For 10 years, Antonio hid a painful scalp condition that nearly destroyed his confidence and his life. At Dr. U Hair and Skin Clinic, we understand that Acne Keloidalis Nuchae (AKN) isn’t just a physical condition. It can crush your self-esteem. Antonio struggled to find AKN treatments that work, and juggling his mental health and his condition became a struggle he had to live through. As you’ll see through Antonio’s story, patients with AKN not only suffer through the pain and physical inconveniences of the condition; they also carry the psychological and emotional burdens that the skin condition causes, often being unable to share what they are going through with even their most trusted friends and family.
Our Patient Shares His Journey With AKN
Before developing AKN, our patient, Antonio, was passionate about life—he loved to play music and perform in front of an audience, he had an outgoing personality, and he had a promising future with his fiancée and two daughters in Chicago, Illinois. When he was a senior in high school, he started to notice bumps on the nape of his neck. After five years, two to three bumps eventually developed into large AKN scalp bumps that caused him physical pain and took an emotional toll on him. Sleeping became difficult, with Antonio and his fiancée often waking up to blood on their pillows. Sweating caused stinging pain to the lesion. But more than that, the emotional anguish he felt over the AKN was inescapable.
The Mental Struggle When Living With AKN
For 10 years, Antonio felt a sense of hopelessness around his chronic scalp inflammation. He became antisocial, stopped taking care of himself, would hide his lesion with uncomfortable clothing, and even started toying with the idea of self-harm. Most painful of all, Antonio had given up playing music—he felt like the thing he loved doing most was taken from him, and he no longer wanted to be seen in public. Even Stephanie noticed his inner struggles when they moved in together. She could see that he wasn’t taking care of himself, and this almost ended their relationship.
Seeking Out An AKN Specialist
Antonio tried first-line therapies, such as topical antibiotics, corticosteroids, and intralesional steroid injections, but they did nothing to help with his case. He eventually found AKN specialist Dr. Sanusi Umar online five years ago and worked hard to make his way to California and find a solution for his condition.
Dr. Sanusi Umar’s AKN Treatment Plan
Dr. Umar had three goals when it came to treating Antonio’s AKN mass:
- Remove the lesion
- Prevent recurrence
- Have an aesthetically pleasant result as the scar healed
The mass was surgically excised using specialized techniques. Dr. Umar utilized proprietary wound modulation techniques and scar prevention protocols to support healing and reduce recurrence risk using the patented Athena Tension Suture Kit, a tool that Dr. Umar created to facilitate wound closure gradually and to minimize skin tearing. After surgery, Antonio is to maintain a post-op routine over 6 to 12 months to help prevent recurrence and support optimal scar healing, with continued follow-up and scalp maintenance as needed.
Antonio’s Post-Surgery Relief
Right after waking up from surgery, Antonio cried tears of relief. He was grateful that he had made it to surgery and looked forward to life without AKN. The scalp bumps that ruined his self-esteem were finally gone. He had been dreaming of this day for 10 years. Now, he feels like he can finally enjoy life and play music again. His mental health greatly improved, and even Stephanie is excited for her fiancé and is looking forward to his AKN surgery recovery.
Men’s Mental Awareness Month and AKN Relevance
While AKN can affect both men and women, it has an estimated male-to-female ratio of 20:1. It’s also more common among men of African descent. Dr. Sanusi Umar acknowledges that the effects of AKN on his patients are both physical and mental. He has devoted the majority of his career to researching the condition and surgical techniques for removing lesions and preventing recurrence. Other scalp conditions that Dr. Umar specializes in that predominantly affect men include folliculitis decalvans and dissecting cellulitis
If you or anyone you know is struggling with Acne Keloidalis Nuchae, we at the Dr. U Hair and Skin Clinics encourage you to break your silence about your struggles and seek help. AKN has physical, mental, and emotional impacts, and dealing with it silently can negatively affect your self-esteem. Antonio’s story is just one of the many real patient AKN journeys that we want to highlight this Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month. Dr. Sanusi Umar lends his support to all the men out there dealing with chronic scalp bumps and inflammation: “To every man struggling with something you can’t talk about, we want you to know: we see you, we hear you, and we’re here to help.” If you or someone you know is struggling with AKN, fill out our free online consultation form to be reviewed by Dr. Sanusi Umar.
Individual results may vary. This story reflects one patient’s personal experience with Acne Keloidalis Nuchae (AKN) and treatment with Dr. Umar. Consult with a qualified physician for personalized advice.
