A retrospective review of light- and laser-based management of hidradenitis suppurativa

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic skin disease that is difficult to manage and often refractory to medical management. Light and laser therapies have been utilized in the field of dermatology to treat a variety of skin conditions, but more recently were studied in the management of HS. Usually performed as outpatient procedures with a low risk of complications, they offer several advantages to traditional cold knife surgical procedures. We reviewed the various light- and laser-based treatments studied in HS and compared their efficacy. Outcome measures were not standardized, which made comparison difficult. Studies performed were few in number and often limited by small patient samples. Larger, randomized controlled trials that compare these treatment modalities to medical and surgical management are needed. Despite their limitations, light- and laser-based therapies are promising treatment options for patients with refractory HS.