Background/Objective: More than 80% of patients with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) experience recurrent flares at least once a month.1 Currently, there is a paucity of research on flare management techniques used by patients and their perceived efficacy. This study aimed to characterize the flare management practices as reported by patients with HS.

Methods: An anonymous survey was distributed using REDCap to online HS patient support groups between March-April 2023.

Results: There were a total of 900 respondents (92.3% female, 66.1% White, mean age of 39.4 years). The most frequently used treatments for HS flares included warm compresses, non-prescription pain medications, oral antibiotics, and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) therapies. The most effective flare management strategies as perceived by patients (Figure 1) included intralesional steroid injections (ILS), CAM therapies, warm compresses, and incision and drainage (I&D). Among 594 respondents who used complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) treatments for HS flares, oral supplements such as turmeric, zinc, and Vitamin D (65.5%) were most common, followed by dietary changes (58.9%) and Epsom salt baths (47.3%).

Discussion/Conclusion: Our study presents novel findings on how patients with HS manage their flares. ILS and I&D were identified as helpful treatments; however, these methods were used less frequently compared to other less effective treatments. This discrepancy may represent difficulties in accessing providers who can perform these procedures during HS flares. Additionally, CAM treatments were found to be second-most effective; however, there is a paucity of research on CAM therapies in HS management. There exists a need for further investigation into the safety and efficacy of CAM therapies.

Reference
1.    LeWitt TM, Mammis‐Gierbolini A, Parnell M, et al. International consensus definition of disease flare in hidradenitis suppurativa. British Journal of Dermatology. 2022;187(5):785-787. doi:10.1111/bjd.21647