Condition education

Hidradenitis Suppurativa

A painful, chronic inflammatory disease that is often recognized years too late.

What it is

A chronic inflammatory disease, not just boils

Hidradenitis suppurativa, or HS, is a chronic inflammatory disease of the hair follicles that causes painful nodules, abscesses, and tunnels under the skin, usually where skin rubs together, in the armpits, groin, under the breasts, and buttocks.

More than skin-deep. HS is a systemic inflammatory disease, and it is frequently mistaken for ordinary boils and diagnosed years late. Early recognition genuinely changes its course.

Signs and symptoms

What it can look like

  • Recurring, painful lumps and abscesses
  • In the armpits, groin, under the breasts, and buttocks
  • Draining tunnels under the skin, called sinus tracts
  • Scarring over time
  • Flares that come and go

Associated conditions

Comorbidities to know

Hidradenitis Suppurativa can travel with other conditions, which is why whole-person assessment matters, not just treating the skin.

  • Metabolic syndrome. Obesity, diabetes, and related conditions
  • Inflammatory bowel disease. An associated inflammatory condition of the gut
  • Mental health. High rates of depression and anxiety from chronic pain and visible disease
  • Polycystic ovary syndrome. More common in people with HS
  • Cardiovascular risk. Raised by chronic inflammation

The burden

Why it matters to patients

Chronic pain, drainage, odor, and scarring take a profound toll on quality of life, work, intimacy, and mental health, and the years many people spend without a diagnosis deepen that burden.

Care has expanded

There is more help than ever

HS is treatable, and outcomes are better the earlier it is recognized. Care ranges from medical therapy to targeted immune treatments and procedures, with treatment choices that require accurate diagnosis, severity assessment, and monitoring. Specialty assessment is key to staging the disease and building a plan.

How AURORA helps

Specialty care for hidradenitis suppurativa, closer to home

AURORA connects local clinics across rural and remote Alaska to dermatology hubs, so hidradenitis suppurativa can be recognized, documented, and managed without a long trip away from home whenever clinically appropriate.

How AURORA worksAll conditions

This page is general education, not medical advice. If you have a skin concern, please talk with a clinician. For a severe or rapidly worsening problem, seek local care right away.