Acne Inversa
Acne Inversa is sometimes recognized as
Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS). Acne Inversa is not contagious.
It's a recurrent disease impacting inverse parts of the body such as
breasts, armpits, and groin, and places hair follicles and apocrine
glands are located. It usually develops early on as one boil-resembling,
pus-laden abscesses, solid sebaceous lumps, to deep-seated, painful,
frequently inflamed groups of lesions with extreme seepage resulting in
major scarring.
In some sufferers, abscesses can become as big as the size of baseballs;
they are very painfully sensitive to the touch; this condition can
continue literally for years, undergoing from sporadic to frequent times
of inflammation, climaxing in drainage, and many times leaving exposed
wounds which refuses to heal. Such breakouts are mostly known to be
provoked by hormonal changes, humid heat, or stress. When the lumps
drain, this process offers temporary relief from both severe and
pressure pain. Yet, for acne inversa patients, they can experience pain
every hour of every day of the week when flare-ups take place. The
flare-ups are hard to bring under one's control.
Lesions that persist can develop into sinus tracts, or even into tunnels
that link the abscesses beneath the skin. Wholesome healing is not a
likely occurrence in this stage, but now this disease will most likely
worsen at the affected areas. Cellulitis and bacterial
infections are likely to develop.
Sufferers of acne inversa frequently are unable to work, exercise, or
complete simple daily activities because of a foul odor from the
drainage, tiredness and fever brought about by extreme inflammation, and
their physical limitations from pain and disfigurement of skin. It is
not uncommon for acne inversa sufferers to experience extreme bouts of
depression, to shun the general public, and grow overweight from living
inactive lifestyle.
Acne inversa often persists undiagnosed for years since
sufferers are embarrassed to share or discuss about their condition with
friends, relatives, or perfect strangers. And when they muster the
courage to see a doctor, this skin condition is often misdiagnosed. A
rare few doctors can actually identify the disease, and when they do,
the treatments they recommend are usually unsuccessful, short-term, and
at times, detrimental. To date, there exists no cure, or even an
effective treatment; simply put: what may work for one patient may have
no positive effect on another patient.
Like acne, Acne inversa has also different stages:
• Stage 1: The formation of single or multiple areas of inflammation and
pus without sinus tracts and scar formation.
• Stage 2: Single or multiple pus develops, possibly at widely separated
areas of the body. Sinus tracts form and there is scarring.
• Stage 3: Multiple pus develops across an entire area of the body.
Sinus tracts may connect otherwise separate abscesses.
The causes of acne inversa are not yet known. It develops when sweat
glands become clogged, either by perspiration or because incomplete
development makes it difficult for them to drain properly. The trapped
fluids are then forced into the surrounding tissue, causing inflammation
and infection.
Individuals with tightly curled hair, such as those of African ancestry,
are at an increased risk of developing acne inversa. And ingrown hairs
can predispose someone to developing acne inversa, as well.
Although obesity does not cause HS, it can make it worse. Stress, the
onset of the menstrual period, extreme heat or excessive perspiration
can also increase symptoms.
One reason hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is most likely under-diagnosed
is that it can look like other conditions, such as boils, carbuncles or
skin infections. It is painful and can be disabling. It is rarely fatal,
except when an overwhelming systemic infection develops in an
immunocompromised person.
The symptoms of acne inversa are:
• Single or multiple areas of inflammation and pus, similar to acne in
appearance.
• Non-inflamed, hard lumps under the skin that are very painful to the
touch and may persist for years. These lumps have the potential to
become inflamed, and, in some people with acne inversa, they can get as
large as a baseball.