English
Spanish
French
Italian
German
MARCH 5, 2025
Links Between Plastics Use, Processed Food, Sweating, and Hidradenitis Suppurativa
March 5, 2025
Authors of Plain Language Summary:
Veronica Voronina, Third-Year Medical Student, Dartmouth Medical School
Natalie M. Fragoso, MD, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Department of Dermatology
Why Was This Research Done?
Over the past 20 years, researchers noticed a large increase in the number of people diagnosed with hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) compared to other skin conditions. This led to the question: Are HS cases really increasing, and if so, why? This study examined connections between dietary and lifestyle choices and HS.
How Was This Research Done?
Researchers recruited 20 people with HS and 20 people without HS. Data was collected using physical exams and surveys. They also analyzed electronic medical records to compare the number of HS cases with cases of psoriasis, another skin condition, at Johns Hopkins University over the past 20 years.
What Did This Study Find?
- The number of HS cases at Johns Hopkins University has increased dramatically in the past 20 years. In 2000, for every 100 psoriasis patients, there were 3–4 HS patients. By 2023, for every 100 psoriasis patients, there were 23–24 HS patients. The increase could be due to better public awareness, improved diagnostic tools, and more patient referrals to dermatology.
- HS patients were more likely to be female, Black/African American, and have darker skin types.
- HS patients were more likely to come from lower-income households, eat fewer home-cooked meals, and drink more canned beverages per week.
- HS patients used plastic products more often than those without HS.
- HS patients had higher body mass index (BMI) and reported sweating more frequently, especially in the groin and abdominal folds. BMI measures body fat relative to height and weight.
How Do These Findings Relate?
Socioeconomic status can affect lifestyle and diet. People from lower-income households may choose processed foods because they are cheaper and more accessible. Diets high in processed foods and canned drinks, and low in fresh produce, can lead to poor health.
Studies show people who eat more processed foods are more likely to have a high BMI. A high BMI can lead to skin folds and more frequent sweating. Sweating helps the body remove toxins and harmful chemicals from our system, such as those which may accumulate in our bodies from plastics. However, the increased frequency of sweating in patients with HS means that a greater amount of these inflammatory substances are being excreted. More research is needed to understand how this affects HS.
What Is the Big Picture?
This study suggests that patients with HS may have unique lifestyle and environmental factors compared to those without HS. The links between processed foods, plastic use, sweating, and HS need further research to understand how they might contribute to the development of HS.