Modern medicine diagnoses a chronic inflammatory skin disease that repeatedly occurs in skin folds such as the armpits, groin, and buttocks as hidradenitis suppurativa. This begins as inflammation develops in the hair follicles surrounding sweat glands. When hair follicles become blocked and rupture, the inflammatory reaction worsens, characteristically presenting as painful red nodules, abscesses, and eventually tunnels forming under the skin that leave scars.
The concept of damp-heat in the Donguibogam is very closely tied to modern medicine's chronic inflammation. Hidradenitis suppurativa is understood not simply as a skin infection, but as a condition deeply involving a systemic inflammatory response and immune system malfunction. When our body's immune system overreacts or becomes confused, it can attack the self or continuously sustain unnecessary inflammatory reactions.
In particular, the connection with gut health is also considered significant. An imbalance of intestinal microorganisms, known as dysbiosis, increases intestinal mucosal permeability, or leaky gut syndrome, allowing gut toxins and inflammatory substances to enter the bloodstream. This can promote a systemic inflammatory response and cause chronic inflammation in various organs, including the skin. This aligns with the context in the Donguibogam describing how toxic heat invades within. Additionally, hormonal imbalance, especially androgen, and insulin resistance are known to influence the onset and worsening of hidradenitis suppurativa, indicating that approaching this merely as a skin problem makes a fundamental solution difficult. Therefore, hidradenitis suppurativa is a condition requiring an integrative approach to restore the balance of the entire body, not just addressing skin symptoms.
