A pilonidal cyst is a pocket that contains hair and skin debris present at the bottom of the tailbone. It occurs when the hair punctures the skin and gets embedded. This condition can be painful if it becomes infected. Though the cyst can sometimes be removed by a small cut in the skin, mostly pilonidal cyst excision, mild surgery is needed.

These types of cysts are more common in young adult males than females. People who sit for longer periods of time are at higher risk of developing this.

Symptoms

Though, the pilonidal cyst may not show any symptoms but the skin around it can get infected and swollen leading to pilonidal cyst infection that shows the following symptoms:

• Severe pain near the tailbone

• Inflamed and swollen skin

• Pit near the top of the buttocks crease

• Foul smelling draining pus

• Blood or pus leaking from the opening of the skin

If you see any of these symptoms, consult your doctor immediately.

Causes

The cause of these pilonidal cysts is mostly the loose hairs that puncture the skin. Many things can force the hair into the skin like cycling, tight clothing, long periods of sitting, and friction caused by rubbed skin. Due to all this, the body creates a cyst around the hair to push it out of the skin. These usually form on the tailbone.

Risk Factors

You are at higher risk of getting a pilonidal cyst if you are:

- Overweight

- Have an inactive lifestyle

- Young adult white male

- Sit for long periods of time

- Body hair is thick and stiff

Treatment

The first line of treatment for this condition is to make a small cut to drain the cyst but in case it gets infected or returns, then pilonidal cyst excision surgery is recommended. 

What is Pilonidal Cyst Excision?

A mild surgery is used to remove the pilonidal cyst from the rear end i.e generally the top of the crease of your buttock, this is termed as pilonidal cyst excision. This cyst is generally a sac that is filled with fluid. The pilonidal cyst excision surgery is also called pilonidal cystectomy which is a procedure to remove the cyst and its surrounding infection. It is a minor surgery that a pilonidal cyst surgeon performs.

It is an outpatient procedure and you will be allowed to go home the same day. It is a safe and scheduled procedure performed at a hospital but can be sometimes done in an emergency too.

The area is numbed using anaesthesia and the cyst is removed. After the surgery, the healthcare provider will either leave the wound open or close it with stitches depending upon the condition.

It’s essential to take care of your wound, get the dressings changed periodically and let it heal. The timeline for healing will depend upon how the surgery is performed if the wound is kept open then it will take months to heal while it will heal faster if the wound is stitched.

It’s better to avoid strenuous exercise and activity until the area is completely healed. Keep visiting your doctor for follow up appointments.

Well, mostly the pilonidal cysts get removed with pilonidal cyst excision surgery but recurrence occurs in some patients. Thus, it’s important to make the necessary lifestyle adjustments after the surgery. And never leave it untreated as it can progress to pilonidal sinus which is a more painful and recurring chronic condition.