Pilonidal Cyst
A pilonidal cyst is usually located at the tailbone, at the top of the buttocks. It occurs when hair punctures the skin, hair and skin debris then gets trapped. They tend to occur in men and are often recurring.
When infected the abscess will swell, they become painful, the skin reddens, and there will be pus filled.
It’s not known exactly what causes pilonidal cysts, but it is thought to be caused by ingrowing hairs. Friction and pressure, such as tight clothing, or sitting for long periods of time which forces the hair down into the skin. The body responds to the hair as a foreign object and creates a cyst around the hair.
You will be more susceptible to developing pilonidal cysts if you are a young male, obese, lead an in-active lifestyle, have excess body hair, have course hair and work in a sedentary job.
To treat the cyst, the doctor will numb the area with an injection, and then make an incision to drain the cyst. If the cyst recurs, a surgery may be needed to remove the cyst entirely.
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