Hidradenitis Suppurativa: Folliculitis or "Apocrinitis"?

Hidradenitis is a chronic, inflammatory process that occurs in areas of the body containing apocrine glands. Because of the localization of this entity, many investigators have held that it is caused by primary occlusion of the apocrine glands. Others have maintained that the disease represents a primary folliculitis with secondary occlusion of apocrine and eccrine glands. To investigate the pathogenesis of hidradenitis suppurativa, these authors studied 39 biopsies of early lesions taken from 27 patients.

In virtually all cases, the earliest changes were spongiosis at the level of the follicular infundibulum, with an accompanying mixed neutrophilic and lymphocytic inflammatory infiltrate. Apocrine gland dilatation and obstruction were prese…