14 Common Causes of Hidradenitis Suppurativa

Hidradenitis suppurativa describes a chronic skin disease causing inflammation of the sweat glands and hair follicles. Medical science also refers to this condition as acne inversa. Patients notice the appearance of tiny bumps under the surface of the skin. It can take several weeks or months for the bumps to spread in the affected area. However, the bumps will eventually join under the skin, resulting in an effect called “tunneling.”

The bumps may also fill with pus and break, resulting in crusting around the affected area. Patients who are dealing with the condition may notice that broken bumps or tunnels may result in thick, rope-like scars forming in the skin, resulting in permanent damage. 

Patients require treatment with medications and or surgery to unblock the pores and prevent the condition from spreading. The most common areas for development of hidradenitis suppurativa include, under the arms, in the groin, and under the skin folds of the breasts.

1. Skin Pore Blockage

Skin bumps associated with hidradenitis suppurativa typically occur in people as they enter puberty, and may last until as late as their 40s. The disease occurs due to blockages in pores, sweat glands, and hair follicles, resulting in the accumulation of skin oils under the surface of the skin. As a result, the patient starts to experience the onset of small bumps in the affected area. 

As time progresses, the bumps grow to the size of a pea and start to spread. If left untreated and unmanaged, the bumps may split open resulting in pus weeping from the broken blisters. Eventually, the bumps starter form together under the skin, resulting in an effect named tunneling. The blisters may also start to turn from a reddish-pink appearance to black as the tunneling effect continues.

The skin pore blockage does not occur because of poor hygiene. The most common cause for the development of the bumps is due to skin oils becoming trapped below the surface of the skin. Medical science believes this occurs due to hormonal changes in the affected individual.