Ans: The major factors that are believed to cause pilonidal sinus are:
• Excess and coarse hair : the root cause of pilonidal sinus is the hair follicles entering the pits of the skin.
• Friction: Friction is also among the major factors leading to pilonidal sinus. The local pressure that results due to friction pushes the hair growing in the area into the pits of the skin. Thus, if you wear tight-fitting clothes very frequently or involve in friction producing activities, you are at increased risk of developing pilonidal sinus.
• Hairier and deep natal cleft: People with hairier and deep natal clefts are at increased risk of pilonidal sinus. This is because in such cases, the probability of the hair entering into the skin pits increases.
• Male sex: It has been seen that pilonidal sinus is more common in men than in women. Men are about 4 times more prone to developing pilonidal sinus than women.
• Age: People between the age of 14 to 30 years have higher chances of developing pilonidal sinus. In fact, pilonidal sinus is rare in children as well as people above the age of 40.
• Sedentary Jobs: Jobs that involve long sitting hours also act as a risk factor for pilonidal sinus. Sitting for long hours creates friction and pressure which are the major contributors to the pilonidal sinus.
• Family History of pilonidal sinus: If someone from your family had pilonidal sinus, it is quite possible that you might develop it too.