
Hidradenitis suppurativa is a chronic relapsing condition of a certain gland in the skin located primarily in the armpits, groin and buttocks.
Incidence: Common
○ More than 200,000 US cases per year
○ Treatment can help, but this condition can't be cured
○ Requires a medical diagnosis
○ Lab tests or imaging not required
○ Chronic: this
is usually a lifelong condition which has a series of remissions.
Since it often appears in its early stages as small boils which come and go it is often misdiagnosed. The average delay in diagnosis of a patient is 7 years from their first visit. As with many conditions, the earlier the diagnosis, the better we can control it. As the condition progresses, it causes more and more scarring.