General Information About Pilonidal Sinus
Disease Details and Frequently Asked Questions
It is the nesting of dead hairs falling from the back, nape, or scalp under the skin in the tailbone area through friction (like a drill), and the body perceiving this as a foreign substance, encasing it with a cyst membrane and producing inflammation.
The tailbone is a closed cleft that sweats, constantly rubs, and creates a vacuum effect while sitting. Hairs falling from above get caught in this cleft and easily enter through the pores in the skin due to the effect of friction.
A palpable swelling in the tailbone (cleft between buttocks) area, severe throbbing pain that makes it difficult to sit or lie on the back, small holes in that area, and a yellow/bloody foul-smelling discharge.
No. As long as the hairs remain inside that tunnel (sinus) under the skin, the disease does not heal with medication or ointments; only the abscess phase subsides, and then it recurs.
A simple physical examination performed by a general surgeon, observing the hair entry holes (pits) and abscess tissue, is 100% sufficient for diagnosis.
There are different methods depending on the stage of the disease. In mild cases, the inside of the tunnel is cleaned under local anesthesia, and Silver Nitrate/Phenol crystals (burning) are applied. In advanced cases, the hair-filled cyst is completely excised surgically, and healthy skin is slid over and sutured there (Flap method).
Our health library contents are prepared for informational purposes only and with scientific data available at the time of recording. For all your questions, concerns, diagnosis, or treatment regarding your health, please consult your doctor or a healthcare institution.
