June is Men’s Health Month, raising awareness about conditions and diseases that affect males. While anyone can get pilonidal disease, men are far more at risk than women.
The team at Colorado Colon & Rectal Specialists, led by proctologist Lisa A. Perryman, MD, FACS, FASCRS, diagnoses and treats pilonidal disease using the Bascom cleft lift procedure, the most successful technique for treating and preventing recurrence of this painful condition.
You might be more vulnerable to pilonidal infection if you have one or more of the common risk factors associated with it. Knowing these risks can help you avoid the condition or recognize it in its earliest stages for prompt treatment. These factors can make you more likely to develop pilonidal disease, which occurs almost always near the tailbone.
Men’s body hair is typically thicker and more coarse than women’s, particularly on the lower back and buttocks. The top of the buttock cleft is prime real estate for the ingrown hairs that trigger pilonidal infection.
Coarse hairs can penetrate skin due to the pressure of sitting or tight clothing, causing infection and inflammation. Because of the thickness and consistency of hairs in the area, the risk of recurrence rises.
Heavy-duty jobs and strenuous exercising can cause more sweating and increased friction within protective work and exercise clothing. Moisture from sweating increases irritation and makes an ideal environment for bacterial growth.
Office workers, professional drivers, and students all tend to be in seated positions for extended times. This adds to pressure on the lower back and upper buttocks, causing friction. Long hours of sitting can be associated with sedentary lifestyles as well, which can make pilonidal disease symptoms worse or aggravate healing of an existing infection.
Young men have the greatest risk of pilonidal disease. The conditions that give rise to acne also can promote cyst development. Hair growth and excessive skin oil production aggravate ingrown hairs in the pilonidal region.
Statistically, pilonidal disease affects men between puberty and the age of 40, with peak incidence between late teens and early 20’s.
Early warning signs of a developing pilonidal infection may be easier to ignore, and embarrassment about the affected region may lead some men to ignore their symptoms, hoping it will clear up on its own.
Left untreated, the infection can progress into an abscess. With each level of progression, treatment options grow more complex.
Watch for these early signs:
Early treatment helps prevent extensive treatment and surgery.
If you are exhibiting early signs of potential pilonidal disease or you think you might be, call or message Colorado Colon & Rectal Specialists’ Parker, Colorado, office today to book a consultation and exam with Dr. Perryman.
