It usually occurs in young people between the ages of 15 and 24 years. It is more common in males and people who are overweight, wear tight clothing, have a lot of hair near the crease of the buttocks, or do not bathe or shower often. Some people are born with pilonidal cysts.
Pilonidal disease commonly affects adults in the second to third decade of life. Pilonidal cysts are extremely uncommon after age 40 years, and the incidence usually decreases by age 25 years. The average age of presentation is 21 years for men and 19 years for women.
Pilonidal disease can affect patients of any age, but young adults constitute the group at greatest risk [8].
Age and Gender of Patients with Pediatric Pilonidal Disease
Hair usually becomes coarser and more prolific after the onset of puberty. Therefore, pediatric patients with pilonidal disease are typically between the ages of 12 and 19. The average age of adolescent patients seeking treatment is 15 years old.
Pilonidal (pie luh NY dul) disease is a condition that affects mainly teenagers and young adults. A pilonidal sinus is a small hole that occurs under your skin between your buttock cheeks, where the buttocks separate. There may be more than one sinus. This is common.
So, if you have an untreated sinus tract or cyst, it will not suddenly disappear with age, and may be a problem at any time, even after age 40. Trauma to the gluteal area may cause it to suddenly act up after years of being asymptomatic.
Pilonidal cysts are a common disease affecting up to five percent of the population [1 ,2].
Understanding pilonidal cysts
Finding a lump on your body can be alarming and even embarrassing, especially when it's in the crease of your buttocks. However, these bumps aren't contagious or life-threatening.
Pilonidal disease is a chronic infection of the skin in the area between the buttocks. Pilonidal (pronounced pie-luh-NIE-dul) occurs when hair follicles become plugged. It is a common condition that can happen to anyone but is most prevalent among teenagers and young adults.
In one study, the researchers found that only 26 out of every 100,000 people suffered from pilonidal disease. However, that statistic applies to the general population. Among more limited groups, you may find a higher incidence rate. That's because pilonidal sinuses are more common among certain demographic groups.
In other words, a pilonidal cyst will never truly go away on its own. As long as the tract is there, it has the potential to become infected again. Pilonidal disease can turn into a recurring problem with infections that crop up again and again.
Symptoms may include: Painful swelling over your sacrum, which is the area just above your tailbone. A foul smell or pus draining from that area.
Incision and drainage is a minor surgical procedure to remove the pilonidal cyst where there is no closure to the wounds. This allows the release of pus and pressure from the skin and let it heal on its own. The complete recovery after incision and drainage normally takes about two months.
The cause of most pilonidal cysts is loose hairs that puncture the skin. Friction and pressure from rubbed skin, tight clothing, cycling or long periods of sitting can force hair into the skin. The body creates a cyst around the hair to try to push it out.
Anyone can get a pilonidal cyst, but they're most common in young men. A person can be more likely to develop a pilonidal cyst if they: are born with a dimple or pit in their tailbone area.
Pilonidal surgery is a minor procedure typically performed by a colorectal surgeon who removes the cyst and any surrounding infection.
Generally, they are most commonly seen in younger men who have a large amount of body hair. Pilonidal cysts tend to run in families, most likely because of the common factors such as ethnicity and hair texture that are passed from father to son.
Embedded hair and ruptured hair follicles aren't the only possible causes for pilonidal cysts. Trauma, injury, or stress on the skin may potentially cause growths as well. For example, if you tend to sit all day at work, you may place pressure on the cleft between your buttocks.
To get rid of excess hair and keep it from growing back in the area of the infected sinus, there are two options. either a razor (shaving) or a depilatory cream such as Nair™ is effective in keeping pilonidal disease from coming back.
These bumps form when a hair becomes embedded in the skin. Early on, they're typically small and painless, but over time, they can become infected, inflamed, and quite painful. Pilonidal cysts are a common problem, especially in young men, and more than 70,000 cases get reported each year.
A pilonidal cyst may be a one-time event. However, when left untreated, your acute pilonidal cyst may turn into a chronic condition in which you develop recurrent pilonidal cysts or the formation of new pilonidal cysts. Your pilonidal cyst may also increase your risk of developing a life-threatening systemic infection.
A pilonidal sinus is a small hole or 'tunnel' in the skin. It usually develops in the area where the buttocks divide. Pilonidal sinuses affect about 26 in 100,000 people, with at least three times as many men as women.
Even if you've had repeated infections, is pilonidal cyst surgery worth it? If it solves the trouble of your pilonidal sinus, then it's certainly worthwhile. And the easier your surgery and its recovery are, the more worth it the procedure will be.
Sleeping on your side – Position pillows to increase your comfort and prevent curling up with your knees or rolling on your back. Some patients use an ergonomic pillow for side sleeping. Sleeping on your stomach – You can put a pillow under your abdomen to support your spine.