TLDR Acne and hidradenitis suppurativa have different causes and risk factors, but both are driven by inflammation and may benefit from treatments targeting interleukin-1.
The document discusses the similarities and differences between acne and hidradenitis suppurativa (HS), both of which are related to hair follicles and can be part of the acne tetrad. Acne is characterized by comedones and inflammatory lesions, while HS is also defined by its chronic presence in intertriginous areas. The causes of both conditions include genetics, bacteria, environmental factors, and innate inflammation, but they differ significantly in their specifics. The genetics of the two diseases are not the same, and bacteria's role in HS is not as clear as in acne. Risk factors such as obesity and smoking are important in HS but do not directly correlate with acne. However, both conditions are driven by innate inflammation, particularly involving interleukin-1, suggesting that targeting the interleukin-1 family could be a promising treatment strategy for both acne and HS.
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