Severe vulval apocrine acne successfully treated with prednisolone and isotretinoin

• Published in: Clinical and experimental dermatology Vol. 24; no. 3; pp. 189 - 192
• Main Authors: FEARFIELD, L. A, STAUGHTON, R. C. D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford BSL Blackwell Science Ltd 01.05.1999; Blackwell; Oxford University Press
• Subjects: Adult; Anti-Bacterial Agents - therapeutic use; Anti-Inflammatory Agents - therapeutic use; Biological and medical sciences; Dermatology; Drug Therapy, Combination; Erythromycin - therapeutic use; Female; Hidradenitis Suppurativa - drug therapy; Humans; Keratolytic Agents - therapeutic use; Medical sciences; Prednisolone - therapeutic use; Skin involvement in other diseases. Miscellaneous. General aspects; Tretinoin - therapeutic use; Vulvitis - drug therapy; Human; Corticosteroid; Skin disease; Mucosa; Retinoid; Oral administration; Vulva; Erythromycin; Macrolide; Female genital diseases; Case study; Chemotherapy; Hidradenitis suppurativa; Vulvar diseases; Isotretinoin; Prednisolone; Sweat gland disease
• ISSN: 0307-6938; 1365-2230
• DOI: 10.1046/j.1365-2230.1999.00451.x

Apocrine acne, otherwise known as hidradenitis suppurativa, is a chronic inflammatory scarring disease affecting the apocrine gland‐bearing skin. We present a case of a 34‐year‐old woman with severe vulval apocrine acne who was successfully treated initially with prednisolone and then maintained on long‐term isotretinoin. This case indicates that long‐term treatment with isotretinoin may be more successful than the usual 4–6 months treatment regime.