---
title: Do women with hidradenitis suppurativa experience flares around their menstrual period?
description: Yes, about 6 in 10 women report this skin condition worsening around their period, and most of those experience flares in the week before menstruation. Some h
url: https://niyora.com/research/papers/characterizing-perimenstrual-flares-of-hidradenitis-suppurativa-2020/
---

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- Do women with hidradenitis suppurativa experience flares around their menstrual period?

Survey study, 2020

# Do women with hidradenitis suppurativa experience flares around their menstrual period?

Yes, about 6 in 10 women report this skin condition worsening around their period, and most of those experience flares in the week before menstruation. Some hormonal treatments helped but others made symptoms worse.

 Moderate study design

283 women with hidradenitis suppurativa who menstruate, recruited from online support groups

## What they did

Researchers surveyed 283 women with hidradenitis suppurativa (a chronic skin condition) about whether their symptoms flare around their menstrual cycle. They asked about use of hormonal treatments and family history of the condition.

## What they found

62.4% of women reported worsening with menses. Of those with worsening, 86.9% said flares occurred always or often. 78.9% reported flares in the week before their period. Women with a family history of the condition had higher rates of period-related flares (49.6%) compared to those without family history (28.2%). More than one-third treated with spironolactone reported improvement. However, more than one-quarter using medroxyprogesterone acetate or a hormonal IUD reported worsened symptoms.

## What it means for you

This is a web-based survey, so women had to remember their symptoms and it only included people active in online support groups. The study cannot prove the menstrual cycle causes flares, just that women notice them together. The mixed results with hormonal treatments suggest there is no clear single solution for managing this condition around the period.

283

women surveyed

62.4%

reported worsening

78.9%

flares before period

## About the study

Original title Characterizing perimenstrual flares of hidradenitis suppurativa Authors Collier EK, Price KN, Grogan TR et al. Journal International journal of women's dermatology Year 2020 Study design Survey study Participants 283 Open access Yes Read the paper [doi.org/10.1016/j.ijwd.2020.09.002](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijwd.2020.09.002)

## Topics

[Diuretics and other drugs](https://niyora.com/research/topics/treatment-diuretics-other-drugs/)

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