HISTOPATHOLOGY OF APOCRINE BROMHIDROSIS

A histologic study of axillary skin taken from 20 Korean bromhidrosis patients and 10 normal Korean subjects without axillary odor was under taken. Under light microscope, the skin specimens, stained with hemato xylin and eosin, were examined. Compared with the controls, the apocri ne glands were numerous and the gland size large in the bromhidrosis s kin. The decapitated epithelial cell-lined contracted glands were seen intermixed with the nondecapitated cell-lined distended glands in the bromhidrosis skin. By comparison, in the normal controls, the apocrin e glands were atrophic and lined with flat epithelial cells and showed no decapitation. It appears that histologic change of apocrine glands may contribute more to bromhidrosis than bacterial decomposition of a pocrine sweat. Surgical removal of apocrine glands may thus be the mos t satisfactory and logical method of treatment.