Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) and acne conglobata are both chronic skin conditions that can affect your skin and overall quality of life. While these two types of inflammatory skin disease share some similarities, they are distinct conditions with unique causes, symptoms, and treatments.
Understanding these disorders can help you and your medical team diagnose and manage your symptoms more effectively.
While HS and acne conglobata may look similar, they are different diagnoses.
HS is a chronic inflammatory skin condition characterized by painful pustules, nodules, abscesses, and tunnels (also known as sinus tracts). These lesions typically occur in areas where skin rubs together, such as the armpits, groin, buttocks, and under the breasts. HS can lead to scarring and painful skin symptoms that can greatly affect your physical and emotional well-being.
Acne conglobata is a rare, but severe, form of acne. It’s characterized by deep abscesses, inflammation, and scarring. It’s a chronic condition that typically affects the face, chest, back, and buttocks. Acne conglobata is considered one of the most severe types of acne due to its tendency to cause serious disfigurement and scarring.
There are different genetic and lifestyle factors that may make it more likely for you to get either HS or acne conglobata.
HS can be caused by a variety of factors, including family history, lifestyle, hormones, and other medical conditions.
Neither infections nor poor hygiene will cause HS.
Acne conglobata is caused by a combination of factors:
Additionally, other factors such as stress, diet, and certain medical conditions may play a role in the severity of acne conglobata.
Many of the symptoms of these two conditions overlap, but there are some distinctions.
Common symptoms of HS include the following:
These skin symptoms usually appear in areas of the body that experience the most friction, such as the groin and underarms. HS lesions often lead to chronic pain and scarring.
Symptoms of acne conglobata may include:
Your dermatologist can help you find the best treatment, whether you’re experiencing HS or acne conglobata.
Treatment for HS includes a combination of the following:
People with HS should work with their dermatologist to find a treatment plan that works best for them.
A combination of oral medications, topical ointments, and surgery can be used to treat the symptoms of acne conglobata.
There are a lot of features that make these two conditions similar.
Both HS and acne conglobata are chronic conditions that require long-term management. They may last for many years, with some periods of flare-ups and other periods of symptom remission. This is partly because they are inflammatory diseases. In HS, inflammation occurs in the hair follicles and sweat glands, and in acne conglobata, it’s in sebaceous glands. Neither disease is contagious to others.
Both HS and acne conglobata can cause painful abscesses and tunnels under the skin. These often drain pus and lead to a risk for infection and scarring. People with both conditions should look out for flu-like symptoms when they have a draining wound.
Some of the treatments prescribed for HS are also prescribed for acne conglobata. Antibiotics are frequently used to manage infections and inflammation in both conditions. Surgery is also used in both diseases in severe cases to drain abscesses and remove severe lesions.
These two skin conditions also have some key differences.
While HS primarily infects areas where the skin rubs together, like the armpits and groin, acne conglobata affects areas that have a lot of sebaceous glands, such as the face, chest, and back.
HS usually begins when people are in their teens and 20s, after puberty is complete, but it can occur throughout a person’s lifetime. Acne conglobata usually develops in young adults between the ages of 18 and 30, though infants also can develop it.
HS is more common in women than in men, according to StatPearls, and acne conglobata is more common among men than women.
HS is strongly linked to changes in hormones occurring during menstrual cycles, pregnancy, and menopause. Acne conglobata is influenced by androgens, but the link is not as strong as it is for HS.
Current research shows that if you have HS, you’re more likely to also have acne (including acne conglobata). These two conditions do have some shared risk factors that make you more likely to get the other one. For example, both smoking and having obesity (a body mass index, or BMI, of 30 or higher) can increase inflammation in your body, raising your risk for both conditions.
If you’re living with skin symptoms of either HS or acne conglobata, seek professional help from a dermatologist. They can provide a personal evaluation of your skin and overall health, diagnose your skin disorder, and provide personalized treatment including lifestyle recommendations.
On myHSteam, the social network for people with HS and their loved ones, more than 43,000 members come together to ask questions, give advice, and share their stories with others who understand life with HS.
Do you experience HS or acne conglobata? What steps have you taken to improve your skin symptoms? Share your experience in the comments below, or start a conversation by posting on your Activities page.
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