title: What is hidradenitis suppurativa?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To provide family physicians with an understanding of the epidemiology, clinical features, diagnosis, and management of hidradenitis suppurativa (HS).
  
  
  METHODS
  A PubMed literature search was performed using the MeSH termhidradenitis suppurativa.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hidradenitis suppurativa is a chronic, recurrent, and debilitating skin condition. It is an inflammatory disorder of the follicular epithelium, but secondary bacterial infection can often occur. The diagnosis is made clinically based on typical lesions (nodules, abscesses, sinus tracts), locations (skin folds), and nature of relapses and chronicity. Multiple comorbidities are associated with HS, including obesity, metabolic syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease, and spondyloarthropathy. Although the lack of curative therapy and the recurrent nature makes HS treatment challenging, there are effective symptomatic management options.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Family physicians should be suspicious of HS in patients presenting with recurrent skin abscesses at the skin folds. Family physicians play an important role in early diagnosis, initiation of treatment, and referral to a dermatologist before HS progresses to debilitating end-stage disease.
authors.affiliation: Internal medicine resident at the University of Toronto in Ontario. erika.lee@mail.utoronto.ca.
authors.forename: Erika Yue
authors.initials: EY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor in the Division of Dermatology at the University of Toronto.
authors.forename: Raed
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Alhusayen
authors.affiliation: Assistant Professor and full-time staff dermatologist in the Division of Dermatology at the University of Toronto.
authors.forename: Perla
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lansang
authors.affiliation: Professor in the Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology at the University of Toronto, and Head of Dermatology at Sunnybrook and Health Sciences Centre in Toronto.
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shear
authors.affiliation: Lecturer in the Division of Dermatology at the University of Toronto.
authors.forename: Jensen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Yeung
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001688:Biological Products / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017497:Hidradenitis Suppurativa / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D006728:Hormones / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007641:Keratolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012118:Resorcinols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012176:Retinoids / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D001688:Biological Products; D006728:Hormones; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D007641:Keratolytic Agents; D012118:Resorcinols; D012176:Retinoids; C031389:resorcinol