Hidradenitis Suppurativa in Focus: Recognizing Disease Burden and Closing the Diagnostic Gap

HS is far more common than most clinicians realize, and its origins are multifactorial. Understanding genetic, mechanical, microbial, and hormonal contributors gives clinicians a practical foundation for designing treatment plans.

A teenager's first abscess can start a years-long cycle of misdiagnosis, shame, and fragmented care. Dr. Lev-Tov traces how untreated HS derails lives and strains both families and the healthcare system.

Diagnosing HS is simpler than many clinicians assume. A three-part framework and one screening question help clinicians recognize the disease early, so awareness rather than technique becomes the real challenge.

A diagnostic delay of seven to ten years leaves patients carrying myths of poor hygiene and infection. Dr. Lev-Tov argues that naming the disease is itself an intervention.

Earlier treatment appears to improve the likelihood of remission in HS. Dr. Lev-Tov challenges clinicians to rethink what counts as moderate disease and to consider advanced therapies sooner.

HS is a systemic disease with significant comorbidity, which complicates care. Dr. Lev-Tov argues that published guidelines and clear referral pathways make this burden manageable for dermatologists and other clinicians.