Use of botulinum toxin in hidradenitis suppurativa

Abstract

Introduction: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is an inflamatory, chronic, recurrent, and debilitating condition. There is a lack of consensus about its treatment. Objective: We conducted a review of the national and international literature, searching for articles that addressed the use of botulinum toxin in HS, in addition to describing the doses and techniques used. Methods: A bibliographic search was performed in LILACS, Medline, and SciELO. Results: Botulinum toxin can be an effective therapy in patients with HS, especially in cases of concomitant hyperhidrosis and traditional therapies fail. It offers the possibility of conducting treatment with minimal adverse events, reproducible over time without loss of effectiveness, in addition to reducing pain. Conclusions: Patients will likely need more than one treatment over time, as the lesions tend to recur after 6 to 10 months. The technique used has been the standard for hyperhidrosis. Further research is needed to understand its role in the management of HS, including the ideal dosage and frequency of administration.

Keywords

• hidradenitis suppurativa
• hidradenitis
• botulinum toxins
• botulinum toxins type a