For Parents

Helping Your Child with Pilonidal Disease

Discovering that your child is dealing with pilonidal disease can be stressful and confusing — especially if you’ve never heard of it before and your child is terrified of what is happening to their body. This page is here to help you understand what’s happening, what to expect, and how you can support your child through recovery.

Pilonidal disease is a skin condition that typically affects the area at the top of the buttocks, near the tailbone. It’s caused by inflammation or infection in the skin, often triggered by pressure, friction, or trapped hair. It’s not caused by poor hygiene or anything your child did wrong.

What Is Pilonidal Disease?

Common symptoms include:

Pain or swelling near the tailbone
A lump or dimple in the skin
Drainage of pus, clear fluid, or blood (sometimes with an odor)
Difficulty sitting or walking comfortably

When to See a Doctor

If your child has pain, swelling, unusual odor, or drainage in the tailbone area, it’s time to talk to your pediatrician, family doctor, or a walk-in clinic. Pilonidal disease can often be treated with minor procedures, but if it becomes chronic or recurring, a referral to a surgeon may be needed. Pilonidal abscesses also sometimes happen as a result of trauma to the tailbone, such as injuries from sports. Sport-related Pilonidals typically onset very fast and become extremely painful within days.

Some parents have only been alerted to a problem by noticing blood or odors on the child’s underwear. Not everyone is comfortable discussing health or body issues with parents and doctors; you may need to sleuth it out of them.

How to Talk About Pilonidals

Pilonidal issues can be embarrassing or uncomfortable for teens to talk about. Here are some ways parents can help:

Be calm and matter-of-fact — this is a medical issue, not a personal failure.
Please respect their privacy during exams and care routines.
Let them be involved in treatment decisions as much as possible. This is a great “teaching moment” that patients have a voice and deserve to be heard.
Reassure them that this is a common condition, and it doesn’t define them.

At-Home Support Tips

Help them set up a hygiene routine that includes gentle cleansing and drying of the area. The habits you build now can last a lifetime.

Make sure they don’t sit around in sweaty sports clothing after exercise activities.

Make sitting more comfortable with cushions, or lie on your side.

Track symptoms and wound healing if surgery is needed.

Be patient — healing can take time, especially after surgery.

You’re Not Alone

Pilonidal disease is frustrating — but manageable. Thousands of families deal with it every year, and with the proper care and support, your child can heal and move on.

You probably have a lot of questions. Use the site as a resource and connect with others in our Support Forums.