Axillary manifestations of dermatologic diseases: A focused review

Abstract

Many dermatologic conditions affect the axillae; however, identification is often difficult due to similar clinical presentations. The axillae are unique due to their increased humidity, as well as their high density of hair follicles and sweat glands. Furthermore, they are a site of increased friction due to the presence of closely opposing skin surfaces. In addition to the axillae being involved with common skin diseases affecting other body surface areas, these unique factors also predispose the axillae to less common skin manifestations. This review categorizes the various conditions based on their inflammatory or infectious etiology and describes each condition based on their predominant characteristics, such as lesion type and color, methods of diagnosis, and treatment. Overall, the goal of this review is to provide a broad differential of conditions affecting the axillae so that conditions can be differentiated from one another and treated effectively.