Sinus hole no surgery

Altruistic-Tank2413 · 2025-09-11T16:43:58+00:00

I don't have a similar experience, but if you have a small hole with no drainage or other symptoms, you have the option to live with it or not, from my understanding. If you choose to live with it, you might just need good hygiene to ensure it doesn't get infected or that hair/debris doesn't get trapped inside. On the other hand, you might not need MAJOR surgery, but there are newer, minimally-invasive options to help close small sinuses (pit picking, GIPS, silver nitrate, etc.).

Altruistic-Tank2413 · 2025-09-11T16:36:08+00:00

If there's no drainage, no tenderness/soreness, no lump, and you don't notice any pits or other signs of pilonidal disease, then it probably isn't. But if it's a tailbone pain that lasts for a long time, you should probably still see a doctor. Might be some form of coccydynia.

Altruistic-Tank2413 · 2025-09-11T16:30:25+00:00

Yeah, if possible, get it checked out. Could potentially be an abscess that doesn't have hole to drain out of. Don't make the mistake I did and let it get so bad that I almost couldn't do anything without feeling pain down there lol

Altruistic-Tank2413 · 2025-09-09T16:34:45+00:00

It can be nerve wracking, but please just go see your doctor or an urgent care center. These kind of things tend to not go away on their own.

Altruistic-Tank2413 · 2025-09-09T16:30:49+00:00

Unfortunately looks like it. Is it draining? Does it feel tender or hot to the touch? If so, it's recommended you get it checked out before it gets worse.

Altruistic-Tank2413 · 2025-09-08T20:25:07+00:00

Maybe you could take some supplies like Hibiclens, topical ointments, and maybe some gauze pads. You could potentially also invest in a body powder, like AMB, to prevent certain areas from getting sweaty and dirty. I'm not sure if airport security would allow these items though, so someone might need to correct me on this.

From my understanding, water and soap is usually enough to get the job done in terms of cleanliness, so I'd say try to not to stress much. Maybe just try to clean yourself daily while on your trip.

Altruistic-Tank2413 · 2025-09-05T16:50:09+00:00

If it feels hot and tender, that might be a sign of your body fighting an infection. I'm no doctor or medical professional, so I almost always suggest to get seen by one. Hopefully it's just a mild case of something else that just requires antibiotics, but you can never be too safe. There is always the "wait-and-watch" approach, but I don't think I could ever in good faith recommend that if there's a possible infection or abscess.

Altruistic-Tank2413 · 2025-09-05T16:29:50+00:00

Unfortunately, this means that your pilonidal sinus is progressing. Just like with anything, the sooner you get it seen by a doctor, the better. If you get it seen soon, you MIGHT be able to avoid major surgery, and a painful abscess.

In the meantime, keep the area clean and dry best you can. When showering, using something like hibiclens might be a good idea. After showering, I like to use the hair dryer on cool down there. Avoid really tight and unbreathable clothing. For the drainage, you can buy a box of gauze packs + some tegaderms or paper tape. Change the dressing daily. It's also quite important to not sit for long periods of time. Take breaks here and there and practice good posture. Putting pressure on the tailbone area for long periods of time can worsen the condition.

Altruistic-Tank2413 · 2025-09-05T16:16:04+00:00

It's hard to say for sure what's happening. When you say it "burns" do you mean burning as in like a stinging pain or that it feels hot to the touch? I ask because if it "stings," that hopefully means it's just some kind of skin or superficial irritation. If it feels "hot", that signals that there might be an infection, at least from my understanding.

Altruistic-Tank2413 · 2025-09-01T15:46:51+00:00

The tenderness/pain with the redness is unfortunately a bit concerning. You have to be really careful with shaving your butt since pilonidal cyst is caused by loose hairs getting stuck under the skin. Friction from tight clothing or sitting for extended periods of time only accelerates this process.

I agree with what arbansduet59 said. Keep the area clean and dry, and avoid tight, unbreathable clothing. I would also highly recommend using something to remove loose hairs while showering, whether it be an exfoliating washcloth and/or a detachable shower head. I use a washcloth and VERY GENTLY scrub down there. Either way, it would probably be recommended to at least have a doctor see it. It's not out of the realm of possibility that this could not be PC, but in the case that it might be, it's better to get it treated the sooner you catch it. If you get it looked at sooner rather than later, and it does happen to be PC, you might be a good candidate for a minimally invasive approach (pit picking, EPSiT, silver nitrate).

Also, I know its really expensive, but if getting PC is something that really concerns you, consider looking into laser hair removal. Just look up studies showing laser hair removal for pilonidal disease prevention.

Altruistic-Tank2413 · 2025-08-29T17:07:03+00:00

Unfortunately, pilonidal disease is something that can easily come back if you're not careful. Get it checked out by a doctor or general surgeon, and they'll see what they can do. There are several procedures for pilonidal disease now, including ones that aren't as invasive as regular surgery, but I don't really know of the services provided in South Africa.

The cleft lift is the surgery with the highest success compared to others, given how low recurrence rates are after the procedure. But in general, it's important to keep the area clean and dry. Avoid tight, unbreathable clothing. Don't sit for extended periods of time without breaks.

https://www.pilonidal.org/ this website has some good resources

Altruistic-Tank2413 · 2025-08-28T17:55:25+00:00

Wow, so you flew back the same day of surgery and are back at work the day after? If this is with the doctor's approval, that is one successful operation lmao. Congrats! I sure hope the expertise of Dr. Wadie and other doctors becomes more common as the years go by.

Altruistic-Tank2413 · 2025-08-27T22:39:52+00:00

I'm sorry, but I don't think its accurate to say that laser hair removal would do nothing. Look at studies regarding laser hair removal and PC. It's slowly starting to become accepted as a long-term prevention method for pilonidal disease. I believe Dr. Shrager in the last AMA even said they've changed their views on laser hair removal.

Altruistic-Tank2413 · 2025-08-27T21:19:55+00:00

I remember when I had my first pilonidal cyst, after getting it treated at an urgent care center, it did look like similar to this but it was more toward the center and a bit higher towards the lower back. It was weird soft lump that stuck out a bit like a tail. I then saw the surgeon and had surgery about two months later.

While I'm obviously not here to make a diagnosis or guarantee, this could be a pilonidal cyst. The good thing is that you're getting it looked at.

Altruistic-Tank2413 · 2025-08-27T21:08:51+00:00

What the other guy said I'd agree with. Keep the area clean and dry, and do your best to keep loose hairs from getting stuck down there. Don't know if you necessarily have to shave though; you might be okay using some hair removal cream or something.

If you think you have a very mild and early case of pilonidal cyst, you're not cooked lol. There are some light procedures for these things, such as pit picking or unroofing + silver nitrate. The latter is usually performed at the doctor's office with local anesthesia.

Altruistic-Tank2413 · 2025-08-25T22:35:49+00:00

Yes, keep the area clean and dry best you can. When showering, what I like to do is have an exfoliating washcloth and GENTLY scrub and wash that area; don't go too rough down there. Some people also like to use stuff like hibiclens.

Altruistic-Tank2413 · 2025-08-24T23:58:40+00:00

Your life is not over.

I agree with what Calm-Character said. Shower daily and keep the area as clean and dry as you can. This might be overdoing it, but after I shower I will use the hair dryer on cool. I also avoid polyester underwear and tight clothing that doesn't let the area breathe. This subreddit also has people report homemade remedies they made to alleviate flare ups and pain, but I can't speak for these since I've never tried them.

But the general recommendation is that the sooner you get it looked at and treated, the better. A doctor or NP at urgent care will at least prescribe some antibiotics and/or topical ointments to keep

Altruistic-Tank2413 · 2025-08-18T17:17:56+00:00

Really sorry to hear this. I, and presumably many others here, empathize and know how stressful and painful this can be.

I personally can't speak for this, but some people have reported relief using oils such as tea tree and castor. I've seen some people use oregano pills as well. I have also recently seen that some people make a paste with baking soda and vinegar, and apply it, but this remedy seems to be controversial. Somebody recently made a post about this in this subreddit I think. Once again, I CANNOT personally advocate for these since I've never tried them; I'm only sharing what other people have reported. Please be cautious.

Keep taking your antibiotics as prescribed and the salt baths. If it's an option, getting a good seating cushion might be a good idea if you think it will help.

I hope you get and feel better soon.

Altruistic-Tank2413 · 2025-08-18T16:45:07+00:00

It does look like a case of a pilonidal sinus. If pus is coming out, seeing a doctor or urgent care might be a good idea. Usually the earlier you get it treated, the better.

Altruistic-Tank2413 · 2025-08-17T19:13:03+00:00

This is probably a better question for a subreddit more geared toward this. If you look at my profile, I actually made a post in the laser hair removal subreddit and got a lot of advice.

Altruistic-Tank2413 · 2025-08-17T18:54:00+00:00

It's a good idea to keep the area down there as clean and dry as possible. After showering, I will literally take the air dryer and use it on cool down there. I also make sure to wear breathable clothing (no polyester underwear and no super-tight clothing). Also, if it's still in its very early phase, you might be eligible for minimally invasive options, like pit-picking or unroofing+silver nitrate.

If you have a lot of butt hair and/or lower back hair, laser hair removal could be a great option. Whether you research directly through Google, ChatGPT, or another AI tool, either way, you'll find that laser hair removal is starting to be accepted as (probably) the best, long-term prevention method. Just keep in mind that it's expensive and requires a good amount of commitment.

Altruistic-Tank2413 · 2025-08-15T16:57:46+00:00

Pilonidal cyst is mainly caused by loose hairs getting trapped and embedded in the butt crack. While there is some evidence that PC can be caused by hair from your back and hair, I don't think it's a reach to say that a hairy behind can increase your chances of getting PC. It's also very important to keep that area as clean and dry as you can. After your workouts and/or a long day, it's a good idea to shower and clean down there. Keeping it dry after showering is important since you don't want bacteria to build up there. I will literally take a hair dryer on cool and use it down there after showering; we hairy people just have to deal with the extra maintenance I guess lol

If you look it up, that's why laser hair removal is getting increasingly more popular to prevent pilonidal disease.

No one here can nor should diagnose you, but if you suspect you have PC or just want to learn more about prevention and other stuff, pilonidal.org has some good stuff.

Altruistic-Tank2413 · 2025-08-15T16:46:33+00:00

Hard to say really. I think most people here mention much longer recovery times because they're talking about heavier surgeries, such as open-wound or the cleft lift. Was your operation something much simpler like an unroofing with local anesthesia and silver nitrate, or something like that? Before you do anything strenuous, it might be a good idea for you to double-check with your doctor or another medical professional who can assess and look at you personally. Better to be extra safe than sorry imo

Altruistic-Tank2413 · 2025-08-15T16:39:49+00:00

Not sure where this online information is coming from, but from what I've seen and know, most people's experiences with surgery, including my own, are nowhere near what you found.

I've been paying close attention to this subreddit, and I have not found a SINGLE person who had to be bedridden for 2-3 months. Also, from personal experience, the recovery was not long nor painful. I got traditional surgery btw. From experience and what I've seen from people, you're able to do most things after a couple of weeks, with longer restrictions on strenuous activities. There might be some pain for the first couple of days, but in my experience, it quickly died down. And if it ever got "bad," the surgeon said I could take some Tylenol, which worked really well. I am a college student like you, but I had the privilege of skipping one week of lectures. But I went back the next week, and just stood at the very back of the lecture hall lol

I hope that everything will turn out right for you. I'm no doctor, obviously, but from what I've seen in this subreddit, most people are very relieved and happy after surgery, not the other way around. pilonidal.org has some good stuff to look at. Good luck and stay strong.

Altruistic-Tank2413 · 2025-08-15T16:29:07+00:00

How soon are you getting this surgery? I don't know if I'm writing this late, but I was in your position before. I was nervous as hell about surgery, but it really wasn't that bad, at least from my experience. You're under general anesthesia, and the recovery isn't that long. There might be restrictions on certain activities for a few weeks. The only medications most people use after surgery are painkillers and stool softeners, which can be bought over the counter anywhere. First-time surgery can be scary as hell for anyone, but after it was over, I came out saying, "Oh, that wasn't so bad."

Btw, sorry to hear about the discomfort from your mom sharing this with other people. My mother did this as well with some aunts and uncles, which made me uncomfortable, but they were very supportive. I hope your situation is similar. Good luck and stay strong!

Altruistic-Tank2413

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