Cyst at the top of the crack of my ass

[Antioch]

I seem to have cysts that form on or around my tailbone... right at the top of my crack. They grow quite large and can become VERY painful. Eventually they pop or drain on their own... and then disappear for a while, before coming back. I used to think this might be "Jeep Owner's Disease" or pilonidal cysts, but now I'm not sure. No matter what I do, they keep coming back.. and the smell the puss makes is truly awful. Here is a picture of the last one from a couple of weeks ago.

What can I do?

Yours,

Antioch

Picture below.

http://i171.photobucket.com/albums/u304/Robinsvoyage/cyst.jpg

[Dr Steve]

I seem to have cysts that form on or around my tailbone... right at the top of my crack. They grow quite large and can become VERY painful. Eventually they pop or drain on their own... and then disappear for a while, before coming back. I used to think this might be "Jeep Owner's Disease" or pilonidal cysts, but now I'm not sure. No matter what I do, they keep coming back.. and the smell the puss makes is truly awful. Here is a picture of the last one from a couple of weeks ago.

What can I do?

Yours,

Antioch

Picture below.



Honestly, I can't tell much from that photo...can you get one in better light?

Cysts at the top of the crack of the ass are always "Pilonidal Cysts" until proven otherwise.

http://www.uhs.wisc.edu/docs/hu476_pilonidalcysts.jpg

From emedicine:
A pilonidal cyst is a cyst that develops along the tailbone (coccyx) near the cleft of the buttocks. These cysts usually contain hair and skin debris. The term pilonidal is derived from the Latin words pilus (hair) and nidus (nest). Individuals with a pilonidal cyst may not have any symptoms at all (termed asymptomatic), whereas others may develop an infection of the cyst with associated pain and inflammation.

Honestly, the best thing you can do with a symptomatic pilonidal cyst is to have it excised by a surgeon. Most general surgeons can do this, or occasionally a proctologist (if you have one in your area) can help you out.

Most theorists believe that pilonidal cysts are caused by sitting on hair follicles, resulting in inflammation and cyst formation. During WWII, so many people got them that it was called "Jeep disease".

Weirdly, people can pull whole strands of hair out of the darned things...since the theory is that they're caused by submerged hair follicles, this makes some sense.

A lot of times, the surgeon can fix this with local anesthetic. You're in and out in an hour.

Hope this helps.

your friend,


steve

[KingGeno]

A friend of a friend I know had one in the same spot and it was from...and I may be mistaken....the bottom of his tailbone being a little too long and poking his skin. He eventually got it shaved down, I believe.

It popped at a party he was at once. He said it was like gravy shooting out his ass. We call him Mike Marsala now.

[Antioch]

I've had them removed twice by surgeons when the pain got so bad I couldn't lay down or even really sit down... unfortunately, they seem to come back. Is there something they're not doing that would permanently rid me of this curse? I can't get you a better picture as the one I sent you burst the next day.... currently the area is sort of weeping and is probably waiting to seal up so it can grow another one.

So there are three big problems: The pain, the frequency at which they appear, and sometimes they burst in a rather messy way which causes sheets and clothing to be ruined.

One last thought. If I do go to a surgeon every time one appears.. I'd be there once every couple of months. It's not only embarressing to expose this part of my awful body to a doctor, but at the rate that the condition occurs it will get rather expensive unless I can find a way to make them stop.

[Dude!]

you should make a 44-second video about the cysts

[boosterp]

I've had them removed twice by surgeons when the pain got so bad I couldn't lay down or even really sit down... unfortunately, they seem to come back. Is there something they're not doing that would permanently rid me of this curse? I can't get you a better picture as the one I sent you burst the next day.... currently the area is sort of weeping and is probably waiting to seal up so it can grow another one.

So there are three big problems: The pain, the frequency at which they appear, and sometimes they burst in a rather messy way which causes sheets and clothing to be ruined.

One last thought. If I do go to a surgeon every time one appears.. I'd be there once every couple of months. It's not only embarressing to expose this part of my awful body to a doctor, but at the rate that the condition occurs it will get rather expensive unless I can find a way to make them stop.

There is a term for elsewhere on your body that this occurs; folliculitis. Basically a hair follicle gets stuck, the sebaceous fluid (oil produced by glands around the follicle) get plugged, and a small infection happens. This can get serious, and sometimes leave huge scars and/or need antibiotics. The "razor bumps" on many black men's face is an example of this.

To relieve the pain temporarily you can use a warm compress (warm to hot water and never burning) on a wash rag to the area. You can also buy hemroidal cream as the active ingredient is a numbing agent (also works great on mosquito bites) and apply this, preferably with a glove every so often. Also analgesics such as advil of tylenol help to temporarily take the edge off the pain and products like advil or alieve will reduce some of the swelling, tylenol can not do this. To prevent this, the surgeon has to get at the follicle and stop it from growing back because it will reoccur. One way we did this is the use of cautery equipment after the procedure of removing the infection. The problem is with this is that is will scar and it takes a little longer to heal. Thus, you really need to find someone who understands you do not want this to reoccur. It may also involve several follicles which is a bit more complex but not that difficult to work on.

I hope this helps.

[NewYorkDragons80]

I seem to have cysts that form on or around my tailbone... right at the top of my crack. They grow quite large and can become VERY painful.

The medical term for that is bizarro clitoris

[damainer]

You need to wash your ass better and please no more pics.

[Dr Steve]

I've had them removed twice by surgeons when the pain got so bad I couldn't lay down or even really sit down... unfortunately, they seem to come back. Is there something they're not doing that would permanently rid me of this curse? I can't get you a better picture as the one I sent you burst the next day.... currently the area is sort of weeping and is probably waiting to seal up so it can grow another one.

So there are three big problems: The pain, the frequency at which they appear, and sometimes they burst in a rather messy way which causes sheets and clothing to be ruined.

One last thought. If I do go to a surgeon every time one appears.. I'd be there once every couple of months. It's not only embarressing to expose this part of my awful body to a doctor, but at the rate that the condition occurs it will get rather expensive unless I can find a way to make them stop.

I hear ya. Pilonidal cysts are distinct from folliculitis, but mainly in the presentation, since Pilonidal cysts appear in a classic area of the body (upper crack/tailbone area) and are cystic in nature.

It may be that you would benefit from seeing a plastic surgeon rather than a general surgeon; whoever sees it needs to hear from you that you've had it excised twice and you're tired of it. I agree you shouldn't have to "go to a surgeon every time one appears..." if they could resect the area once and for all, it'd certainly help.

You may get some improvement from sitting on a doughnut pillow, with the hole centered on the cyst area...this will remove pressure from the area in question when you're sitting, which is a big part of the problem.

good luck!

your pal,


steve

[Antioch]

you should make a 44-second video about the cysts

Even I'm not that brave. LOL.. would it be a NSFW? hehe

[Antioch]

I hear ya. Pilonidal cysts are distinct from folliculitis, but mainly in the presentation, since Pilonidal cysts appear in a classic area of the body (upper crack/tailbone area) and are cystic in nature.

It may be that you would benefit from seeing a plastic surgeon rather than a general surgeon; whoever sees it needs to hear from you that you've had it excised twice and you're tired of it. I agree you shouldn't have to "go to a surgeon every time one appears..." if they could resect the area once and for all, it'd certainly help.

You may get some improvement from sitting on a doughnut pillow, with the hole centered on the cyst area...this will remove pressure from the area in question when you're sitting, which is a big part of the problem.

good luck!

your pal,


steve

thanks, I'll bring it up to my doctor and see what she thinks about a Plastic surgeon. No one had ever suggested that before.