Find out more about pilonidal cysts symptoms, treatments, recovery, and learn more about the cleft lift procedure via our expansive pilonidal cyst FAQ below. If you’re wondering What Are Pilonidal Cysts, the information outlined below may be helpful.
It is caused by a very deep gluteal crease. In that crease enlarged pores develop, hairs get caught in the pores and burrow their way under the skin, and can cause infection.
Body shape can run in families, and a deep gluteal cleft can be a trait that is passed on from one generation to another. But, there is no congenital “cyst” that causes this.
No. But, in our experience, it is 1/3 female and 2/3 males.
No. People who are thin can have this also. In our experience, most patients are of normal weight.
Not necessarily. We see many patients with relatively little body hair who have this as well. Studies have shown that most of the hairs in pilonidal cysts come from the back of the head
The only thing that we have determined that is a factor is wearing clothing that is so tight across the buttocks that it exaggerates the depth of the gluteal crease.
Not really. The cyst may become larger and more painful, may become infected, tunnel, or create an open wound. This does not make future surgery impossible, but it can be done. This is rarely a life-threatening problem, so it is reasonable to try whatever you want before deciding on surgery. However, these problems are uncomfortable, expensive and time consuming – and the best approach is often to just proceed with surgery and get it over with.
No. A third of our patients are female, and many patients have very little body hair. Studies have shown that the hairs usually come from the back of the head, so the amount of body hair is not really the issue. For this reason, hair removal from the buttocks and torso is usually of minimal help in preventing problems from this.
Not really. Most of our patients are of normal weight, and losing weight does not make this problem go away.
If a patient is particularly hairy, trimming the hair around the gluteal crease may make it easier to keep the area clean and dry. But, eliminating hair from the area does not prevent the hair from the back of the head from getting into the pores and causing problems. So, it is not a complete solution at all, but may help with hygiene.
No. While it is unusual for new pilonidal disease to develop after age 40, it will not make pre-existing disease disappear. It may become asymptomatic for a while, but we’ve seen symptoms come back in patients in their 50’s and 60’s. So, it is better to have it surgically treated when you are younger.
Rarely. It would take a very unusual, severe, neglected situation before that would happen, and we have only seen two or three patients in over 25 years that have problems so severe that we can’t fix. You can easily send us photos, and get an opinion at no cost.
In the opinion of most of our patients, no. The shape of the gluteal cleft is changed, so it is very shallow, and not a deep, sharp fold. The is a vertical scar alongside the crease that goes the entire length of the crease. How noticeable the scar remains depends on the individual healing characteristics if each individual patient, and how much body hair there is to cover it. However, when we have surveyed our patients, the vast majority say that it is no big deal and they are happy to have their pilonidal disease resolved.
Yes, insurance covers this, as long as we are providers for your insurance company and are considered “in network”. We are providers for many national insurance plans, and our staff will work with you to figure out your coverage. All we will need is front and back images of your insurance card. In the unusual situation where we are not providers for your plan, we do have a discounted private pay option.
These are all viable options, and it is reasonable to give them a try, if you can find a surgeon with expertise. However, these do not re-shape the gluteal cleft, so recurrence is a problem. A reasonable ballpark figure is that at best they are 70% successful – which means one out of three will eventually fail. Having one of these procedures will not make a future cleft-lift impossible, or even much more difficult.
But, it does mean that a patient will have to go through another operation, recovery, and expense. In our clinic our success rate with the cleft-lift is around 98%, and that includes some of the most difficult cases in the country.