ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, often suppurative skin condition which affects primarily apocrine glands. A variety of therapies have been used to treat HS, often with unsatisfactory results. Photodynamic therapy (PDT), utilizing topical 20% 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA) is being used to treat a variety of dermatologic skin concerns, including photorejuvenation and associated actinic keratoses, and acne vulgaris, and other skin tumors. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of these case reports is to evaluate the effectiveness of ALA-PDT in treating recalcitrant cases of HS. METHODS: Four patients, not responding to standard HS therapy, underwent short-contact ALA-PDT therapy utilizing a blue light for activation. One to two week intervals between therapies was utilized for 3-4 total treatments and follow-up was for 3 months following the last treatment. RESULTS: All four of the patients tolerated the therapies well. Clinical improvements from 75-100% were noted n 11 of the patients. No adverse effects were seen during the treatments. The treatments were pain free and there was no downtime associated with these ALA-PDT treatments. CONCLUSIONS: HS is a chronic disease which most dermatologists find difficult to treat. The use of ALA-PDT is finding an ever-expanding role in dermatology. These case studies support the use of ALA-PDT in cases of HS. Although all advertising material is expected to conform to ethical and medical standards, inclusion in this publication does not constitute a guarantee or endorsement by the Journal or its staff of the quality or value of such products or of the claims of any manufacturer.
