Youngest Reported Age of Hidradenitis Suppurativa
Hidradenitis suppurativa has been documented in children as young as 5 years old, though prepubertal onset remains uncommon. 1
Age Distribution and Onset Patterns
The youngest reported cases in the literature include:
- 5 years old: The lower end of the age range documented in a recent case series of 42 pediatric patients 1
- 8 years old: Reported in a cross-sectional study of 71 pediatric patients 2
- 9 years old: A case report describing a girl who developed HS just 3 months after first signs of adrenarche 3
Epidemiologic Context
While these very young cases exist, they represent the extreme tail of the distribution. The median age of onset in pediatric populations is 14 years (range 5-17 years) 1, and the average age of onset across pediatric studies is 11.3 years 4.
Prevalence by Age Group
- Children and adolescents overall: approximately 0.03% prevalence 5
- Prepubertal onset (before age 11): less than 2% of all HS cases 3
- Early-onset (before age 13): approximately 7.7% of HS patients 6
- Pediatric-onset (before age 18): approximately 25% in some cohorts 7
Clinical Significance of Early Onset
The exceptionally early cases (ages 5-9) typically occur in association with early adrenarche or puberty, supporting the androgen-dependent hypothesis of HS pathogenesis 3. The close temporal relationship between hormonal changes and disease onset is consistent across reported cases.
Important Caveat
The rarity of prepubertal cases means that when you encounter suspected HS in very young children (under age 10), you should carefully consider alternative diagnoses and look for signs of precocious puberty or other endocrine abnormalities that might explain the early presentation.