Back and face involvement in hidradenitis suppurativa.

BACKGROUND

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) may be associated with face and back lesions which are considered as acne.

OBJECTIVE

To describe the skin lesions of a group of patients with HS.

METHODS

Twelve patients were selected from a series of 648 patients on the basis of their specific skin lesions.

RESULTS

The patients (mostly male) had typical hidradenitis. On their face or back they had one or several of the following skin lesions which are not seen in acne: hypertrophic rope-like bridged scars, raised plaques with multiple carbuncle-like openings or with ulcerations, 'worm-eaten scars' and coalescent nodules with round ulcerations. All patients had deep round scars. Several had a pilonidal cyst or large epidermal cysts. Isotretinoin had been used by 7 patients with no effect.

CONCLUSION

Some HS patients have specific lesions of the face and back which are not acne and have to be treated differently.