Every hair on your body grows from a follicle. Hair follicles are tiny tubes that penetrate the outer layer of your skin, and hair grows through the tubes to the surface.
But sometimes, hair can get trapped under your skin. Ingrown hairs are prone to infection, and when these infected skin pockets develop in the crease of your buttocks, they’re called pilonidal cysts.
Pilonidal cysts are common — nearly 70,000 cases are reported each year — and they can be intensely painful. Unfortunately, many people are too embarrassed to bring up their symptoms with their doctor, and avoiding treatment can make the condition worse.
Balaguru Sambandam, MD, FACS, and our team provide compassionate care for skin infections and pilonidal cysts at North Tarrant Health Providers in Fort Worth, Texas. If you have a painful lump on your backside, it’s time to learn more about pilonidal cysts.
Pilonidal cysts start with a hair that gets trapped under your skin. The hair may be trapped in a follicle, or it may break off and get embedded into another area of your skin.
These cysts are particularly common in the crease of your buttocks, or gluteal cleft. The skin in your buttocks stretches when you sit and bend, and the movement can make hair penetrate your skin more easily.
Once the hair is trapped, it can get infected. Infection creates inflammation and pus, and a skin pocket called an abscess can develop.
Signs of pilonidal cyst infection include:
Anyone can get a pilonidal cyst, but they’re more common in some people than others. You may be more likely to get one if:
Some pilonidal cysts may burst spontaneously. But most of the time, pilonidal cysts won’t heal on their own. The hair, skin debris, pus, and bacteria remain under your skin and continue causing pain until you seek treatment.
Pilonidal cysts require professional treatment. Ignoring the condition could increase your risk of developing a sinus tract, which is a passageway under your skin that makes future infections much more likely.
Fortunately, treatment is usually very effective. Dr. Sambandam specializes in diagnosing and treating pilonidal cysts, and he starts by examining your skin. If your cyst is infected, he drains it and dresses the wound so it can heal on its own.
Some people suffer chronic pilonidal cyst infections, or pilonidal disease. If you have pilonidal disease, cysts may return even after being treated. In these cases, Dr. Sambandam may recommend a gluteal cleft lift, which is a surgical procedure to help reduce recurring cysts.
Pilonidal cysts can be embarrassing, but ignoring your symptoms only makes them worse. Find the care you need at North Tarrant Health Providers. Schedule an appointment online or call our office at 817-904-4165 today.
