This is a painful, chronic disease of the sweat glands (apocrine) that predominantly affects women, It causes abscesses and scarring on the skin. The precise cause of Hidradentis Suppurativa is unknown, but the condition occurs near hair follicles where there are sweat glands, usually around the groin, buttocks, breasts and armpits. It is believed to affect around 1% of the population.
Symptoms include boil-like lumps, cysts, blackheads, scarring and channels in the skin. Normally the condition begins with a firm pea-sized lesion which can either rupture and ooze pus or disappear after a few days. More lumps will often start to develop which may become larger and spread. Some of the lumps may become infected with bacteria causing a secondary infection. Some people with the condition also develop a pilonidal sinus (see below)
Symptoms often appear around puberty and are made worse by smoking and/or being overweight. Many people with the condition also have acne and/or excessive hair growth. The condition often appears to run in families. In rare cases it may be linked to Crohn’s Disease.