Pilonidal cysts or sinus is a rather common occurrence but are not very openly spoken about as a result of the huge amount of social embarrassment the condition can cause. The condition that develops in the cleavage between the buttocks can cause a significant amount of discomfort as well as pain and can have a significant impact on the quality of an individual’s life. Most researchers believe that the pilonidal cysts are caused by the penetration of loose hair strands back into the skin. While under normal circumstances, this would only lead to ingrown hair, in the case of a Pilonidal cyst a local inflammatory response causes a cyst to form around the hair thereby causing a significant increase in the amount of pressure and repetitive trauma to the affected area. Individuals affected by the condition are rarely pre-pubescent or over the age of 40 while males seem to be more commonly affected by the condition than women. Some individuals with pilonidal cysts may tend to be asymptomatic and the only real clues to the condition may be a dimple or slight opening in the skin near the sinus tract. If the cyst were to get infected, however, one may notice a few other symptoms such as an apparent redness of the skin, a significant warmness in the skin, a localized swelling over the lower spine or even the drainage of some pus from an opening in the skin.
Unlike most other boils, a pilonidal cyst does not improve with a dosage of antibiotics and some cases may require them to be lanced and drained. During the initial stages of the development of the cyst, you should try reducing the amount of pain, redness and swelling by sitting in a tub o warm water as this will have a soothing effect on the affected region. There are no miracle home remedies to help treat pilonidal cysts and most of the home care options focus mainly on increasing the levels of health and hygiene that one follows. Make it a point to use antibacterial soap and make a habit of having a complete body scrub and exfoliation at least once a week.
Exfoliation is a very important method of getting rid of any unnecessary material such as dead skin cells, hair and clothing lint that should be removed frequently to avoid any of it blocking open pits or sinuses. While you can always use a pair of mesh gloves or bath puffs to help clean this area of the body, you should avoid using loofah sponges as they tend to suffer from a buildup of bacteria.