Researchers have found that a new range of drugs called JAK inhibitors may effectively treat Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), a chronic inflammatory disease affecting 1 in 100 Britons, by targeting inflammation at the cellular level. According to Dr Abirami Pararajasingam, HS can cause painful boils and weeping sores, with over 700,000 Britons estimated to have the condition, which often takes up to ten years to diagnose. These JAK inhibitors are already used to treat other inflammatory conditions such as eczema and rheumatoid arthritis. The experts say that these new drugs could be a "gamechanger" for early or milder cases of HS.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-06,
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It's an agonising and disfiguring skin condition that plagues one in every 100 Britons – yet very few have ever heard of Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS).
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few → see → Hidradenitis
A chronic inflammatory disease, it causes painful, boil-like lumps to form deep under the skin in areas such as the armpits and groin.
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lumps → cause → armpits
Occurring when hair follicles are blocked, flare-ups can resemble ingrown hairs.
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ups → occur → hairs
But left untreated, HS can cause weeping sores curable only by surgically removing the affected area of skin.
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HS → leave → skin
For decades, treatment has been limited to antibiotics, antibacterial washes and pain relief.
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treatment → limit → antibiotics
But for many with severe cases of HS, this cannot fully clear up outbreaks or prevent future ones.
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this → clear → ones
Now experts say research suggests a new range of drugs could target the underlying cause of the condition – inflammation.
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range → say → condition
Called JAK inhibitors, these medications are already used to treat inflammatory conditions from rheumatoid arthritis to eczema.
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medications → call → eczema
But a growing body of evidence has found they could also be a new therapy for HS, by blocking the inflammatory signals that drive the disease at the cellular level.
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that → grow → level
While the drugs can't reverse the severe skin damage of advanced HS, they could be 'a gamechanger' for early or milder cases, says Dr Abirami Pararajasingam, consultant dermatologist and British Skin Foundation spokesman.
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Pararajasingam → reverse → cases
She says the US is 'proactive' about giving patients these drugs as they have fewer restrictions about intervening.
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they → say → restrictions
Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory disease, it causes painful, boil-like lumps to form deep under the skin in areas such as the armpits and groin
But she adds: 'In the UK, there are issues with pricing that mean patients can't access them.
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patients → cause → them
We need to be intervening earlier.'
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We → need → ?
Once thought to be rare, more than 700,000 Britons are now estimated to have HS.
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Britons → think → HS
Caused by an overactive immune system which triggers an abnormal inflammatory response when hair follicles become blocked and infected, it can vary widely in severity.
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it → cause → severity
For some, flare-ups resemble small blackheads, boils or under-the-skin lumps that go on their own.
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that → resemble → own
For others, lesions become open wounds that take years to heal and cause extensive scarring.
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that → become → scarring
Women are more likely to be affected than men, with most experiencing symptoms in their early to late teens.
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most → affect → teens
As the condition often appears to mimic other common ailments and lacks a single definitive lab test, HS can take up to ten years to diagnose in the UK.
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HS → appear → UK
As a result, says Dr Beibei Du-Harpur, clinical lecturer in dermatology at King's College London, many patients live for years without understanding what is going on.
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what → say → years
'If HS is diagnosed and treated early, many of the worst damage can be avoided,' she says.
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she → diagnose → damage
'[But] people are just sitting at home coping as that damage is occurring because they don't understand what's happening.
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what → sit → home
Experts still aren't sure exactly what causes the condition, but it's estimated that one in three cases is genetic.
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cases → cause → condition
Other factors are being overweight or obese and smoking.
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factors → smoke → ?
Nicotine and other chemicals in tobacco smoke bind to receptors in skin cells, encouraging abnormal skin thickening which blocks hair follicles.
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which → bind → follicles
Being overweight can see pro-inflammatory chemicals released by excess fat tissue, creating a low-grade inflammation that can trigger or worsen HS.
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that → see → HS
Extra body weight can also create deeper skin folds, under which HS eruptions can occur.
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eruptions → create → which
'Some people are simply more prone to HS because of their hair follicle and oil gland structure,' says Dr Du-Harpur.
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Harpur → say → structure
Early cases of HS are usually treated with courses of antibiotics and prescription creams or gels.
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cases → treat → antibiotics
But research has led to huge advancements now beginning to trickle down to patients in the UK.
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advancements → lead → UK
Called biologics, this new range of drugs target and block specific immune system proteins that drive painful inflammation and tissue damage, reducing flare-ups and preventing future outbreaks.
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that → call → outbreaks
For many, the drugs have already been life-changing.
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drugs → change → many
Laurelle-Maria Sterling, 32, has lived with HS since her teens.
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Sterling → live → teens
Diagnosed at 20, when she was regularly in and out of hospital, she was prescribed course after course of antibiotics.
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she → diagnose → antibiotics
'None of them got rid of the HS,' she says.
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she → rid → HS
'My only option was surgery – great for pain relief, as the pain from healing is better than the pain from the condition – but it didn't stop flare-ups in other areas.
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it → heal → areas
Four years ago she was put on a drug called adalimumab, also used to treat rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis.
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she → put → arthritis
She says: 'It calmed down the level of inflammation.
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I still get occasional flare-ups but they no longer become as severe.'
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they → get → ups
In the US, adalimumab and JAK inhibitors are already used to treat milder cases of HS.
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inhibitors → use → HS
…and 2 more, not listed.
