from other ethnicities. As a result, researchers are still not fully sure what causes HS. There is some evidence that it’s genetic and can be influenced by other conditions.
For example, HS may be an autoimmune condition linked to illnesses such as lupus, psoriasis, and inflammatory bowel disease – all of which are known to affect the Black community significantly. Additionally, obesity and smoking can make it more likely for you to develop HS. Statistics show that Black Americans have higher levels of smoking and higher rates of obesity than other ethnicities so these can be a factor.
How HS Is Treated
There’s no cure for HS but the symptoms can be managed with medication and medical procedures. Some of the medications that your doctor might prescribe include antibiotics, painkillers, steroid injections, and biologics. Since HS symptoms have been shown to get worse during certain points of the menstrual cycle because of hormonal fluctuations, you may also undergo hormonal therapy.
Your doctor may also recommend certain surgical procedures if you have moderate to severe HS symptoms. If you have tunnels under the skin, these can be exposed to reduce your pain from them. Laser therapy can remove sores while debridement can treat single bumps. Though doctors don’t recommend surgical drainage as often as they used to, it can still be used to ease your pain. Finally, if nothing is helping, you may have surgery to remove the affected section of the skin. You will then need a skin graft to cover the area that has been taken away.
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When To See A Doctor
Ideally, you should see a dermatologist who specializes in treating people of color as soon as you see odd bumps on your skin. Even if it’s not HS, other skin conditions affect Black people which can benefit from an early diagnosis. If you feel lumps under your skin or bumps that appear and disappear consistently, it’s important to bring this to the dermatologist’s attention.
Another thing to note is that HS can be linked to other conditions over time. For example, some people with the condition develop skin cancer. While it’s not clear why that is, you should let your doctor know if you’re seeing any signs of skin cancer.
Though a lot of people haven’t heard of HS, it’s a skin condition that affects almost 300 out of every 100,000 Black Americans. As such, you should pay attention to any changes in your skin.