Genital Acne – something you must know about!

Genital Acne – is this for Real?

You can bet your life it is – but it is not what you are probably thinking.

In fact it is a medical condition called Hidradenitis Suppurativa – and it is more commonly referred to as genital acne.

Why – because visibly it appears very similar to acne and this is what tends to cause all the confusion between the two?

So what is the difference?

Simply this….Hidradenitis Suppurativa involves the apocrine glands whereas acne involves the sebaceous glands. Apocrine glands are located in the groin area as well as under the arms and the nipples – just like the onset of acne these glands can also become blocked.

The big offender here is perspiration – which can also be associated with acne.

Another thing that can happen to the apocrine glands is that sometimes they do not develop completely. When particles become trapped inside these glands and can’ t get outside the body they end up being forced out into the tissues that surround the blocked glands.

The result is a painful infection and inflammation surrounding the area of infection that sometimes causes lesions to appear on the surface of the skin.

Apart from undue perspiration which is common to this part of the body, there are other situations that can cause irritation in the groin area and trigger this condition.

Tight clothing and that constantly rubs against the skin is one and the residue from some laundry detergents may also irritate the skin. If you do suffer from problems in this area then try using a different detergent or body soap and watch to see if the problem then clears up.

When is it the right time to see your Doctor?

Should the condition persist, especially if the lesions are present on the genital organs, then that is the right time – don’t let the problem get out of hand even if you do find it a little embarrassing.

Unfortunately, genital acne (or Hidradenitis Suppurativa) can sometimes be a little more serious. The lesions could actually be a symptom of a sexually-transmitted disease such as genital herpes or warts and have nothing at all to do with blocked glands.

As I mentioned before you may find this to be an embarrassing predicament but it's absolutely necessary to get the right diagnosis as soon as possible. That's the only way you'll be able to make this awkward situation better for yourself.

A diagnosis of Hidradenitis Suppurativa is easier to treat if it is a mild case. So by wearing loose clothing and keeping the affected areas free of bacteria by cleansing with an antiseptic, or benzoyl peroxide solution should produce a great improvement in a fairly short period of time.

However, if the lesions have a discharge or are painful, they might be infected and this will require some antibiotics. In really severe cases the lesions may need to be lanced open and drained.

Keeping genital acne at bay.

So now you can see why making a few simple changes to your daily cleansing routine will help keep this often painful condition at bay.

Similarly, as with any type of acne, for best results gentle exfoliation is the key to keeping bacteria under control. The process of exfoliating removes the dead skin cells so that they don't cause an outbreak of acne.

Always make sure you use a mild and gentle cleanser and don’t scrub the area you are treating too hard as you don’t want the skin to become irritated – this is one of the best ways of preventing acne from happening.