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Happy New Year 2021
Happy New Year 2021

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HIDRADENITIS SUPPURATIVA (HS)
What is hidradenitis suppurative?
Hidradenitis suppuritiva is a chronic inflammatory condition affecting areas of skin that bear apocrine grands ie. axillae (armpits), groins and under the breasts.
Boil-like nodules and abscesses appear. They discharge pus and form sinuses, eventually leading to scarring
What are the risk factors for HS?
A family history of HS (40% of patients have a family history)
Obesity
Insulin resistance
Cigarette smoking
Follicular occlusion syndrome (acne, dissecting cellulitis, pilonidal sinus)
Inflammatory bowel disease eg Crohn's disease
Drugs: lithium
What is the cause of HS?
There is infllammation of the hair follicle wall, destroying sebaceous and apocrine glands and their ducts.
What are the clinical features of HS?
Comedones (blackheads)
Painful papules and nodules (red bumps)
Pustules
Abscesses
Draining sinuses
Hypertophic (thickened) and atopic (thin) scars
Classification of HS by severity
Stage I: Solitary or several isolated abscesses. No sinus tracts or scarring
Stage II: Recurrent abscesses, single or multiple, widely spaced with sinus tract formation
Stage iii: Diffuse involvement, recurrent abscesses
This page is under construction.
Photos to arrive soon
Treatment details to follow
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