Approach to the patient with hidradenitis suppurativa: Evaluating severity to guide therapy.

Abstract

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic condition with a multifaceted pathoetiology requiring a multimodal management approach. The HS evaluation process involves the use of multiple tools to determine the extent and activity of disease, patient-reported outcomes, and the effectiveness of therapy. The multimodal approach to treatment based on severity includes lifestyle modifications, topical medications, systemic antibiotics, immunomodulators, and surgical interventions. Patients with HS benefit from medical optimization before surgical interventions. It is imperative to have treatment plans tailored to the disease severity and burden of each patient in order to effectively manage HS.