Forty-five patients with hidradenitis suppurativa underwent 83 surgical procedures at the Presbyterian Hospital. Seventy operations were performed on the axillary region. The procedures employed were either simple excision of the diseased area with primary closure, or total excision of the hair bearing area with split thickness skin graft or flap coverage. The lowest recurrence and complication rates were obtained following total excision of the hair bearing area with split thickness skin graft coverage. The disease was treated in both body regions also.