What is hidradenitis suppurativa. How does it affect the skin. What are the main symptoms of HS. What causes this painful skin condition. How is hidradenitis suppurativa diagnosed. What treatment options are available for managing HS.

What is Hidradenitis Suppurativa?

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, recurring skin condition that causes painful abscesses and scarring, typically in areas where skin rubs together. It occurs near hair follicles with sweat glands, most commonly affecting the groin, buttocks, breasts, and armpits. Although the exact prevalence is unknown, it’s estimated to affect about 1 in 100 people, with women being more susceptible than men.

Recognizing the Symptoms of Hidradenitis Suppurativa

The symptoms of HS can range from mild to severe and often include:

• Blackheads and pus-filled spots
• Boil-like lumps
• Cysts
• Scarring
• Sinus tracts (channels in the skin that leak pus)

These symptoms typically develop in stages. Initially, blackheads and small, pus-filled spots appear. These may disappear or rupture within hours or days. Subsequently, new lumps often form nearby. Without proper treatment, larger lumps can develop and spread.

Common Areas Affected by Hidradenitis Suppurativa

HS typically affects specific areas of the body, including:

• Groin and genital area
• Armpits
• Buttocks and anal region
• Beneath the breasts
• Nape of the neck
• Waistband area
• Inner thighs

In some cases, the lumps may become infected with bacteria, leading to secondary infections that require antibiotic treatment. Many individuals with HS also develop a pilonidal sinus, a small hole or tunnel in the skin at the top of the buttocks.

Unraveling the Causes of Hidradenitis Suppurativa

While the exact cause of HS remains unknown, several factors are believed to contribute to its development:

• Blocked hair follicles
• Hormonal influences
• Genetic predisposition
• Smoking
• Obesity

HS typically begins around puberty, suggesting a potential hormonal component. Many patients with HS also experience acne and excessive hair growth (hirsutism). In rare cases, HS may be linked to Crohn’s disease, particularly when it develops around the groin and anal areas.

It’s important to note that HS is not caused by poor hygiene and is not contagious. However, smoking and obesity are strongly associated with the condition and can exacerbate symptoms.

Diagnosing Hidradenitis Suppurativa: Challenges and Approaches

Diagnosing HS can be challenging as there is no definitive test for the condition. Healthcare providers typically rely on:

• Physical examination of affected skin areas
• Medical history assessment
• Swab tests of infected areas

Swab tests can be particularly helpful in differentiating HS from other skin conditions, as HS is not usually associated with the presence of bacteria that cause typical skin infections. However, HS can sometimes be mistaken for acne or ingrown hairs, making accurate diagnosis crucial.

Treatment Options for Managing Hidradenitis Suppurativa

While HS is a lifelong, recurring condition, various treatment options can help manage symptoms and improve quality of life:

Lifestyle Modifications

• Maintaining a healthy weight
• Quitting smoking
• Wearing loose-fitting clothing
• Avoiding tight undergarments

Topical Treatments

• Antiseptic washes
• Topical antibiotics
• Resorcinol cream

Systemic Medications

• Oral antibiotics
• Retinoids
• Hormonal therapies
• Immunosuppressants
• Biologics (e.g., adalimumab)

Surgical Interventions

• Incision and drainage of abscesses
• Deroofing procedures
• Wide excision surgery

Early diagnosis and treatment are crucial in managing HS and preventing its progression. In the early stages, the condition may be controlled with medication and lifestyle changes. However, more advanced cases may require a combination of medical and surgical interventions.

Living with Hidradenitis Suppurativa: Coping Strategies and Support

HS can significantly impact a person’s quality of life, affecting both physical and emotional well-being. Coping with the condition often involves:

• Pain management techniques
• Stress reduction strategies
• Proper wound care
• Seeking emotional support
• Joining support groups

Many patients find relief in connecting with others who have HS, sharing experiences and coping strategies. Online forums and local support groups can provide valuable resources and emotional support.

Research and Future Directions in Hidradenitis Suppurativa Treatment

Ongoing research into HS is focusing on several areas:

• Understanding the genetic basis of HS
• Exploring new targeted therapies
• Investigating the role of the immune system in HS development
• Developing novel surgical techniques
• Assessing the efficacy of combination therapies

As our understanding of HS grows, new treatment options are likely to emerge, offering hope for improved management and potentially even a cure for this challenging condition.

Preventing Complications of Hidradenitis Suppurativa

While HS cannot be completely prevented, several strategies can help reduce the risk of complications:

• Maintaining good hygiene practices
• Avoiding tight clothing and irritating fabrics
• Managing other health conditions, such as diabetes
• Seeking prompt treatment for flare-ups
• Following prescribed treatment plans consistently

Regular follow-ups with healthcare providers are essential for monitoring the condition and adjusting treatment as needed. Early intervention can help prevent the progression of HS and reduce the risk of scarring and other long-term complications.

Potential Complications of Untreated Hidradenitis Suppurativa

If left untreated, HS can lead to several serious complications:

• Extensive scarring and skin changes
• Restricted movement due to scarring
• Chronic pain
• Depression and social isolation
• Anemia due to chronic inflammation
• Squamous cell carcinoma (in rare, long-standing cases)

These potential complications underscore the importance of early diagnosis and consistent management of HS.

The Role of Diet in Managing Hidradenitis Suppurativa

While there is no specific diet proven to cure HS, some dietary modifications may help manage symptoms and reduce flare-ups:

• Avoiding dairy products
• Reducing refined sugar intake
• Increasing consumption of anti-inflammatory foods
• Maintaining adequate hydration
• Avoiding foods that seem to trigger flare-ups (this can vary between individuals)

Some patients report improvements in their HS symptoms after adopting an anti-inflammatory diet or eliminating certain foods. However, it’s important to consult with a healthcare provider or registered dietitian before making significant dietary changes.

Nutritional Considerations for Hidradenitis Suppurativa Patients

Proper nutrition plays a crucial role in overall health and can potentially impact HS management. Key nutritional considerations include:

• Ensuring adequate protein intake for wound healing
• Consuming foods rich in zinc, which may help reduce inflammation
• Incorporating omega-3 fatty acids for their anti-inflammatory properties
• Maintaining vitamin D levels, which may influence immune function
• Consuming probiotics to support gut health and potentially reduce inflammation

A balanced, nutrient-rich diet can support overall health and potentially contribute to better management of HS symptoms.

The Psychological Impact of Hidradenitis Suppurativa

Living with HS can have significant psychological effects on patients. Common challenges include:

• Decreased self-esteem and body image issues
• Anxiety and depression
• Social isolation
• Relationship difficulties
• Workplace challenges

Addressing the psychological impact of HS is an essential component of comprehensive care. Mental health support, whether through individual counseling, support groups, or other interventions, can greatly improve quality of life for HS patients.

Strategies for Coping with the Emotional Aspects of Hidradenitis Suppurativa

Several strategies can help patients cope with the emotional challenges of HS:

• Seeking professional mental health support
• Practicing stress-reduction techniques like meditation or yoga
• Engaging in regular physical activity, as tolerated
• Connecting with others who have HS through support groups
• Educating friends and family about the condition to foster understanding and support

By addressing both the physical and emotional aspects of HS, patients can work towards a more balanced and fulfilling life despite the challenges posed by the condition.

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) – NHS

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a painful, long-term skin condition that causes skin abscesses and scarring on the skin.

The exact cause of hidradenitis suppurativa is unknown, but it occurs near hair follicles where there are sweat glands, usually around the groin, bottom, breasts and armpits.

For reasons that are unknown, more women than men have the condition. It’s thought to affect about 1 in 100 people.

Symptoms

The symptoms of hidradenitis suppurativa range from mild to severe.

It causes a mixture of boil-like lumps, blackheads, cysts, scarring and channels in the skin that leak pus.

Hidradenitis suppurativa can cause fleshy lumps to grow on the surface of the skin

Credit:

GIRAND/BSIP/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY https://www. sciencephoto.com/media/668613/view

Sometimes, narrow channels (sinus tracts) form under the skin, which can break out on the surface and leak pus

Credit:

Alamy Stock Photo https://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-hidradenitis-suppurativa-52484079.html?pv=1&stamp=2&imageid=B6F62B10-1A6C-45D2-B395-4D3CF16D45CE&p=17774&n=0&orientation=0&pn=1&searchtype=0&IsFromSearch=1&srch=foo%3dbar%26st%3d0%26pn%3d1%26ps%3d100%26sortby%3d2%26resultview%3dsortbyPopular%26npgs%3d0%26qt%3dD1ARYB%26qt_raw%3dD1ARYB%26lic%3d3%26mr%3d0%26pr%3d0%26ot%3d0%26creative%3d%26ag%3d0%26hc%3d0%26pc%3d%26blackwhite%3d%26cutout%3d%26tbar%3d1%26et%3d0x000000000000000000000%26vp%3d0%26loc%3d0%26imgt%3d0%26dtfr%3d%26dtto%3d%26size%3d0xFF%26archive%3d1%26groupid%3d%26pseudoid%3d%7bA883FDE5-7F3D-4472-81F5-B61111916852%7d%26a%3d%26cdid%3d%26cdsrt%3d%26name%3d%26qn%3d%26apalib%3d%26apalic%3d%26lightbox%3d%26gname%3d%26gtype%3d%26xstx%3d0%26simid%3d%26saveQry%3d%26editorial%3d1%26nu%3d%26t%3d%26edoptin%3d%26customgeoip%3d%26cap%3d1%26cbstore%3d1%26vd%3d0%26lb%3d%26fi%3d2%26edrf%3d0%26ispremium%3d1%26flip%3d0%26pl%3d

The condition tends to start with blackheads, spots filled with pus and firm pea-sized lumps that develop in one place. The lumps will either disappear or rupture and leak pus after a few hours or days.

New lumps will then often develop in an area nearby. If these are not controlled with medicine, larger lumps may develop and spread. Narrow channels called sinus tracts also form under the skin that break out on the surface and leak pus.

Hidradenitis suppurativa can be very painful. The lumps develop on the skin in the following areas:

• around the groin and genitals
• in the armpits
• on the bottom and around the anus
• below the breasts

The lumps may also appear on the nape of the neck, waistband and inner thighs.

Some of the lumps may become infected with bacteria, causing a secondary infection that will need to be treated with antibiotics.

Many people with hidradenitis suppurativa also develop a pilonidal sinus, which is a small hole or “tunnel” in the skin at the top of the buttocks, where they divide (the cleft).

What causes hidradenitis suppurativa?

The exact cause of hidradenitis suppurativa is unknown, but the lumps develop as a result of blocked hair follicles.

Smoking and obesity are both strongly associated with hidradenitis suppurativa, and if you’re obese and/or smoke it will make your symptoms worse.

Hidradenitis suppurativa usually starts around puberty, but it can occur at any age after puberty. This may suggest that sex hormones play a part. Many people with the condition also have acne and excessive hair growth (hirsutism).

In rare cases, hidradenitis suppurativa may be linked to Crohn’s disease, particularly if it develops around the groin area and the skin near the anus. Crohn’s disease is a long-term condition that causes the lining of the digestive system to become inflamed.

Hidradenitis suppurativa runs in families in about 1 in 3 cases. It’s not infectious and isn’t linked to poor hygiene.

Diagnosing hidradenitis suppurativa

There’s no definitive test to help diagnose hidradenitis suppurativa.

A GP will examine the affected areas of skin, and they may take a swab of an infected area. This can be helpful in making a diagnosis because the condition is not usually associated with the presence of bacteria that cause skin infections.

Hidradenitis suppurativa could be mistaken for acne or ingrown hairs.

Treating hidradenitis suppurativa

Hidradenitis suppurativa is a lifelong, recurring condition that is often difficult to manage, although the symptoms may improve or eventually stop with treatment.

It’s important to recognise and diagnose the condition in its early stages to prevent it getting worse.

In the early stages, it may be controlled with medicine. Surgery may be required in severe or persistent cases.

Antibiotics

If you have lumps that are particularly painful, inflamed and oozing pus, you may be prescribed a 1- or 2-week course of antibiotics, if test show that you have a bacterial infection.

If bacterial infection is not present, low doses of antibiotics may be used to prevent inflammation. This longer course of antibiotics will last at least 3 months, to reduce the number of lumps that develop.

You may be given antibiotics as a cream (topical) or as a tablet, capsule or liquid. Antibiotic types can include lymecycline, doxycycline, erythromycin or clarithromycin.

In severe cases of hidradenitis suppurativa, a combination of clindamycin and rifampicin can be effective.

Antiseptics

Antiseptic washes, such as 4% chlorhexidine, applied daily to affected areas are often prescribed alongside other treatments.

Retinoids

Retinoids, such as acitretin, are vitamin-A based medicines that help some people with hidradenitis suppurativa.

Retinoids are always prescribed by dermatologists. They must be used with caution and cannot be taken during pregnancy. It’s also important to avoid getting pregnant for 3 years after stopping treatment, so they’re not usually prescribed if there’s a chance you could get pregnant.

Contraceptives

If hidradenitis suppurativa flares up before a period you may benefit from taking oral contraceptives.

Immunosuppressive treatments (infliximab and adalimumab)

In severe cases of hidradenitis suppurativa, treatments that suppress the immune system, such as adalimumab or infliximab, can be useful.

However, there are risks associated with suppressing the immune system, so they are usually only prescribed by a dermatologist if other treatments do not work.

Infliximab and adalimumab are immunosuppressive treatments that are given by injection at regular intervals either at home or in hospital.

Steroids

Rarely, you may be prescribed steroids, such as prednisolone, to reduce severely inflamed skin. Steroids can be taken as skin creams or tablets, or you may have an injection directly into affected skin.

Possible side effects of steroids include weight gain, poor sleep and mood swings.

Read more about steroid creams (topical corticosteroids), steroid tablets and steroid injections.

Surgery

Surgery may be considered in cases where hidradenitis suppurativa cannot be controlled with medicine.

Lifestyle advice

If you have hidradenitis suppurativa you should:

• lose weight if you are overweight
• stop smoking if you smoke
• use an antiseptic skin wash or antiseptic soap – this may be prescribed alongside other treatment
• hold a warm flannel on the lumps to encourage the pus to drain
• wear loose-fitting clothes
• avoid shaving affected skin

Outlook

Although hidradenitis suppurativa can persist for many years, if it’s diagnosed early the symptoms can be improved with treatment.

However, the condition can have a significant impact on a person’s everyday life. Having to regularly change dressings and constantly live with the pain and discomfort of the symptoms can affect your quality of life and lead to depression.

Speak to a GP if you’re finding it difficult to cope.

Page last reviewed: 17 March 2023
Next review due: 17 March 2026

Causes, Symptoms, Tests, and Treatment

Written by WebMD Editorial Contributors

• Abscess Overview
• Abscess Causes
• Abscess Symptoms
• Abscess Treatment: Self-Care at Home
• When to Seek Medical Care
• Exams and Tests
• Medical Treatment
• Next Steps: Follow-up
• Prevention
• Outlook
• Synonyms and Keywords
• More

A skin abscess is a tender mass generally surrounded by a colored area from pink to deep red. Abscesses are often easy to feel by touching. The vast majority of them are caused by infections. Inside, they are full of pus, bacteria and debris.

Painful and warm to touch, abscesses can show up any place on your body. The most common sites on the skin in your armpits (axillae), areas around your anus and vagina (Bartholin gland abscess), the base of your spine (pilonidal abscess), around a tooth (dental abscess), and in your groin. Inflammation around a hair follicle can also lead to the formation of an abscess, which is called a boil (furuncle).

Unlike other infections, antibiotics alone will not usually cure an abscess. In general an abscess must open and drain in order for it to improve. Sometimes draining occurs on its own, but generally it must be opened with the help of a warm compress or by a doctor in a procedure called incision and drainage (I&D).

When our normal skin barrier is broken, even from minor trauma, or small tears, or inflammation, bacteria can enter the skin. An abscess can form as your body’s defenses try to kill these germs with your inflammatory response (white blood cells = pus). Obstruction in a sweat or oil (sebaceous) gland, or a hair follicle or a pre-existing cyst can also trigger an abscess. 

The middle of the abscess liquefies and contains dead cells, bacteria, and other debris. This area begins to grow, creating tension under the skin and further inflammation of the surrounding tissues. Pressure and inflammation cause the pain.

People with weakened immune systems get certain abscesses more often. Those with any of the following are all at risk for having more severe abscesses. This is because the body has a decreased ability to ward off infections.

• Chronic steroid therapy
• Chemotherapy
• Diabetes
• Cancer
• AIDS
• Sickle cell disease
• Peripheral vascular disorders
• Crohn’s disease
• Ulcerative colitis
• Severe burns
• Severe trauma
• Alcoholism or IV drug abuse
• Obesity

Other risk factors for abscess include exposure to dirty environments, exposure to persons with certain types of skin infections, poor hygiene, and poor circulation.

Most often, an abscess becomes a painful, compressible mass that is red, warm to touch, and tender.

• As some abscesses progress, they may “point” and come to a head so you can see the material inside and then spontaneously open (rupture).
• Most will continue to get worse without care. The infection can spread to the tissues under the skin and even into the bloodstream.
• If the infection spreads into deeper tissue, you may develop a fever and begin to feel ill.

• If the abscess is small (less than 1 cm or less than a half-inch across), applying warm compresses to the area for about 30 minutes 4 times daily may help.
• Do not attempt to drain the abscess by squeezing or pressing on it. This can push the infected material into the deeper tissues.
• Do not stick a needle or other sharp instrument into the abscess center, because you may injure an underlying blood vessel or cause the infection to spread.

Call your doctor if any of the following occur with an abscess:

• You have a sore larger than 1 cm or a half-inch across.
• The sore continues to enlarge or becomes more painful.
• The sore is on or near your rectal or groin area.
• You develop a fever.
• You notice red streaks, which can mean the infection is spreading.
• You have any of the medical conditions listed above.

Go to a hospital’s Emergency Department if any of these conditions occur with an abscess:

• Fever of 102°F or higher, especially if you have a chronic disease or are on steroids, chemotherapy, or dialysis
• A red streak leading away from the sore or with tender lymph nodes (lumps) in an area anywhere between the abscess and your chest area (for example, an abscess on your leg can cause swollen lymph nodes in your groin area)
• Any facial abscess larger than 1 cm or a half-inch across

The doctor will take a medical history and may ask you:

• How long the abscess has been present
• If you recall any injury to that area
• What medicines you may be taking
• If you have any allergies
• If you have had a fever at home

The doctor will examine the abscess and surrounding areas. If it is near your anus, the doctor will perform a rectal exam. If an arm or leg is involved, the doctor will feel for a lymph gland either in your groin or under your arm.

The doctor may open and drain the abscess.

Follow carefully any instructions your doctor gives you.

• The doctor may have you remove the packing yourself with instructions on the best way to do this. This may include soaking or flushing.
• Be sure to keep all follow-up appointments.
• Report any fever, redness, swelling, or increased pain to your doctor immediately.

Maintain good personal hygiene by washing your skin with soap and water regularly.

• Take care to avoid nicking yourself when shaving your underarms or pubic area.
• Seek immediate medical attention for any puncture wounds, especially if:
  • You think there may be some debris in the wound.
  • The puncture wound was caused by a bite – human, insect or animal.
  • You have one of the listed medical conditions.
  • You are on steroids or chemotherapy.

Once treated, the abscess should heal.

• Many people require antibiotics, but you may not.
• The pain often improves immediately and subsides more each day.
• Wound care instructions from your doctor may include wound repacking, soaking, washing, or bandaging for about 7 to 10 days. This usually depends on the size and severity of the abscess.
• After the first 2 days, drainage from the abscess should be minimal to none. All sores should heal in 10-14 days.

abscess, abscesses, boils, carbuncles, furuncles, hidradenitis suppurativa, pilonidal abscess, pustules, whiteheads

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What is an abscess? Why open up? Can an abscess be treated at home?

When harmful bacteria enter the body, it responds with a universal protective reaction – inflammation. Under certain circumstances, inflammation can become purulent. Pus is formed – a thick liquid that contains a lot of protein, dead leukocytes and microbial cells. If enough pus accumulates in one place, an abscess occurs, or, in simple words, an abscess.

Abscesses can appear in any part of the body, even in the bones. Most often, they form under the skin, in the armpit, groin, genitals, anus, and in other places. There are ulcers under the mucous membrane (for example, on the gums, if a carious tooth is not treated for a long time, or a pharyngeal abscess – inflammation of fatty tissue behind the pharynx), in internal organs: in the liver, spleen, kidneys, lungs, etc.

Most often surgeons have to deal with subcutaneous abscesses. We will talk about their treatment below.

Can you manage an abscess on your own?

In principle, if the abscess is less than 1 cm in diameter and does not cause much concern, you can try to deal with it yourself. Warm compresses for 30 minutes 4 times a day help.

Under no circumstances should an abscess be squeezed out. By pressing on the cavity with pus, you create increased tension in it, which contributes to the spread of infection. You can not pierce the abscess with a needle. The sharp tip of the needle can damage the healthy tissue or blood vessel under the pus. Malicious microbes will not fail to take advantage of this opportunity and rush to develop new “territories”.

If something resembling an abscess appears on your skin, it is better not to hesitate with a visit to the surgeon. Especially if:

• the abscess is very large or there are several;
• you feel unwell, your body temperature has risen to 38°C or more;
• an ulcer appeared on the skin;
• a red line “went” across the skin from the abscess – this indicates that the infection has spread to the lymphatic vessel, and lymphangitis has developed.

Can an abscess be cured without opening?

Even the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates liked to say: “where there is an abscess, there is an incision”. Since then, little has changed in the principles of abscess treatment.

Why must an abscess be opened? The human body is arranged very wisely, usually it gets rid of everything superfluous. If pus has accumulated somewhere, this indicates that the natural mechanisms have been ineffective. The body does not know how to bring it out. At the same time, the cavity with pus becomes like a time bomb. Pathogenic microbes can spread beyond the abscess, sometimes this leads to severe complications, up to sepsis.

The best solution in this situation is to drain the pus through the incision. As a rule, after this, improvement quickly occurs, the healing process begins.

After opening the abscess, the surgeon may prescribe antibiotics, but not all patients need them.

How is an abscess opened?

The operation is usually performed under local anesthesia. You will practically not feel pain. The doctor will make an incision and clean the wound from pus – using a special suction, or manually, armed with a gauze napkin.

Once the wound has been cleaned, the surgeon will insert a finger or a surgical forceps into the wound to check for pockets filled with pus. Sometimes there are partitions inside the abscess that divide it into two, three or more “rooms”. All partitions must be destroyed and all pus must be released.

Wash the wound with an antiseptic solution. But they are not in a hurry to sew it in. Pus may accumulate under the stitches again. The cavity must be left open so that it cleans better and heals faster. To drain excess fluid, a drain is left in it – a strip of latex, one end of which is let out. Subsequently, dressings are carried out with antiseptic solutions, healing and antibacterial ointments.

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How quickly will healing occur?

The further scenario of the development of events after the opening of the abscess usually looks like this:

• As a rule, immediately after the pus is released, the pain subsides and the general condition improves.
• After 2 days, liquid discharge from the wound almost completely stops.
• Within 7-10 days, you will have to periodically see a doctor and do dressings.
• After 10-14 days, the wound heals completely. Sometimes even faster – it depends on the size of the abscess.

Opening an abscess is practically painless and not scary at all. Much worse are the complications that can arise if treatment is not carried out on time. Make an appointment with a surgeon at the International Medica24 Clinic by phone: +7 (495) 120-19-58

autopsy and removal in Samara

An abscess is an abscess, inflammation of the tissues with the further formation of a purulent cavity. If a lot of pus appears in one location, a purulent abscess occurs there. Treatment in the clinic allows you to quickly get rid of suppuration and avoid further complications associated with the spread of infection to neighboring tissues. The cost of this procedure does not apply to expensive operations, so you should not delay visiting the surgeon’s office.

With an abscess, you must immediately consult a doctor – this is very dangerous (possibly pouring pus into neighboring organs, tissues, melting part of nearby vessels with pus, etc.).

Abscess symptoms

An abscess can be suspected by the following signs:

● the appearance of a hard painful “bump”;

● redness, swelling, softening of the center of the “bump”;

● possible enlargement of lymph nodes, temperature, lethargy.

Abscesses can form in the groin area, in the mouth (on the lip, gums and pharynx), in the armpits, genitals, anus, under the skin and on internal organs: in the kidneys, liver, Bartholin’s gland, lungs, spleen.

Most often, surgeons have to deal with subcutaneous abscesses.

Indications for disposal

The main indications for an autopsy are:

● lack of effect from conservative treatment,

● temperature and weakness,

● Seal,

● redness,

● pain,

● Edema.

Abscess opening

Opening an abscess is a simple procedure, so often only local anesthesia is required in the abscess area. After a small incision, the pus is removed with special equipment.

Depending on the situation, the operation lasts 20-60 minutes (after that, the patient is under the supervision of physicians in a day hospital for 30-40 minutes). Since this is a purulent inflammation, surgery is usually performed on on the day was called.

Stages of treatment:

1. Examination by a surgeon.

2. In the absence of contraindications, the patient changes into sterile clothes and is sent to a sterile manipulation room.

3. Preoperative preparation is underway, local anesthetic is applied.

4. The abscess is opened with a sterile scalpel.

5. The contents are washed, the cavity is processed.

6. Drainage is applied to drain the contents (drainage – if simply – an elastic band that prevents tissue fusion. This is necessary for pus to come out).

7. After the operation, the patient needs to go for dressings for several days and follow the doctor’s recommendations.

Self-treatment of abscess

In order not to risk beauty and health, it is better not to experiment and consult a doctor on time. You should not try to squeeze out the abscess, as you can spread the infection to the surrounding tissues. It is also not necessary to pierce or cut the abscess on your own with sharp objects, since without proper experience you can touch neighboring tissues, after which the condition will only worsen. Sometimes the department with accumulated pus has several departments, so only an experienced surgeon can perform the removal process correctly.

Use of folk remedies

Self-medication and the use of folk remedies is highly discouraged, since an abscess can have serious complications that can be avoided by contacting a specialist in time. This warning can be all the more serious, since on the pages of sites you can often find a proposal to use techniques that will only aggravate the situation.

The doctor in the clinic has all the necessary conditions to diagnose and treat the abscess in the most effective way, after which you will not even have traces of inflammation or incisions.

Abscess treatment without opening

The accumulation of microbes can end in sepsis or phlegmon, so relying on ointments in this case is not the most effective and safe option. The incision made by the surgeon is often so small that soon after the procedure, there will be no trace left on the body.

After the incision is made, improvement occurs very quickly, the temperature subsides, swelling decreases at the site of accumulation of pus and the general condition improves. In difficult cases, antibiotics may be prescribed to fix the result and help the body to finally cope with the infection.

Are there traces left?

After about 10 days, you can finish making dressings, since the incision is almost completely healed. If the operation was done carefully and on time, then there will be no traces left.