Reducing the Pain of Hidradenitis Suppurativa Wounds
A recent commentary in JWC Wound Central explores the significant burden of pain experienced by individuals living with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), emphasizing the impact of wound dressings and dressing changes on quality of life. HS is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that produces deep nodules, abscesses, and draining tracts, typically in intertriginous regions. Pain is consistently cited as the most distressing and debilitating symptom by patients.
Key Findings:
- Pain Impact: International surveys have shown that over 80% of HS patients experience pain during dressing changes, which can be severe enough to cause depression, social isolation, and impaired intimacy.
- Dressing Challenges: Traditional gauze dressings are often painful to remove and can damage fragile wound or periwound tissue. Patients report discomfort, embarrassment, and inconvenience due to bulky or insecure dressings.
- Advanced Dressings: Moisture-retaining, atraumatic dressings are shown to improve healing rates, reduce pain, and lower inflammation. Superabsorbent and adhesive-free systems, such as those used in HS-specific products, demonstrate significant improvements in patient-reported pain and quality of life.
- Clinical Guidelines: Experts recommend avoiding gauze, using adhesive-free options when possible, and prioritizing dressings that enable atraumatic removal. British and international dermatology groups stress the importance of garment-secured systems and careful handling during changes.
- Innovation in HS Dressings: A clinical trial of a HS-specific dressing system (Hidrawear) showed reduced pain, discontinued need for analgesics before dressing changes, and better overall quality of life over a 21-day period.
Conclusion: Reducing pain in HS wound management requires clinician awareness, patient-centered dressing selection, and adoption of atraumatic dressing protocols. Moisture-balanced, secure, and easy-to-change systems offer promise for improving both physical outcomes and psychological wellbeing in this underserved population.
Keywords: hidradenitis suppurativa, wound pain, moist wound healing, atraumatic dressings, Hidrawear, quality of life, SecureLock Technology