Abstract

Purpose: Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the apocrine gland-bearing regions, commonly seen in the axilla, groin, and perineum. Treatments of HS range from topical, intralesional, systemic, and surgical, for which the most common treatment is the use of antibiotics. A more novel treatment includes the use of laser therapies that target specific areas of the body without significant systemic side effects or antibiotic resistance. We aim to show the efficacy of laser treatment in patients with HS leading to resolution of the disease without complications and increasing their quality of life.

Methods: A retrospective chart review of 86 of patients diagnosed with HS from 2016-2021 was performed, excluding patients that did not receive laser treatment. Electronic medical records were used to analyze patient notes, operation reports, and photographs for the improvement of HS. Lesions of HS were classified by Hurley stage, location, age of onset and diagnosis, treatment type, duration, and complications were recorded. 

Results: All of the patients that meet the inclusion criteria (n=78) showed improvement of the HS lesions. The most common HS lesion was a Hurley Type II and the most common location was the axilla. On average, the patients were treated with 6.2 laser sessions for 17 months without any complications. Of the improved patients, 56% of the patients completed treatment leading to a better quality of life highlighting the efficacy of the laser treatment.  
 
Conclusions: The Nd:YAG laser therapy shows to be a promising new treatment modality for the treatment of HS. It could change the current treatment algorithm of HS moving away from antibiotics into the more novel laser therapy. Leading to no systemic side effects or antibiotic resistance and improving the quality of life of HS patients.