Hydradenitis, what is it and how to treat it? Photos, symptoms and treatment

It is better to understand what kind of illness it is and how to cure it by a brief description of the structure of the sweat glands - they refer to the appendages of the skin and, depending on their functions, are divided into eccrine and apocrine. The first are located on the entire surface of the body and give off a transparent sweat.

Ekkrinovye sweat glands are activated when the human body overheats, at this moment they begin to work hard, highlighting sweat, thereby physiologically cooling the organs and tissues due to the evaporation of water.

Apocrine glands located in the armpits, around the anus and in the inguinal folds, in contrast to eccrine they have a much wider duct. They emit perspiration of whitish color, which has a sharp odor and contains a large amount of fats and biologically active substances.

Sweat emanating from the apocrine glands serves as an excellent breeding ground for bacteria and fungi. When the duct is blocked and the inflammatory process develops in it, hydraenitis develops.

Hydradenite - what is it?

Hydradenitis is an acute inflammatory process of a purulent nature, flowing in the ducts of the apocrine glands. The glands located in the armpits are most often affected, but the inflammatory process can also develop in the groin, anus, around the nipples in women( see photo).

Inflammation of the apocrine glands does not occur in pediatric practice, as they begin to work only in the puberty period. In addition, with age, the functioning of these glands is gradually decreasing, therefore, in elderly people, hydradenitis practically does not occur.

The disease can develop in both men and women, but the fair sex suffer more often from hydradenitis.

Inflammation of the sweat glands is possible only if the human body is weakened, on the skin there are pathogenic microorganisms( in particular staphylococcus) and there are microscopic lesions of the skin.

Predisposing factors to the development of the disease are:

• Use of talc containing deodorants;
• Abuse of alkaline soap, resulting in a disruption of the natural lipid barrier of the skin;
• Hormonal imbalance of the body( women are most susceptible to developing underarm hydrastenitis during menstruation);
• Shaving your armpits;
• Excessive sweating - occurs during intense physical exertion, with stress, due to hormonal disorders;
• Non-compliance with personal hygiene;
• Chronic or autoimmune diseases;
• Endocrine system diseases;
• Poor unbalanced nutrition;
• Pregnancy in women.

Hydradenitis under the arm, photo

The main cause of hydradenitis under the arm is the trauma of the skin, rubbing this zone with coarse sutures of clothing, increased sweating.

First, the patient complains of a spherical painful compaction with the armpit, which gradually increases and acquires an oblong form that looks like a nipple. Because of this association in common people, hydradenite is called "bitch's whisker".

The disease is most common among female representatives, as they pay special attention to the aesthetic appearance of the armpits( removal of unwanted hair, antiperspirants).

Symptoms of Hydradenitis

The clinical picture of the disease develops gradually, within a few days. Depending on the location of the inflammatory process, the skin at the site of the lesion becomes hyperemic or slightly cyanotic.

When palpation of the inflamed area, there is a rounded seal, sharply painful to the touch. As the pathological process progresses, an oblong infiltrate is formed, filled with pus. All these symptoms are accompanied by signs of general intoxication of the body:

1. Increased body temperature to 38.5-39 degrees;
2. Weakness;
3. Headaches and dizziness;
4. Nausea;
5. Sluggishness, drowsiness.

Opening of hydradenitis can occur on its own as soon as the abscess is fully formed and ripe. When this happens, a large amount of pus with an admixture of blood is released from the affected area, and the stem is absent.

After the opening of the cavity and the removal of pus, the patient's condition improves: the body temperature normalizes, the pain subsides, weakness and other signs of intoxication disappear.

Symptoms of hydradenitis in the groin are accompanied by pain when walking and any change in body position. The patient can not sleep, it is normal to go to the toilet, conduct basic hygienic procedures and dress.

Treatment of hydradenitis

Treatment of hydradenitis under the arm should be started as early as possible, preferably at the stage of compaction formation. With timely medical care and proper treatment, the infiltrate can resolve at the initial stage.

When the pain appears and a small nodule in the armpit, the doctor prescribes a local treatment. The affected area and skin around the infiltrate should be carefully treated with alcohol several times a day - this will destroy the pathogens present on the surface of the skin and will prevent the spread of the pathological process to the sebaceous glands.

A compress with Dimexid is applied twice a day to the place of injury. During treatment, the patient should be excluded from increased physical exertion and stress, follow personal hygiene, eat light, rich protein, and dishes.

With the development of purulent hydradenitis, antibiotics can not be avoided. The drug is prescribed only by the doctor , depending on the individual characteristics of the patient's body, the severity of the disease, age and other factors.

Treatment lasts no less than 7 days, is absolutely not permissible, independently stop the course if there is an improvement or an autopsy. To accelerate the maturation of the abscess, it is recommended to apply bandages with Vishnevsky ointment or ichthyol.

If a clear abscess appears on the apex of the compaction, but does not open by itself, the patient is cleansed by the operative route. Under local anesthesia, an incision is made and pus is released, after which the cavity is washed, drainage is established and a sterile bandage is applied. At the point of intervention, a scar is subsequently formed.

With the development of hydradenitis in the groin in women, treatment, at the stage of infiltrate formation, is carried out using physiotherapeutic procedures - heating, ultraviolet rays, electrophoresis.

It is forbidden to conduct thermal procedures on its own, as this can cause the development of sepsis and other dangerous complications.

Complications of

If you ignore hydraenitis and lack proper treatment, the disease takes a chronic form of the flow involving the process of adjacent lymph nodes and sebaceous glands. In severe cases, hydradenitis is complicated by phlegmon and sepsis.

Hydradenitis, to which doctor should I apply?

At the stage of infiltrate formation, a dermatologist deals with the treatment of the inflammatory process in the apocrine glands. In the formation of a purulent focus, the patient can not do without the consultation and intervention of the surgeon.

In addition, it is very important to find out the nature of the onset of the disease, which may require consultation of narrow specialists - rheumatologist, oncologist, endocrinologist.