Pilonidal Cyst Specialist in Cypress and The Woodlands, TX

Pilonidal disease is a chronic infective process located at the tailbone and usually contains hair and debris. The word “pilonidal” was derived from the Latin words – pilus (meaning hair) and nidus (meaning nest). It is believed to be due to the embedding of hair in the skin at this location.

A pilonidal cyst may often look like a small dimple, and hair may stick out of it. It is often believed that a pilonidal cyst occurs due to the embedding of hair in the skin and in between the buttocks.

However, it is believed that a pilonidal cyst may occur in severe ways:

1. Hair follicles within the skin become irritated or stretched. It can often be caused due to exercise that affects the buttocks area, tight clothing, heat, and heavy sweating. The hair follicle can become blocked and then infected, it is open to the surrounding tissues which form the abscess.

2. Loose hair which gets trapped in the crease of the buttocks. This is much more common to occur with coarse or stiff hair. The hair will then poke the skin, and begin to irritate the hair follicles. Exercise and walking can commonly pull the hair deeper into the skin.

Although it can occur in any age group, it generally affects teenagers and young adults. Men are also more likely to have the pilonidal disease than women. People who sit for prolonged periods of time such as truck drivers have a higher risk of developing pilonidal disease.

The pilonidal disease can be asymptomatic, meaning no show of symptoms or signs on the affected individual, or it can present itself in one of these manners:

• Pain in the tailbone area
• Redness, swelling, and abscess in the tailbone
• Chronic drainage of blood and/or pus in the tailbone area

To diagnose pilonidal disease, you will need to have a full physical examination completed. During this physical examination, our doctors will check the crease of your buttocks for any signs of pilonidal disease including pits.

Most pilonidal cysts will need to be treated surgically. Any abscess would need to be drained. Definitive treatment includes excision or ablation of pilonidal tissue.

At Texas Colon and Pilonidal Clinic, we manage all forms of pilonidal disease. We drain acute pilonidal abscesses and perform traditional pilonidal cyst excision as well as newer minimally invasive techniques in the management of the pilonidal disease.
The traditional pilonidal cyst excisions we offer include pilonidal cyst excisions with flap reconstruction for closure.

The minimally invasive technique we offer is endoscopic pilonidal sinus treatment.

Endoscopic Pilonidal Sinus Treatment (EPiST) is a minimally invasive surgical technique used in the management of the chronic and recurrent pilonidal disease. It involves the use of a small camera to examine the pilonidal sinus, clean the sinus off any hair and debris, and, treat the sinus cavity.

It is associated with less pain, quicker recovery, and earlier return to normal activities and has recurrence as low as seen with traditional pilonidal surgery.

Pilonidal excision and flap reconstruction are used in the management of both primary and recurrent pilonidal disease. It entails the removal of all the diseased pilonidal tissue and closing the resulting wound with a flap. This in essence “flattens” the cleft and reduces the chances of recurrence. Some examples of flap procedures include Cleft Lift Procedure, Rhomboid excision with Limberg flap reconstruction, and Karydakis flap reconstruction.

Talk to our experienced doctors today, call us or schedule an appointment online. We serve patients from Cypress TX, The Woodlands TX, Shenandoah TX, Rose Hill TX, Conroe TX, Louetta TX, Tomball TX, Hockley TX, Montgomery TX, Cleveland TX, Houston TX, Kingwood TX, and Humble TX, Willis TX, and BEYOND.