Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic skin condition that predominantly affects Black people. Despite this, it can take longer for them to get diagnosed and this can lead to irreversible complications or effects. That’s why it makes sense for you to know the symptoms of HS and when to see a doctor so you can get diagnosed quickly.
The early signs of HS can be blackheads or pimples. These can occur in pairs and pop up in pitted areas of the skin. Doctors also think that the first occurrence of the condition can be caused by clogged pores or hair follicles, which explains why it can be dismissed as acne.
Over time, you can develop lesions under the skin that may or may not be related to the blackheads that you saw before. These lesions can be painful and leave scarring if not addressed.
It’s common for people with HS to develop tunnels under the skin that connect two or more lumps. These tunnels can take a long time to heal and some don’t heal at all. In some cases, the only way to deal with them is surgery. Until then, they can drain blood and pus.
Sometimes, HS bumps become sores and burst. When this happens, they can drain pus and produce a bad smell. While this occurrence isn’t always a sign of infection, it’s best to let your doctor determine the right course of action.
HS is often characterized by lumps or nodules under the skin. In Black people, these lumps may not have the red appearance that other ethnicities experience.
Instead, you can see purple, dark brown, flesh-colored inflamed areas depending on your skin tone. These lumps are most likely to form in areas where skin rubs together like the armpit, groin, around the anus, and under the breasts.
RELATED: How to Treat Hidradenitis Suppurativa in Black People
Studies show that Black people are at least three times more likely to develop HS than other ethnicities. Unfortunately, they don’t get diagnosed as early as others with the symptoms. This can have a significant impact on their health because research suggests that the pain from inflammation can be worse in Black Americans. Furthermore, when HS isn’t treated quickly, the symptoms get worse and you can end up with irreversible scarring.
While there have been some studies and clinical trials focused on HS, statistics show that the information about how the condition affects Black people is still lacking. This is because the participants in studies and clinical trials are usually from other ethnicities. As a result, researchers are still not fully sure what causes HS. There is some evidence that it’s genetic and can be influenced by other conditions.
For example, HS may be an autoimmune condition linked to illnesses such as lupus, psoriasis, and inflammatory bowel disease – all of which are known to affect the Black community significantly. Additionally, obesity and smoking can make it more likely for you to develop HS. Statistics show that Black Americans have higher levels of smoking and higher rates of obesity than other ethnicities so these can be a factor.
There’s no cure for HS but the symptoms can be managed with medication and medical procedures. Some of the medications that your doctor might prescribe include antibiotics, painkillers, steroid injections, and biologics. Since HS symptoms have been shown to get worse during certain points of the menstrual cycle because of hormonal fluctuations, you may also undergo hormonal therapy.
Your doctor may also recommend certain surgical procedures if you have moderate to severe HS symptoms. If you have tunnels under the skin, these can be exposed to reduce your pain from them. Laser therapy can remove sores while debridement can treat single bumps. Though doctors don’t recommend surgical drainage as often as they used to, it can still be used to ease your pain. Finally, if nothing is helping, you may have surgery to remove the affected section of the skin. You will then need a skin graft to cover the area that has been taken away.
RELATED: 8 Surprising Things Making Your Hidradenitis Suppurativa Worse
Ideally, you should see a dermatologist who specializes in treating people of color as soon as you see odd bumps on your skin. Even if it’s not HS, other skin conditions affect Black people which can benefit from an early diagnosis. If you feel lumps under your skin or bumps that appear and disappear consistently, it’s important to bring this to the dermatologist’s attention.
Another thing to note is that HS can be linked to other conditions over time. For example, some people with the condition develop skin cancer. While it’s not clear why that is, you should let your doctor know if you’re seeing any signs of skin cancer.
Though a lot of people haven’t heard of HS, it’s a skin condition that affects almost 300 out of every 100,000 Black Americans. As such, you should pay attention to any changes in your skin.
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