What causes pilonidal cysts?
Some people are born with a small abnormal area under the skin which later can develop into a pilonidal cyst. In other cases, the cyst may develop from ingrown hairs between the buttocks. In most people, there is no definite way to tell whether the cyst has been present from birth or has developed from ingrown hairs. What can be done about pilonidal cysts? If an abscess is present containing infected material or pus, it is important to release the fluid by making a small opening in the cyst. This is done after first making the area numb using Novocain-type local anesthesia. Once the fluid is released, the pain rapidly disappears. Antibiotics usually are unnecessary after the fluid is drained. In many cases, this is all that is necessary, and the problem does not recur. If the cyst becomes infected over and over, and does not go away on its own, then surgery may be advisable to remove the cyst. Such surgery must be done in an operating room but can usually be done as outpatient surgery,
