title: Laser and light-based treatment options for hidradenitis suppurativa.
abstract: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory disease that commonly develops painful, deep dermal abscesses and chronic, draining sinus tracts. Classically, pharmacologic and surgical therapies have been effective for reducing lesion activity and inflammation, but provide only modest success in the prevention of future recurrences and disease progression. Adjunctive therapies, such as laser and light-based therapies, have become more commonly used in the management of HS. These therapies work to reduce the occurrence of painful HS flare-ups by decreasing the number of hair follicles, sebaceous glands, and bacteria in affected areas, and by ablatively debulking chronic lesions. The best results are seen when treatment is individualized, taking disease severity into consideration when selecting specific energy-based approaches. This article will discuss various light-based therapies and the evidence supporting their use in the management of HS.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan. Electronic address: ihamzav1@hfhs.org.
authors.forename: Iltefat H
authors.initials: IH
authors.lastname: Hamzavi
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan.
authors.forename: James L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Griffith
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Henry Ford Hospital, Detroit, Michigan.
authors.forename: Farhaad
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Riyaz
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: Schapoor
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hessam
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology, Venereology and Allergology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Bochum, Germany.
authors.forename: Falk G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Bechara
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D017497:Hidradenitis Suppurativa / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000532:radiotherapy* / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D054020:Lasers, Gas / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D028022:Low-Level Light Therapy / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D010147:Pain Measurement; D012008:Recurrence; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: excision; hair reduction; hidradenitis suppurativa; laser; light