[2] Hidradenitis suppurativa is a chronic cutaneous condition originally thought to be primarily characterized by suppurative inflammation of the apocrine sweat glands.

[3]: 710  Recent evidence supports that the primary event is follicular hyperkeratosis and obstruction,[4] but the term hidradenitis supperativa has continued to be used in major medical journals.

As the disease progresses and abscesses reoccur, they become larger and more painful; eventually tunnels of scar tissue connect the lesions.

[7] The Mayo Clinic suggests the following: antibiotics (generally the lowest side effect profile compared to other treatments); corticosteroids (e.g., prednisone); but corticosteroids have many side effects, including "moon face" for the duration of the medication's trial usage, as well as unwanted hair growth for females and/or osteoporosis with long-term use.

However, tea tree oil can cause contact dermatitis for some as well as breast development in teenage boys and should not be used if one has rosacea due to the potentiality of worsening the symptoms of that skin condition.