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A hair cyst is an inflammation of the tissue under the skin, also known as a sinus. Most often it appears between the buttocks, at the level of the coccyx or sacrum. People (mainly men) who do not care for the hygiene of this part of the body, are obese or suffer from excessive sweating are the most vulnerable to the formation of a hair cyst.
Hair cyst – what is this disease?
A hair cyst is an inflammatory disease of the subcutaneous tissue. It is most often found in the buttock crevice and is most common among teenage Caucasian men. Although its etiology has not been precisely defined, it is believed that the direct cause is the penetration of hair into the sacral fistula, which is related to the inflammation around the foreign body.
The disease is characterized by a high relapse rate. Although there are many theories regarding its formation, doctors are still not unanimous on this issue. A hair cyst was first diagnosed at the beginning of the 10th century – it was first described by Herbert Mayo, a British physician. The hair cyst in the International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Health Problems ICD-XNUMX is known as “pilonidal cyst”.
Hair cyst – symptoms
The ailment is caused by bacteria on the skin. They begin to multiply in a humid environment where it is warm and hygiene is not followed. Symptoms of a hair cyst are skin irritation and inflammation, itching, and a general feeling of discomfort. A hair cyst forms around the hair follicle – hence its name. When there are many inflammatory lesions, they may be accompanied by fever, chills, and general symptoms of infection. The hair cyst should not be removed by yourself.
Coccyx hair cyst – causes
One of the main causes of coccyx hair cysts is obesity. Obese men suffer from it most often. Its formation is also favored by profuse body hair, especially when the hair is dark and thick and sweating. Other factors contributing to the formation of a hair cyst are microtrauma in the sacro-coccygeal area and the presence of a deep gluteal furrow.
A hair cyst also arises in people with sensitive skin, suffering from metabolic diseases and in diabetics. It can be caused by taking immunosuppressive drugs that lower the body’s immunity. The disease most often occurs around the coccyx in the form of a tumor. Symptoms of the disease are often underestimated by patients, which leads to a significant growth of the cyst – the lack of treatment results in the formation of secondary abscesses and fistulas that occupy a larger and larger area, which may infect the bones.
Coccyx capillary cyst – the course of the disease
In most cases, the coccyx capillary cyst is asymptomatic. The lesions are open pores in the skin. However, there are no leaks in the inflamed area, although some patients may experience leakage of serous contents from the mouth of the cyst – patients may notice this ailment, e.g. after intense exercise in the form of spotting on the underwear. When leakage continues for a long time, it can infect the cyst and cause an abscess.
When an abscess forms on the coccyx, the patient should immediately consult a doctor – the most common solution will be incision of the abscess. As the condition continues, a process develops in the subcutaneous tissue of the buttocks until it pierces the skin. At this stage, there are purulent skin fistulas in the buttocks and sacrum area. Cyst cancer may be a later complication.
What is the treatment of a hair cyst?
Treatment of a hair cyst depends on the phase of the disease – treatment methods are divided into operative and non-operative. One of the ways to get rid of the disease is debridement, i.e. widening the mouth of the hair sinus and removing it. The technique is most often recommended for women who do not have an abscess and those without pilonidal cysts.
A 40% or 80% phenol solution is used to treat a hair cyst. During the procedure with its use, the cyst is cleaned of hair and dead tissue. Phenol, however, is a toxic substance and will damage the skin around the injection site – one of the reasons why this method is rarely used.
The most popular method of treating anal cysts is surgery, which is used when the case is not chronic. In the course of the operation, the cyst and fistula are completely excised and the wound is then sutured. Another surgical method is the incision of the cyst with marsupinalization – during the operation, the doctor opens the channel of the hair sinus, removes tissue from it and sutures the wound. The most invasive surgical method of treating a hair cyst is its extensive excision.
Laser treatment of anal cysts
Laser ablation is recommended for patients with small cysts located in the upper part of the buttock fissure. During treatment, the surgeon opens and cleans the lesion, removes hair and granules from it. Then it destroys the tissues that make up the walls of the anal cysts, which it cuts with a laser. The advantage of the procedure is that the patient can return to everyday activities immediately afterwards – after the surgery, no wounds or stitches on the body.
However, there are some contraindications to performing hair cyst laser treatment. The procedure should not involve people who have been operated on many times before – these are patients with recurrent cysts. In their case, surgical treatment will be indicated, thanks to which it will be possible to close the wound and shallow the gap between the buttocks.
Hair cyst – home treatment
In the early stages of treating a hair cyst, the patient may benefit from cryotherapy. However, he should do local compresses and ice compresses on his own. Both in this and other stages of treatment, it is extremely important to maintain intimate hygiene at a high level – it is also worth epilating the area of the buttock area. Home treatment of a hair cyst consists mainly in the use of complementary measures to the main therapy.
Hair cyst – how to avoid it?
It is not always possible to avoid getting a hair cyst, but by taking care of intimate hygiene, you can minimize the risk of its occurrence. In the case of men, intimate hygiene consists primarily of proper care, the use of properly selected cosmetics and wearing cotton underwear. It will be useful to use special products for intimate hygiene.
However, the most important thing is to regularly maintain the hygiene of intimate areas – especially in the summer, after visiting the swimming pool or after physical activity. Cleaning accuracy is equally important. The intimate area should be washed slowly and thoroughly. During intimate hygiene, you should not use sponges and washcloths, which are the habitat of germs. Both the anus and the penis should be washed with your hand, avoiding the use of too hot water, which irritates the intimate parts. After washing them, dry them with a special towel, which we use only for this purpose.
For intimate hygiene, it is best to use cosmetics with a mild or acidic pH – they help prevent the development of infections and unpleasant odors, which are common ailments among men. These preparations can be purchased, among others in drugstores. For intimate hygiene, you should not use scented body gels and soaps that contain aggressive cleansing agents and destroy the bacterial flora.