That's a really important question, and unfortunately the honest answer is that recurrence is a real possibility even after surgery. For wide local excision (WLE) — one of the most thorough surgical options — recurrence rates range from 20% to 54%, depending on several factors.
For specific body areas, the numbers look like Show Full Answer
That's a really important question, and unfortunately the honest answer is that recurrence is a real possibility even after surgery. For wide local excision (WLE) — one of the most thorough surgical options — recurrence rates range from 20% to 54%, depending on several factors.
For specific body areas, the numbers look like this:
- Groin area: recurrence rates between 37% and 40%
- Other areas: vary based on how much tissue was removed and individual healing
Recurrence can happen when some affected tissue wasn't fully removed during surgery. The number of skin areas involved and the location of the surgery both play a role. The good news is there are ways to improve outcomes after surgery:
- Continuing medical treatments like antibiotics or biologics helps keep flares under control
- Addressing lifestyle risk factors such as smoking and obesity before and after surgery can reduce recurrence chances
- Combining surgical and medical management together has shown better quality-of-life results for many people
Staying in close communication with a dermatologist before and after surgery is really key to getting the best possible outcome. Real experiences from myHSteam members are mixed. Some report life-changing results with lesions never returning, while others describe new breakouts appearing even before stitches are removed. Every person's experience with HS is unique, so discussing realistic expectations with a specialist beforehand is strongly recommended.
June 22
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