Hair Rotation and Treatment

What is ingrown hair and how is it treated

Hair loss is a skin condition that occurs mostly in men and in the coccyx area. It occurs as a result of the hairs and hairs spilled from areas such as the back, nape, scalp, embedded in the skin through pores or cavities and accumulating there to form a cystic structure. Inflammation may also occur in the area of the ingrown hair. Apart from the coccyx, it can also be seen in other body parts such as the belly button, although it is rare. The disease, which is mostly seen in men between the ages of 15 and 35 in Turkey, has become a common problem in women in recent years. It is 3 times more common in men than women.

Early diagnosis and treatment of ingrown hairs, which can cause serious complications such as abscess, severe pain, and foul-smelling discharge, is important. However, in our society, in breech region diseases, a physician is not usually consulted until the last stage of the disease. Patients can even hide from their families, not to share the situation they live in, but to share with a physician.

What is ingrown hair (Pilonidal Sinus)?

In the medical literature, ingrown hair, which is called “pilonidal sinus”, is a disease that can be prevented by ensuring hygiene conditions and removing hair on the body regularly. However, the only thing to do after the disease occurs is to apply to clinics and hospitals and get support from a general surgery specialist. Because ingrown hair is not a disease that can go away on its own after a certain time.

In which parts of the body does ingrown hair (Pilonidal Sinus) occur?

The place where ingrown hairs are seen most intensely in our body is the groove between the two hips called the intergluteal groove in the coccyx. Almost all of the cases are seen in the coccyx. Although rare, a certain part is found in the navel. Apart from these, it can also occur on the face, groin area, fingers and armpits.

What causes ingrown hair (Pilonidal Sinus)?

Experts put forward 2 different theories regarding the formation of the pilonidal sinus. The first of these is the accumulation of hair and feathers shed from the body, especially if there is sweating, under our skin through the holes and pores in the skin. It has been observed that the hairs that enter under the skin during the movement of the body can reach around 60 – 70. The area where the hairs accumulate is surrounded by a membrane, forming a cystic structure. The fluid that emerges as a reaction to the hairs causes a foul-smelling abscess that flows out of the sinus mouth. Another less accepted theory explaining ingrown hairs is that the congenital stem cells in the relevant region start to produce hair after the age of 20, as a result of the activation of hormonal effects.

What are the symptoms of ingrown hair (Pilonidal Sinus)?

Hair loss is an insidious disease; however, there are signals that it gives to the body during the accumulation of hair and feathers under the skin. Symptoms that do not bother the patient in the initial phase may become unbearable in the later stages. Some of the symptoms observed in almost all of the patients who apply to the health institution due to ingrown hair are listed below;

At the initial stage of ingrown hair, the problem of discharge arises. Patients who meet this humidity in their underwear as normal are generally unaware of the case at this stage.
When this discharge is combined with microbes, it turns into inflammation and takes a green color.
The discharge is accompanied by a foul odor.
Sometimes bloody discharge can also be seen.
Other symptoms of ingrown hair are itching, redness, swelling and pain in the anus.
Over time, the pain becomes so severe that the patient can no longer perform his daily activities.

The reason for the bad smell seen in ingrown hair is the inflammation of the related area. The discharges coming out of the sinus mouth combine with microbes and pave the way for the formation of a foul-smelling and inflamed abscess. The size of the swelling occurring in the pilonidal sinus area varies according to the density of the hairs accumulated in the area. The pain that occurs when the cyst becomes an abscess by stretching can be unbearable. The person may become unable to sit or walk because of this pain. The presence of pain in which even daily activities cannot be performed is a sign of being in the last stage of the disease.

When one or more of these symptoms are encountered, you should stay away from time-consuming methods such as herbal formulas and leave the job to the experts.

What are the risk factors for ingrown hair (Pilonidal Sinus)?

It is known by everyone that sedentary life invites many diseases. One of the health problems faced by people working in desk jobs is ingrown hairs. Studies have shown that sitting upright reduces the frequency of ingrown hairs. For this reason, it is useful to prefer to sit in an upright position while working at a desk or in daily life.

As we mentioned above, there is an increase in the frequency of ingrown hairs in jobs performed by sitting constantly, such as riding.