What is HS?
HS stands for hidradenitis suppurativa, also called acne inversa. It's a chronic inflammatory skin condition that causes painful, inflamed bumps to form deep in the skin.
These bumps appear where skin rubs together and in areas with apocrine sweat glands, including
- Armpits
- Groin
- Inner thighs
- Between Show Full Answer
What is HS?
HS stands for hidradenitis suppurativa, also called acne inversa. It's a chronic inflammatory skin condition that causes painful, inflamed bumps to form deep in the skin.
These bumps appear where skin rubs together and in areas with apocrine sweat glands, including:
- Armpits
- Groin
- Inner thighs
- Between the buttocks
- Under the breasts
Without proper treatment, these bumps can grow and join together, forming abscesses filled with fluid or pus. When they rupture, they can scar the skin. In severe cases, tunnels (sinus tracts) form beneath the skin, causing deep, permanent scarring and drainage.
HS typically starts after puberty and most commonly affects people under age 40. Women are three times more likely to have HS than men. About 0.4 to 4 percent of the U.S. population is affected by this condition.
While the exact cause isn't known, researchers believe HS is linked to immune system malfunction causing inflammation in sweat glands and blockages in hair follicles. It can also run in families, suggesting a genetic component.
February 15
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