What is Ingrown Hair (Pilonidal Sinus)?

What is Ingrown Hair (Pilonidal Sinus)?

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The disease, known as Pilonidal Sinus in medical language, is a skin disease that occurs mostly in the coccyx region, while it is more common in men. It occurs as a result of hair and hair loss in areas of the body such as the back and hair follicles being embedded in the inner part of the skin through the pores and a mass appearing in that area. It can also be found on the face, groin area and rarely in the belly button.

What Causes Ingrown Hair? What are the Symptoms?

There are 2 theories about the formation of ingrown hair. The first is that it occurs as a result of the hair and hairs in the body shedding and accumulating in the pores and holes on the skin that allow the skin to breathe. Secondly, the innate stem cells in the area are activated and produce hair over time.
Ingrown hair is a disease that progresses secretly in the early stages. Although the first stages do not cause discomfort to the person, it starts to disturb the person with the symptoms that occur over time. This discomfort can become unbearable in the later stages. The symptoms observed with this disease are as follows;

  • Discharge and odor problems occur
  • Redness, itching, pain and abscess on the anus
  • Difficulty sitting and walking
  • Without intervention, it leads to inflammation
  • The person's quality of life decreases
  • In the last stages of the disease, it prevents performing daily routine tasks

If these symptoms occur, a specialist should be consulted. In terms of your health, you should not resort to herbal remedies and such methods should be avoided.

What are the Treatment Methods for Ingrown Hair?

In cases where the disease is in the initial stage and there are no complaints, medication is applied to the person. In case of inflammation and recurrence in the later stages of the disease, the treatment of the disease is mostly surgical. Before surgical intervention is applied, various antibiotics are given by the physician to relieve inflammation.

How is ingrown hair surgery performed?

Surgical intervention is the most effective treatment method because it minimizes the possibility of recurrence of the disease. The surgery performed by general surgery specialists is performed through a small incision that does not leave a scar on the area. After the surgery, the cut area is cleaned and closed with stitches. Patients are discharged on the same day and can resume their daily lives in a short time.

What Should Be Considered After Surgery?

After the surgical intervention is performed, there are some points that the person should be careful and follow in order to prevent the disease from recurring. When these points are followed, the possibility of the disease recurring is very small. We can list the points to be considered as follows;

  • Care should be taken on the area and personal hygiene
  • Dressing should be done regularly
  • Care should be taken not to stretch the wound in the first weeks
  • Medications and antibiotics prescribed by the doctor should be used regularly
  • The patient can walk, sit, walk, sit and lie on his back
  • You can sit on the toilet by paying attention to dressing cleanliness
  • Avoid heavy sports for the first 3 months

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CreatorNP Istanbul Hospital Editorial Board
Updated At05 March 2024
Created At08 September 2022
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