13 Pilonidal Cyst Home Treatments

Say "goodbye" to painful and annoying cysts with readily available remedies.

Specialty: Integrative Dermatology

Dr. Veerula (Dr. V) is a diplomate of the American Board of Dermatology, a Fellow of the American Academy of Dermatology and American Society of Dermatologic Surgeons. She is an energetic, proactive, and compassionate medical practitioner w... more

A pilonidal cyst is a sac filled with skin debris and hair found at the crease that separates the two buttocks. Experts believe that hair trapped in the pores of the skin followed by constant friction or trauma to your buttocks can result in the development of cysts (1). While consulting a doctor and going for surgical intervention is the best way to remove the cyst, there are a few home treatments for pilonidal cysts one can try to alleviate the pain. In this article, we take a look at who is at a higher risk of developing pilonidal cysts and the treatment options available.

  • Who Can Get Pilonidal Cysts?
  • What Causes Pilonidal Cysts?
  • Symptoms Of Pilonidal Cyst
  • Medical Treatment
  • 13 Natural Remedies To Treat Pilonidal Cysts

Who Can Get Pilonidal Cysts?

The following factors can increase the chances of developing pilonidal cysts:

  • A family history of pilonidal cysts
  • Men with a deep natal cleft
  • You sit around for extended periods (some amount of friction can cause a reaction to ingrown hair)
  • You have thick body hair

Let’s look at the causes and symptoms in detail.

What Causes Pilonidal Cysts?

The main cause of pilonidal cysts is the presence of ingrown hair. This happens as a result of hair becoming embedded in the skin. If the cyst gets infected, it can form a painful abscess.

Individuals between the ages of 20 and 30 are susceptible to pilonidal cysts.

Listed below are the factors that may contribute to the development of pilonidal cysts:

  • Gender: Men are more likely to have pilonidal cysts.
  • Sedentary lifestyle
  • Lack of physical activity or exercise
  • Excess body hair
  • Poor hygiene
  • Excessive sweating

Symptoms Of Pilonidal Cyst

The common symptoms of pilonidal cyst development include inflamed skin, collection of pus, and/or slight bleeding at the site of infection.

One may also experience pain and discomfort while sitting or standing. However, if the infection is acute, one may also have a fever or nausea.

You may be tempted to pop these cysts to relieve the discomfort. However, doing so increases the risk of infection and scarring. Hence, it is best to consult a doctor.

Medical Treatment

The doctor performs a simple procedure to drain the cyst. They will numb the affected area and make a small incision to drain the cyst. Once all the fluid and debris are drained, they will either close the wound with a sterile gauze or stitches. They may also prescribe antibiotics to prevent infection.

However, if these cysts reappear, you may need surgery.

Here are a few home remedies you can try out to reduce the pain and discomfort.

13 Natural Remedies To Treat Pilonidal Cysts

1. Warm Compress

Using a hot compress a few times a day can help soothe the inflammation (2). The heat from the washcloth enables the cyst to drain the pus, thus relieving pain.

You Will Need

  • 1 sterile washcloth
  • A bucket of warm water

What You Have To Do

  1. Start by soaking a sterile washcloth in hot water.
  2. Place the warm cloth on the affected area for a few minutes.

How Often You Should Do This

Repeat as needed until the pain subsides.

2. Garlic

Garlic has antibiotic and antimicrobial properties (3). Hence, it may prove to be effective in reducing the symptoms of pilonidal cysts.

You Will Need

A few cloves of garlic

What You Have To Do

There are two ways to use garlic:

  1. Crush a garlic clove with the back of a knife and apply the paste to the affected area.
  2. Cover the area with sterile gauze for a few minutes before rinsing it off.
  3. Alternatively, you can ingest crushed garlic cloves with a glass of water.

How Often You Should Do This

Applying garlic: Once a day for a few days.

Ingesting garlic: 2-3 times a day.

3. Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil possesses antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties (4). These properties may help reduce inflammation and prevent further infection, thus promoting faster healing of the cyst.

You Will Need

  • A few drops of tea tree oil
  • Warm water

What You Have To Do

  1. Dilute tea tree oil with water in the ratio of 1: 10.
  2. Apply the mixture to the affected area and leave it on for about 15 minutes.
  3. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water.
  4. Dry the area completely.

How Often You Should Do This

Repeat 2-3 times daily.

4. Castor Oil

Castor oil contains ricinoleic acid, which possesses anti-inflammatory properties (5). This may help alleviate inflammation around the pilonidal cyst.

You Will Need

  • A few drops of castor oil
  • Cotton ball

What You Have To Do

  1. Soak a sterile cotton ball in warm castor oil.
  2. Apply generously to the affected area.
  3. Leave the cotton ball on for 20-30 minutes or overnight.

How Often You Should Do This

Repeat 2-3 times daily.

5. Coconut Oil

Coconut oil is both anti-inflammatory and analgesic (6). It can thus help reduce pain and inflammation in the affected area.

You Will Need

½ teaspoon of organic coconut oil

What You Have To Do

  1. Apply organic coconut oil to the affected area.
  2. Leave it on for a couple of hours.

How Often You Should Do This

Repeat 2 times daily.

6. Epsom Salt

The magnesium in 7257' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' >Epsom salt can help reduce inflammation (7). Epsom salt may not only reduce pain but also promote the expulsion of pus from the cyst.

You Will Need

1 cup of Epsom salt

What You Have To Do

  1. Add a cup of Epsom salt to a freshly drawn warm bath.
  2. Soak your body in it for 15-20 minutes.

How Often You Should Do This

Repeat as necessary.

7. Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar has antimicrobial properties (8). Hence, it may help prevent the pilonidal cyst from getting infected, thereby assisting in its healing.

You Will Need

  • Apple cider vinegar
  • Cotton ball

What You Have To Do

  1. Dilute apple cider vinegar with water.
  2. Soak a cotton ball in the diluted vinegar. Place the cotton ball on the affected area and press gently.
  3. Secure it with a band-aid and keep it on for a few hours.
  4. Remove the band-aid and rinse the affected area thoroughly with water.

How Often You Should Do This

Repeat 2 times daily.

8. Turmeric

Turmeric contains curcumin that helps reduce inflammation and relieves pain in the affected area (9).

You Will Need

1 tablespoon turmeric powder

What You Have To Do

  1. Add water to turmeric powder to make a paste.
  2. Apply this paste to the affected area. Leave it on until it dries.
  3. Rinse the affected area thoroughly.
  4. Alternatively, you may also grind a turmeric root and gently press it on the pilonidal cyst.

How Often You Should Do This

Repeat 2 times daily.

9. Black Tea Bag

The anti-inflammatory properties of black tea may help in treating the swelling and inflammation in the affected area (10).

You Will Need

1 black tea bag

What You Have To Do

  1. Soak a tea bag in warm water for 5-6 minutes.
  2. Wait for the teabag to cool a bit. Place the tea bag on the affected area.
  3. Hold it in place for 8-10 minutes and then remove it.

How Often You Should Do This

Repeat this procedure 3-4 times daily.

10. Aloe Vera

Aloe vera exhibits anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties (11). Both these properties can help in reducing the pain and irritation caused due to pilonidal cysts.

You Will Need

Aloe vera gel

What You Have To Do

  1. Apply aloe vera gel to the affected area.
  2. Leave it on for 20-30 minutes.
  3. Rinse off with plain water.

How Often You Should Do This

Repeat 3-4 times in a day

11. Fenugreek

A novel fenugreek extract was observed to reduce cyst size and volume in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (12). Hence, it may similarly help treat a pilonidal cyst.

You Will Need

  • 1 teaspoon of fenugreek seeds
  • A glass of boiling water

What You Have To Do

  1. Boil the fenugreek seeds in water.
  2. Strain the decoction and consume it.

How Often You Should Do This

Consume once daily until your symptoms show improvement.

12. Burdock Root

Burdock root is an excellent herbal remedy for several skin infections (13). It contains active compounds that flush out toxins from the body and may also help in alleviating the symptoms of pilonidal cysts.

You Will Need

  • ½ teaspoon dried burdock root powder
  • 1 tablespoon honey

What You Have To Do

  1. Mix half a teaspoon of dried burdock root powder and a tablespoon of honey to make a paste.
  2. Apply this paste generously on the cyst and leave for a few hours.

How Often You Should Do This

Repeat this 2-3 times daily.

13. Onion

Onion possesses antimicrobial properties against a host of bacteria (14). This makes it suitable to treat an infected pilonidal cyst.

You Will Need

A thick slice of onion

What You Have To Do

  1. Cut a thick slice of onion and place it on the pilonidal cyst.
  2. Keep it in place with a band-aid.

How Often You Should Do This

Repeat this procedure every 2-3 hours by changing the onion slices.

Caution: Onion can sometimes irritate the skin. Do a patch test before trying this remedy.

Following and repeating these remedies as necessary may ensure a reduction in pain and inflammation.

Home treatments for pilonidal cysts alleviate pain. Sitting for long hours, having a family history of pilonidal cysts, and having thick body hair may increase the risk of developing pilonidal cysts. Draining the cyst is the medical way of managing a pilonidal cyst. Home remedies like warm compress, usage of garlic, coconut oil, tea tree oil, apple cider vinegar, Epsom salt, and aloe vera help in the effective management of pilonidal cysts. Fenugreek, burdock root, and onion also work effectively. Couple these remedies with the treatment suggested by your doctor to reduce pain effectively.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do pilonidal cysts last?

After the diagnosis of a pilonidal cyst and subsequent cyst removal surgery, the wound will require 1-2 months to heal. However, in the case of complex or recurrent pilonidal disease, it may take up to 6 months to heal.

Why do pilonidal cysts come back?

It has been observed that it can be hard to remove the entire cyst. This would mean that there is a chance that it can recur.

Why do pilonidal cysts have a foul smell?

The cyst may be infected if it has a foul odor. This infection may cause the build-up of pus or blood.

Can a pilonidal cyst kill you?

Very often, pilonidal cysts can be removed with surgery. However, there is the possibility of the recurrence of abscesses. This happens if extensive scar tissue or sinus formation occurs.

How can I prevent the development of pilonidal cysts?

Here are the ways you may prevent the development of pilonidal cysts: