tretinoin and Vulvitis

Eight patients with a long-standing hidradenitis suppurativa were treated with isotretinoin, 0.71 to 1.2 mg/kg/day, as a single agent for 4 months and have had follow-up of at least 2 months. The clinical status was judged as cleared in one patient, almost cleared in three patients, improved in one patient, not changed in two patients, and worse in one patient.

Topics: Adolescent; Adult; Apocrine Glands; Clinical Trials as Topic; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Inflammation; Isotretinoin; Male; Middle Aged; Sweat Gland Diseases; Sweat Glands; Time Factors; Tretinoin; Vulvitis

Apocrine acne, otherwise known as hidradenitis suppurativa, is a chronic inflammatory scarring disease affecting the apocrine gland-bearing skin. We present a case of a 34-year-old woman with severe vulval apocrine acne who was successfully treated initially with prednisolone and then maintained on long-term isotretinoin. This case indicates that long-term treatment with isotretinoin may be more successful than the usual 4-6 months treatment regime.

Topics: Adult; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Anti-Inflammatory Agents; Drug Therapy, Combination; Erythromycin; Female; Hidradenitis Suppurativa; Humans; Keratolytic Agents; Prednisolone; Tretinoin; Vulvitis

Established drugs that could logically be hoped to have a beneficial effect on vulvar vestibulitis were evaluated empirically in small, uncontrolled, pilot studies. A small number of spontaneous remissions occurred in the groups using oral isotretinoin or progesterone cream. Apparent therapeutic responses were observed in women using oral dapsone, oral acyclovir or topical capsaicin. A further investigation of the last two drugs is warranted.

Topics: Acyclovir; Capsaicin; Dapsone; Drug Evaluation; Female; Humans; Isotretinoin; Progesterone; Tretinoin; Vulvitis