Patient Care

Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS)

Hidradenitis Suppurativa (HS), commonly referred to as boils, lumps, or acne inversa, can cause both physical pain and emotional strain, impacting many parts of everyday life. At Keck, we’re committed to helping patients and families manage HS with compassionate care.

Our HS clinical program is co-directed by Dr. Jennifer Hsiao and Dr. Katrina Lee. Our clinical team strives to implement a personalized treatment plan when caring for patients with HS. Our physicians work with you to create comprehensive plans that might include a range of medical and/or procedural therapies with the goal of controlling your symptoms and minimizing flares.

Our clinicians are also actively doing research to better understand HS, including investigating new therapies that may positively impact patients. Through clinical trials and ongoing research studies, we are working closely with other members of the HS scientific community to bring hope and more effective solutions to patients who have been living with this challenging condition. We also host a virtual Los Angeles Hope for HS support group chapter, which meets every two months. Please register here if interested in joining us.

When you choose Keck Medicine, you will receive comprehensive clinical care for your HS and access to up-to-date evidence-based medicine. We will do our best to support you through your HS healthcare journey.

Patch Testing

If you’ve been struggling with a persistent, itchy rash that doesn’t seem to go away, it might be Allergic Contact Dermatitis—a skin allergy triggered by everyday products touching your skin. The frustrating thing about this condition is that you can develop an allergy to something you’ve used safely for years, and because symptoms don’t appear immediately, it’s almost impossible to pinpoint the cause without specialized testing. That’s where patch testing comes in.

Dr. Brandon Adler leads our Contact Dermatitis Clinic at Keck Medicine, where we perform
Patch Testing to help hundreds of patients each year identify hidden allergens in their skincare products, cosmetics, jewelry, clothing, hair dyes, workplace items, and even items marketed as “natural” or “organic.” (Please note: the patch test is not a food allergy test.) As a member of the North American Contact Dermatitis Group, Dr. Adler brings specialized expertise to creating customized test panels based on your specific rash and lifestyle exposures.

The testing process takes about 5 days and involves several visits. We’ll apply small patches containing potential allergens to your back (no needles), which you’ll wear for 48 hours. After removing the patches, we need to wait a few more days since reactions develop slowly.

At your final visit, Dr. Adler will review the results and helps you identify safe product
alternatives to avoid your specific triggers going forward. Between the first visit and the last visit, you will need to keep your back completely dry – no regular baths, showers, exercise, or sweaty activities.

Patch testing is very safe, though you might experience some itching or temporary skin discoloration where reactions occur. Since contact allergies may last a lifetime, identifying and avoiding your allergens is the key to managing symptoms and preventing future flare-ups. Most of our patients are referred by other dermatologists or allergists, but we do not strictly require a referral. Just call us at 323-442-6200 to schedule your consultation.