Treating Hidradenitis Suppurativa Wounds: A Dermatologist’s Tips

Real talk: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) — an inflammatory skin condition characterized by painful cysts and bumps — is no fun. The breakouts can be terribly painful, can rupture and leak, and if you don’t care for them properly, can scar and lead to infection. That’s why it’s critical for patients to know how to treat HS wounds effectively, so you can minimize pain, help them heal fast, and keep them from getting worse. Here are a derm’s tips for caring for hidradenitis suppurativa wounds the right way.

Treating an HS wound incorrectly could lead to more infection, or cause underlying cellulitis, which a deeper infection of the skin and could lead to permanent scarring.

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Written by:

Brittany Doohan

Brittany Doohan was the Content Director at HealthiNation and is currently the Editorial Director at Medscape. Through her work with Medscape, she won a Silver Telly Award in May 2022 for "Sleepless Nation: A Public Health Epidemic — Episode 2: A Decade Without a Diagnosis." She has worked in health journalism and video production for more than 8 years, and loves the challenge of explaining complex topics in an easy-to-understand and creative way.

Reviewed by:

Alexandra Schwarz, MD

Alexandra Schwarz, MD, is a board-eligible sleep medicine physician and a board-certified family medicine physician. She is a member of both the AASM and the ABFM.

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