Resorcinol peels as a possible self-treatment of painful nodules in hidradenitis suppurativa.
BACKGROUND
Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, inflammatory skin disease characterized by abscess formation localized to apocrine sweat gland-bearing skin. The most important factor in patients' overall assessment of disease severity is pain. The duration of abscesses takes days to weeks and are always painful.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the efficacy of self-treatment with topical 15% resorcinol in an open study.


METHODS
The case notes of 12 women with stage 1 or 2 HS treated with topical resorcinol and followed up for at least 1 year were reviewed. The patients rated the efficacy of treatment on global maximum pain of nodules and abscesses on a visual analogue scale (VAS) and by self-report of the mean duration (days) of a painful lesion.


RESULTS
All patients experienced a significant decrease in pain as assessed by VAS and reported a reduction in mean duration of the painful abscesses.


CONCLUSIONS
Topical treatment with 15% resorcinol reduced pain from painful nodules in all patients with HS. Further trials are warranted to confirm these results.
Boer
J
J
Department of Dermatology, Deventer Hospital, Deventer, The Netherlands. boerj@dz.nl
Jemec
G B E
GB
D000328:Adult; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D005260:Female; D017497:Hidradenitis Suppurativa / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D010146:Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology; D010147:Pain Measurement; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011788:Quality of Life / Q000523:psychology*; D012118:Resorcinols / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012646:Self Administration; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult
D012118:Resorcinols; C031389:resorcinol