It is a peculiar condition that affects mostly young men in which there is formation of one or multiple openings with pus discharge in the area of the natal cleft (fold between the buttocks).
The cause for its formation is friction between the skin folds causing the hair to penetrate the skin leading to the formation of a tract in the fatty layer. The hair starts getting buried inside which leads to further infection, swelling, and pus discharge. It mostly affects men who have abundant hair in this area and whose occupation mandates prolonged sitting and friction such as drivers.
The symptoms are mostly pain and pus discharge from the openings in the skin which may subside after a course of antibiotics. However, repeated infection leads to branching of the tracts inside the skin to form multiple openings over a larger area.
The treatment of this condition is with surgery. Surgery can be done to remove the infected area with the entire tract and buried hair and the wound can be left to heal with dressings. Alternatively, the wound can be closed with the help of a flap of skin. Sometimes, small single tracts can be closed with the help of LASER treatment.