What is hidradenitis suppurativa?
Hidradenitis suppurativa is a skin disease. Symptoms are swelling, large abscesses (cavities filled with pus or pus), cysts, blackheads and pustules. They are especially in groin and armpits, but also in the pubic area, between the buttocks, under the breasts and on the back.
What happens in this condition? A WAD of dead skin cells close a pore of a Sebaceous Gland or hair follicle. This allows Horn flakes and tallow fats no longer road. There is then a cyst. That is a cavity in which the Horn flakes and tallow fats. Often crack open the cyst under the skin. The content in the body. The immune system tries to encapsulate these substances and look like to swear. This creates an abscess.
Hidradenitis suppurativa is not a dangerous disease. The condition can have a big impact on your life. You will often have pain. Many also make the inflammation a normal life (work, household) sometimes impossible.
It is not clear what is causing the disease.
The doctor treats hidradenitis suppurativa with:
- drugs that inhibit inflammation;
- operations in order to open or abscesses.
Hidradenitis suppurativa occurs mainly in women.
What causes hidradenitis suppurativa?
The cause of hidradenitis suppurativa is not yet known. There are theories on possible causes.
The first theory is that locked hair follicles get inflamed, such as acne. At hidradenitis suppurativa corneous the skin very much. That makes it likely that the hair follicles get clogged.
Another theory is based on an auto-immune reaction of the body on the clogged pores. An auto-immune reaction is a reaction of the immune system against one's own body. Striking many people with hidradenitis suppurativa have autoimmune diseases, such as Crohn's disease or rheumatism.
What makes the chance of hidradenitis suppurativa bigger? What is driving the worse?
- Instance. It seems that this disease ' in the family '.
- Hormones. In women are the inflammation during or just before menstruation often worse. During a pregnancy and in the transition is often better or worse.
- Overweight. Striking many people with hidradenitis suppurativa are too heavy.
- Stress. When under stress, the condition usually worse.
- Smoking. A large number of people with this disease smokes or has smoked.
Treatment for hidradenitis suppurativa
The treatment of hidradenitis suppurativa depends on how bad the inflammation.
Mild inflammation covers the doctor usually with a course of antibiotics. Although bacteria play an important role in this disease, helps a course of antibiotics to inhibit inflammation usually to light.
Women sometimes get the contraceptive pill Diane 35 prescribed. This pill causes the sebaceous glands less hard work.
Corticosteroids can temporarily suppress the inflammation.
In severe hidradenitis suppurativa help often TNF-alpha inhibitors. These are powerful anti-inflammatory agents.
Do you have cysts or abscesses? Then need surgery. Medications help no longer with cysts and abscesses. A surgeon must remove them. The surgeon cuts open an abscess. That helps relieve the pain. It can also completely cutting the abscess.
Another possibility is the "deroofing method". The surgeon takes out the top skin layer of abscesses and connecting passageways road. This allows the pus out. Advantage of this method is that you will get less scarring. In addition, the wound heals faster.
Precepts and advice in hidradenitis suppurativa
What can you do to prevent hidradenitis suppurativa gets worse?
- Do not wear tight or synthetic clothing. Wear cotton sports bras (no underwire bra's). And wear underpants with cinnamon (no strings and slips). Sweltering and abrasive garments increase the risk of infections.
- Do not use soap.
- Do not use deodorant or antiperspirant. The pores will cause obstructions.
- Avoid becoming overweight.
- Give up smoking.