In a minute, if you could name any bothersome medical condition, what would it be? When thinking about bothersome health conditions, I suppose you would only want to bring up those that you have personally encountered or, more likely, a condition that a family member had to deal with that made you stressed. I’ll give you an example of a bothersome condition, it’s called hidradenitis suppurativa.
Hidradenitis suppurativa is a long-lasting skin condition that causes painful lumps and boils in areas such as the groin, armpits, buttocks, and beneath the breast. If you’ve ever had a boil, you’d understand how uncomfortable it could be in places like the buttocks and groin. Let’s talk about the symptoms and causes of hidradenitis suppurativa, also referred to as acne inversa.
Symptoms of Hidradenitis Suppurativa
There are a couple of distinctive features that this skin condition comes with such as:
- Painful lumps
- Pus-filled bumps that can rupture or drain
- Sinus tracts (which connects lumps and pus-filled bump underneath the surface)
- Scarring of the skin due to recurrent skin inflammation
Note: Hidradenitis suppurativa usually develops in regions where there is skin friction or rubbing, such as the groin, buttocks, armpits, thighs, and under the breast.
Causes of Hidradenitis Suppurativa
The exact cause behind the formation of these lumps and bumps remains unknown. However, this can be linked to several factors like:
Blocked hair follicles: First and foremost, hair follicles are structures within the skin that allow hair to grow. This hair growth canal can become clogged and irritated due to excess sweat mixed with dead skin cells and bacteria, as well as skin friction, which can cause skin irritation or excessive skin oil production.
Hormones: Hormones contribute significantly to this skin problem. When androgens (male hormones) such as testosterone fluctuate (spike), the skin produces a lot of oil (sebum), which can block the hair follicles.
Genetics: Some people are genetically prone to hidradenitis suppurativa if someone in their family has the condition.
What Other Factors Can Increase The Risk of Hidradenitis Suppurativa?
Some people are at risk of getting this skin condition if:
- Their family history includes records of hidradenitis suppurativa.
- They’re overweight. Being overweight could lead to greater friction and sweating in regions where the skin rubs.
- They smoke. Smoking impairs the body’s capacity to fight inflammation and heal wounds.
Bottom Line
Hidradenitis suppurativa is a long-lasting skin condition that causes painful lumps and boils in areas such as the groin, armpits, buttocks, and beneath the breast. It causes symptoms such as painful lumps, pus-filled bumps, scarring, and so on.
The cause of this condition is unknown, however blocked hair follicles, heredity, and hormone fluctuations can all contribute to these recurring lumps.
Hidradenitis suppurativa is also more common in those who have a family history of the disorder, who are overweight and have parts of their body where a lot of skin rubs together, and those who smoke.
