A cyst appears somewhat like a pocket of tissue that contains fluid, air or other material in any body part. Pilonidal cyst infection forms at the buttock crease and contains hair and skin debris. This type of bump can grow on the skin due to numerous causes, however, they aren’t a contagious infection.
In most cases, doctors find ingrown hair to be the main culprit behind pilonidal cysts. As the hair gets set in the buttock skin, your body starts to react to this foreign material. This leads to the thickening of the tissue that turns into an infection, triggering symptoms like:
- Redness, swelling, tenderness or deep pain in the buttocks area
- Drainage of pus or blood
- Releasing a foul smell from the fluid
- Fever and chills
Without proper treatment of pilonidal cysts or pilonidal cyst surgery, they can develop into a chronic issue. Furthermore, they can even increase the chances of enlarging squamous cell carcinoma which is a skin cancer.
A person with a pilonidal cyst can suffer from excessive pain especially while sitting. In the case of an acute pilonidal cyst, a person can get the problem once but it may return for chronic pilonidal cysts. Chronic pilonidal cysts need treatment otherwise it can lead to swollen sacs of infection known as abscesses and sinus cavities. Sinus cavities form an empty space under the skin. They are pretty common to those who often sit.
Risk of Pilonidal Cysts
Even though pilonidal cysts are common in people who sit more often, they can develop in anyone’s body. Due to hair penetration into the skin, the problem often starts. Nonetheless, there are several factors that can increase the risk of getting a pilonidal cyst infection.
The most common factors that contribute to increase the chances of pilonidal cysts are:
- Men are more susceptible to this type of cysts, especially in their 20s or 30s age
- Being obese or overweight
- Do a job where a person needs to remain seated for hours
- A lifestyle of sedentary
- Having excessive, coarse or stiff body hair
- Wearing too much tight clothes
- Having a history of pilonidal cysts
Whether you are seeking ways to avoid pilonidal cysts at their first occurrence or treat their recurrence, nothing is more promising than prevention. To maintain the overall health of your rear-end tailbone, take steps to familiarise yourself with valuable information about the preventive measures for pilonidal cysts.
1. Maintain Good Hygiene
Dirt, oil, bacteria and dead cells from the skin surface may transport into the channel to ultimately accumulate at the end. That’s how the brewing of infection starts to create problems in your body.
To keep the area clean, rinse the area with soap and plain water. You can also do gentle scrubbing to exfoliate dead cells of the skin and keep bacteria in check. After completing the cleansing part, make sure to dry the area thoroughly without being harsh.
2. Weight Loss
Overweight or having excess pounds tend to put extra pressure on the tailbone area. Therefore, people who are overweight might have a higher risk of pilonidal cysts. If you want to reduce the risk of this painful skin condition, it is better to take steps to lose weight.
3. Keep moving
Based on your job profile, this can be a difficult task to do. However, encourage yourself to take out time to move. This will relieve pressure on the buttocks and lower the risk of cyst formation.
4. Hair removal
Though it is still a matter of discussion and research what really causes the development of pilonidal cysts, one of the widely accepted factors is the triggering of ingrown hair in the buttocks crease.
Thus, removing body hair from the buttock area either by using the most common hair removal method, shaving or using depilatory creams or other. It might even seem to be worthwhile especially when you have excessive hair growth.
5. Choose Loose Clothes
Do you like to wear body-hugging tight clothing? Well, you may think twice next time after reading this. Sometimes wearing tight clothing could unknowingly put extra pressure on the tailbone area. If you have a history of pilonidal cysts or it’s concerning you, take a look at the clothes in your wardrobe.
Too tight clothing tends to rub against the skin and put a burden on the buttocks. Choose an alternative and swap those snug jeans for loose garments. Otherwise, you might have to undergo a pilonidal cyst surgery.
By whom are pilonidal cysts treated?
In the worst situation, you should see a colorectal surgeon for pilonidal cyst removal surgery if you develop pilonidal cysts. It is ideal to have a renowned physician oversee this minimally invasive procedure. With years of experience treating patients with haemorrhoids, fissures, colon cancer, and pilonidal cysts, Dr. Kamrava is a board-certified pilonidal surgeon.
Conclusion
A pilonidal cyst or pilonidal sinus can appear in the skin when an unnatural round-like sac carrying hair, blood or fluid forms at the crease of the buttocks. To prevent this skin problem, take the above-mentioned steps or ward off the problem by undergoing pilonidal cyst removal surgery.
