Pilonidal cyst is an infected abscess on the skin which contains skin residue, pus and hair. It usually appears at the tailbone and at the top of the buttocks. Pilonidal cyst is not in serious condition but it can be annoying and unsightly. Its mainly affects young males but both elderly men and women may be affected by pilonidal cyst as well. An obstruction of hair follicle or loose hair that brakes through the skin are the main causes of this condition.
The symptoms of pilonidal cyst may include swelling, redness of the surrounding skin, pain, itching, pus coming out from the cyst, foul odor of the pus, a hair sticking out of the cyst and, in extremely rare and severe cases, fever. Although Pilonidal cyst affects young males there other risk factors which can make you prone to this condition. These factors include being overweight, sitting for too long, sweating, improper hygiene and having too much body hair which is stiff and rigid.
There are a few procedures which can be used for treating pilonidal cyst. One possible treatment is drainage of the cyst. The procedure begins with a local anesthesia. Your doctor will open the cyst and drain all the fluid, residues and hair. In more than half cases this procedure is successful and the cyst no longer appears. In other cases the cyst recurs and a different treatment is performed. A surgical procedure can be performed in two ways. The first way is when the surgeon leaves the wound open after cleaning the cyst and removing some of the surrounding tissues.
The wound is packed up with bandages so it heals from the inside. After this procedure the recovery is prolonged but the chances of the cyst recurring are reduced. Another surgical procedure is with a closed wound. The recovery is much shorted but there is the risk that the cyst will appear again and the patient can have scarring. It is very important to treat the wound properly after the surgical procedure. The bandages must be changed on a regular bases and the area around the wound should be shaved. You must also keep the area clean and dry. Since one of the causes of the cyst is sitting for a very long time, try to avoid it. If the infection of pilonidal cyst is severe when your doctor may prescribe some antibiotics in order to treat the inflammation.
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