a preventive measure and for a short term medicines such as Ciprofloxicillin are prescribed for secondary infection. Most of these antibiotics tend to react badly with alcohol and sunlight and might cause nausea and bowel problems. Birth control pills may be prescribed for balancing hormones, high doses of systematic steroids might be used for their inflammatory effect and retinoids have also been prescribed but with limited results.