Pilonidal sinus

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A pilonidal sinus is a small hole or tunnel in the skin, usually at the very top of the cleft between the buttocks. Dents or pits in the skin can easily become filled with bits of skin and hair, and infected with bacteria. If the dent becomes blocked, it can get bigger, eventually forming a tunnel under the skin, filled with pus. This is known as a draining sinus or abscess.

The word â€œpilonidalâ€ means containing a nest of hair. However, current research shows that bits of hair are only present in around half the sinuses in this area of skin.

Doctors are not sure what causes pilonidal sinuses. They often seem to form around hair follicles, the tiny holes in the skin that hairs grow out of. In some people, the skin naturally develops these pits between the buttocks. Itâ€™s not clear why they form, but it could be due to pressure or friction in this area, combined with the presence of clumps of hair.

Pilonidal sinuses are most common in young adults, and are rarely seen in children or people over 40 years old. They happen slightly more often in men rather than women, and seem to occur most frequently in people with a lot of body hair.

You are more likely to develop a pilonidal sinus if you are not very active, spend lots of sitting down, or are obese. Other factors that increase your chances of this condition include previous injury or frequent irritation of the skin between the buttocks, or a family history of pilonidal sinuses

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