"You May Not Have Heard of This Painful Skin Disease—But It's Actually Pretty Common"- Cassie Shortsleeve
Imagine going through life with painful, sometimes smelly, golf ball-sized boils in your armpits or groin. Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a common but rarely diagnosed chronic (and relapsing) disease of the hair follicle. It’s not contagious and is characterized by swollen, painful bumps that typically drain pus, says Andrew Alexis, M.D., chairman of dermatology at Mount Sinai St. Luke’s and Mount Sinai West in New York City. HS is also more common in women than men. The boils associated with the disease usually pop up in the same places: your armpits, groin, buttocks, around your breasts, or your inner thighs, says Alexis. There are potentially effective treatments for the condition: antibiotics, retinoids, steroid injections, surgery, and other medications, says Alexis. There are also at-home remedies you can try.
- Andrew Alexis, MD, MPH, Associate Professor, Dermatology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Director, The Skin of Color Center at Mount Sinai, Site Chair, Department of Dermatology, Mount Sinai St. Luke’s-Mount Sinai West