Lasers to remove hair may also relieve the painful skin condition hidradentis suppurtiva

Intense pulsed light and laser treatment may be effective in treating the painful skin condition hidradentis suppurtiva (HS), a skin disease that can result in boils, according to researchers at George Washington University in the US.

HS is an inflammatory condition that results in small lumps that form under the skin. These lumps occur frequently in areas of the body where skin rubs together, like the armpits, breasts and groin. These lumps can be very painful and worsen over time, leading to skin tunnels and even scarring.

Women are three times as likely to develop HS, and Black people are also more prone to the disease than other races, says the Mayo Clinic. Treating this condition includes topical antibiotics and surgery, but there is no cure for HS and these lumps are known to return.

A recent study published in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology took a systematic review to look at intense pulsed light (IPL) and laser hair removal to treat this disease. IPL and laser hair removal may be desirable as another method to target treatment on these lesions without affecting the surrounding tissue. These methods work by sending wavelengths of light to heat and break down skin cells, and are used to treat various skin issues, such as scarring and wrinkles and unwanted hair removal. Hidradentis suppurtiva is a painful skin condition.

“While systemic medications and surgical therapies are often effective in reducing HS, these methods sometimes only provide modest success in the prevention of future recurrences and disease progression, warranting adjunctive therapies such as laser and light-based therapies,” say the authors.

The researchers reviewed over 400 published studies to determine the efficacy of these methods. The review shows that laser hair removal and IPL caused significant reductions in inflammatory lesions, highlighting these methods as a promising treatment for this condition. However the results indicate a range in efficacy. Some saw a complete resolution in the affected skin, while others only experienced 50% to 75% lesion reduction after treatment.