# Pilonidal cyst



## Exotica (Feb 27, 2006)

Anyone had one?
Think I've got one


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## Kerr (Mar 27, 2012)

My hairy bum brother gets them. 

He got drunk one night and showed me his ****. 

Looked like he had 4 bum holes. 

He said they were extemely sore and surgery worse. They just gouge a huge hole to get it out and spend weeks plugging it and removing the dressing. 

Doesn't sound like fun.


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## Exotica (Feb 27, 2006)

I feel I've many weeks of bother. GP tomorrow , should have kept using Veet.


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## Exotica (Feb 27, 2006)

Men take note keep your bum crack free from hair. Apparently known as Jeep seat too.


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## kev999 (Feb 16, 2007)

Yep been there had one, surgery is feckin agony especially when they are ripping packing out of the wound.it used to be known as jeep drivers disease as sweat used to run down your back and cause the hairs to curl over and with weight of sweat and grow inwards causing a track within your body which ends up infected.It can sometimes be treated with medication if caught early.


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## Denzle (May 4, 2011)

Had reoccurring flare ups with this problem for years, never bothered going to see the doctor until it was left too late! Had four minor operations which "failed" which resulted in a BIG operation, ended up losing 8 months off work. They cut a massive kite shaped area of skin away which needed packing from the inside out twice daily. When I saw a photo of the damage I never thought it would heal! I strongly advise anyone showing symptoms of this complaint to get it sorted ASAP. It will not go away on its own.


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## Cookies (Dec 10, 2008)

Yip. Me too. 

Had it operated on 3 times and it eventually worked. They removed tissue from the base of my back roughly the size of a clenched fist. Took roughly 4 months for the wound to heal, being packed every day. 

18 years on and it still gets sore at times. 

Good luck with it mate. 

Cooks


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## Exotica (Feb 27, 2006)

Thank you all. Saw it first on embarrassing bodies and thought **** I think I have that. Then saw the massive piece of flesh they took out. 

Just seen the images on google too. My doc confirmed it today


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## Cookies (Dec 10, 2008)

It can be quite painful at times but the actual cyst is far worse than the operation or the recovery. It was such a relief to get rid of the pain. 
The consultant said the wound should heal roughly 1% per day and he wasn't far off. 
Good luck.
Cooks


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## lobotomy (Jun 23, 2006)

I've had 2x friends who have had this; One mate is a professional drummer , another is a diesel mechanic and spends most of his time in heavy plant equipment.

Both said the operation/recovery was terrible... though I don't rememeber them being off for longer than 4-6wks (centainly not months)


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## madstaff (Jun 4, 2012)

I had one too, they did a partial closure first which split open after 2 weeks leaving a gaping hole in my back. :doublesho

Then they went to plan B - packing the wound every day.

Think i was off work 12 weeks - cleanliness is paramount.

Touch wood, been OK since.


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## Exotica (Feb 27, 2006)

Should I go for the op?


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## kev999 (Feb 16, 2007)

Definitely, or it will get worse as the in growing hair will keep growing and splitting causing a deeper fistula.


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## Denzle (May 4, 2011)

I was first diagnosed with this when I was 18 years old. I had the last of the ops (hopefully) when I was 43. After years of pain and reoccurring abscesses I was eventually rushed into hospital with acute septicaemia. The surgeon said my back was riddled with what he described as worm holes where the infection had tracked through the area after many years of repeated infections. The four previous operations had not identified the true damage done.It really affected my life. As I stated in my earlier message try and get it sorted in its early stages.


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## suspal (Dec 29, 2011)

Nothing to be embarrassed about you're not the first and certainly not the last,if caught early then you could end up with less invasive surgery.


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## sfstu (Aug 3, 2010)

have the op, it won't heal up on it's own, just keep coming back...

i remember the absolute agony from the lump that i used to get just above my crack, it would get so bad i would try and operate on myself with a needle and once made my mum lance it as i just couldn't do it myself...:doublesho it was her that made me go to the docs...

check how they'll do the op. 
i had to have 2 ops as on the first one the surgeon just cut a certain amount of tissue away, but ended up leaving some cavities behind which still became infected months later.
the 2nd op, the surgeon injected ink into the site and this showed where the cavity went enabling him to remove all the affected tissue, he said it was like a cave system...! he removed a lump about the size of a fist...:doublesho

i was off work for 2 months after my op, but no pain from it during that time, at all...? had painkillers for first day or so then it was just awkward rather than painful...
i had a nurse come to the house each day to change the dressing which wasn't the most fun tbh,-what bothered me most was not being able to shower when i wanted as the wound needed dressing straight afterwards, but as we arranged for the nurses to visit at same time each morning, it meant i could have a bath just before they arrived, which was obviously a plus for them too...
i had the baths with salt added to it everyday, the nurse said that i healed really quickly because of it...:thumb:

i would also advise not having a look at the area in the mirror after the op...i did this after the first week and i felt properly faint, and am not usually squemish.
trust me, you don't need to see the inside of your own flesh/body...:devil:

have the op mate, get it sorted...:thumb:
and let us know how you get on,
rgds stu

(incidently, i don't, and have never had a particularly hairy crack, although i did used to sit on it pretty much all the time...)


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## Exotica (Feb 27, 2006)

GP said it was my call as not yet infected . It's just very unpleasant seeing all the blood everyday .


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## Darlofan (Nov 24, 2010)

Kerr said:


> My hairy bum brother gets them.
> 
> He got drunk one night and showed me his ****.
> 
> ...


I had packing like that following an op on my testicles, had a massive wound that a nurse came out and repacked every day. It got infected and to this day (7years ago) I still remember the relief as the infection sac burst and the pressure released The pain I'd been in for days just disappeared as all that pus oozed out:thumb: Heaven now thinking of it.


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## alphaj12 (Feb 17, 2011)

I had mine operated on whilst there was no infection/inflammation and it was a breeze. I had mine for about three to four years and would flare up every few months into a massive boil, that was extremely painful until it popped leaving a lovely mess in your pants.

The doctor said I was fortunate to have it done whilst there was no inflamation so I would try to ensure you are able to "demand" this of the surgeon, ie if it is infected come the op time cancel and reschedule. My dad had his done whist infected and his needed packing etc, mine was a few stitches.


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## MCZ2047 (Oct 10, 2007)

Both me and my Dad suffer from these. I must have had it 7-8 times before they sent me for surgery. As cookies said above I also had a piece of tissue removed about the size of a clenched fist. I had the district nurse repack the wound twice a day for about 6 weeks, then after that my mum took over. A big problem with this surgery is they don't know how much tissue they have to remove until they open the wound. I was off work for 12 weeks. Even after the surgery I still get flare ups but I would rather take medication than go through the operation again. My dad had 3 operations to finally remove his and he was off work for almost 6 months, but he hasn't had a reoccurance in 20 years.
As I was quite young to have the surgery, I took part in study looking into the causes of this. Yes a lot of lorry and bus drivers get this but the study also showed people who cycle or ride motor bikes a lot are also susceptible. Unfortunately the doctor in charge of the study died before finishing so I never got to see a final report.


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## Cookies (Dec 10, 2008)

A surgeon called Mr Colin Russell did my op in the Royal Victoria Hospital. He did some research and studied his patients and at the time of doing my op (1993 ish). 

He said that at the time he had recently removed the hairs from a patient's sinus and examined them under a microscope. He noted that the hairs were not all pointing the same direction (judging from the position of the follicle), leading him to conclude that it is not necessarily caused by an ingrowing hair and that it was most likely hairs that had dislodged from another part of the body. 

They collect at the base of your spine, given the movement when you walk, run etc and are pushed against the skin when you sit and move in the car. A hair works its way onto a pore and falls out. At some point in the future another hair works its way into the same pore, this time a little further and falls out. This process is repeated and repeated until a hair (or hairs) get lodged in the enlarged pore and start the infection. The rest, as they say, is history...

Seriously, don't be underestimating the bother you will have if you don't get the operation. Do it now, get rid of it and you will be able to hopefully get on with your life without too much hassle.

Cooks.


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## Exotica (Feb 27, 2006)

Thanks for the Info. Got the impression my GP didn't really want to refer me . He said it's not infected yet but it may do in the future.


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## Cookies (Dec 10, 2008)

Mind if I ask how you discovered you had it if it isn't infected yet? I'd be pushing to get this sorted as soon as possible.
Cheers 
Cooks.


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## Exotica (Feb 27, 2006)

Traces of blood every now and then when wiping .


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## Cookies (Dec 10, 2008)

Go get it sorted chum. 
Good luck.
Cooks.


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## Exotica (Feb 27, 2006)

Thanks , is it a day surgery op ?


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## Cookies (Dec 10, 2008)

I went in one morning and out the following day. just one overnight stay mate.


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## dillinja999 (Aug 26, 2013)

and i thought having farmers was bad xD


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## Exotica (Feb 27, 2006)

Update

All ok over the last few months until a few days ago. Became painful and noticed my pants were wet at the back. I've had a burst of custard


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## sfstu (Aug 3, 2010)

See your doc and DEMAND a referral to a specialist...
As I said before, it won't heal up on its own and will keep coming back, probably getting bigger and deeper each time

Feel for you mate, on top of being seriously painful at times, it's a very awkward and unsightly condition too...
I can remember phoning in sick at work over it and the manager saying "so you won't be in today due to a spot on your ar$e"!!
After that i insisted on seeing the company Dr so it was documented and also got an apology from the manager

Honestly, get to the docs and don't take no for an answer!!!
Rgds Stu


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## Exotica (Feb 27, 2006)

Thanks I will tomorrow .


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