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Hidradenitis Suppurativa

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European Handbook of Dermatological Treatments

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Abstract

Hidradenitis suppurativa/acne inversa (HS) is a chronic, multifactorial, debilitating, inflammatory skin disease of the hair follicle. The primary clinical lesions of HS consist of recurrent inflammatory nodules and abscesses, and draining tunnels (fistulas, sinus tracts) in the apocrine gland-bearing areas of the body, resulting in scarring of variable severity (double pseudocomedones to significant diffuse keloid formation). Management of HS should encompass the education of the patient regarding the nature of the disease, general measures, medical topical or systemic treatment and surgical therapy. According to the European Dermatology Forum guidelines, locally recurrent lesions can be treated by surgery or laser, whereas medical treatment (alone or combined with surgery) is more appropriate for widely spread lesions. Topical clindamycin 1% is the only studied topical treatment for mild HS. Systemic treatments for HS may include antibiotics (clindamycin plus rifampicin, tetracyclines), biological agents [adalimumab (first choice), infliximab (second choice)] and acitretin. The treatment schedule mainly depends on the severity and extent (localised or widespread disease) of HS.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Dermatology, Venereology, Allergology and Immunology, Brandenburg Medical School Theodore Fontane and Faculty of Health Sciences Brandenburg, Dessau Medical Center, Dessau, Germany

    Christos Zouboulis

  2. European Hidradenitis Suppurativa Foundation e.V., Dessau, Germany

    Christos Zouboulis

  3. Andreas Syggros Hospital, Athens State University, Athens, Greece

    Clio Dessinioti

Authors
  1. Christos Zouboulis
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  2. Clio Dessinioti
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Correspondence to Christos Zouboulis .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Andreas Syggros Hospital, Athens State University, Athens, Greece

    Andreas D. Katsambas

  2. Research Center CSRMR, Marconi University, Rome, Roma, Italy

    Torello M. Lotti

  3. Andreas Syggros Hospital, Athens State University, Athens, Greece

    Clio Dessinioti

  4. Dermatoloy Unit, Livorno Hospital, Livorno, Italy

    Angelo Massimiliano D'Erme

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Zouboulis, C., Dessinioti, C. (2023). Hidradenitis Suppurativa. In: Katsambas, A.D., Lotti, T.M., Dessinioti, C., D'Erme, A.M. (eds) European Handbook of Dermatological Treatments. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-15130-9_42

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-15130-9_42

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