Aminolevulinic acid photodynamic therapy for hidradenitis suppurativa.

Hidradenitis suppurative (HS) is a chronic, often suppurative chronic dermatologic disorder that is often misdiagnosed. It has presented therapeutic challenges for decades since its first descriptions in the medical literature in 1854. HS is an apocrine disorder with high prevalence, which has a genetic predisposition. Numerous treatment options have been described, some to control the acute disease process and others to control its long-term consequences. The use of photodynamic therapy (PDT) recently has been described as a treatment option for intractable HS. The clinical trials that are associated with PDT and HS are reviewed, and thoughts about the probably mechanisms of actions of this therapy are given. PDT should be considered in patients who have severe HS.