My Sweat Glands Are Inflamed: What Should I Do?

If you’re dealing with inflamed sweat glands, you know how painful the condition can be. What you may not know is that there are treatment solutions which can help.

At North Tarrant Health Providers in Fort Worth, Texas, Dr. Balaguru Sambandam treats this condition with compassion and expertise to help get you back to normal as soon as possible. Here’s what you should know.

How do sweat glands become inflamed?

Hidradenitis suppurativa is a chronic inflammatory condition that occurs when blocked hair follicles near your sweat glands become painfully swollen and infected. When these glands produce sweat (mostly in your underarms, groin, buttocks, and under the breasts for some women), the hair follicles become clogged with dead skin cells.

This area becomes a breeding ground for bacteria; the infection can’t get out because the follicle or gland is blocked, so a cyst forms that often looks like a large, thick pimple. These cysts eventually burst, spreading the material to nearby hair follicles, where the process repeats. Channels can also form between the cysts, which makes it even easier for infections to travel back and forth.

Cystic lesions can be very painful and deep, causing swelling and scarring. This condition affects up to 3% of Americans, including four times as many women as men. If you find yourself in this situation, see Dr. Sambandam as soon as possible.

Treatment options for hidradenitis suppurativa

Treatment options for inflamed sweat glands typically begin with medication. Your medication combination will depend on your specific situation, but could include:

• Topical antibiotics
• Oral antibiotics
• Steroid injections
• Hormones and biologics
• Oral retinoids
• Pain medications

Carbon dioxide laser therapy can be helpful for treating the condition’s sores, and laser hair removal may be effective early on in the process. When medication and other therapies don’t work to soothe inflamed sweat glands, hidradenitis surgery may be the next best option. 

Surgical treatment for inflamed sweat glands

If medication isn’t effective, Dr. Sambandam explains your surgical options for inflamed sweat glands. These include: 

Unroofing

This surgery removes tissue to uncover the tunnels where the infection travels. It’s usually performed for patients with moderate to severe cases of hidradenitis suppurativa.

Removal

If your case is severe enough, you may consider removal of the skin, cysts, and glands affected by the condition. A skin graft may be required with this treatment approach.

Incision and drainage

Surgical drainage isn’t a good long-term solution for inflamed sweat glands, but in severe cases, it can be necessary to relieve your pain until another treatment can be accomplished.

Relief from hidradenitis suppurativa is possible 

Hidradenitis suppurativa can be very serious, painful, and difficult to deal with. If you suspect you may have it, see our North Tarrant Health Providers team as soon as possible. Call our Fort Worth, Texas, office at 817-904-4165 today, or use our easy online scheduler to request an appointment at the time that works best for you.