Hidradenitis Suppurativa Chest - Stage I (Mild)
A small bump or nodule on or under the breast.
Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) symptoms & pictures
The symptoms of hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) are complex and can change over time. When HS symptoms reappear or worsen, it’s called a flare.
HS might begin as a bump in your inner thigh, a lump in your armpit that seems like a cyst, or even what looks to be a pimple on your groin. But as time goes on, these bumps—also called nodules or abscesses— can:
- Become large and painful
- Last for months
- Leak foul-smelling pus when they rupture or burst
- Become connected by tunnels forming deep in the skin
- Leave a scar when they heal
- Sometimes clear but reappear in the same spot
The stages of HS
Since HS can progress over time, it’s important to pay close attention to any changing or worsening symptoms. But because there’s a lot more to HS than what you can see on the skin, it’s especially important to work with a dermatologist to determine how severe your HS may be, and if it has progressed since your last visit.
Dermatologists often measure the severity of HS in stages—from Stage I (mild), to Stage II (moderate), to Stage III (severe).*
Stage I (mild)
Usually shows up as one or more abscesses with no scarring or tunneling under the skin. Flares may clear up but then come back during any stage.
Stage II (moderate)
Abscesses are widely spread and may become connected by tunnels. Tunnels (also known as tracts) can start forming deep in the skin, though they’re not always visible on the surface. Scars begin to form on the surface and within the deeper tissue.
Stage III (severe)
Large areas of the body are covered by abscesses and scarring with widespread tunneling beneath the skin, connecting multiple abscesses.
