Interesting Finding at the Pilonidal Treatment Center of New Jersey

At the Pilonidal Treatment Center of New Jersey (PTCNJ), we have recently observed what we believe to be an interesting pattern that warrants further investigation.

Although we have not formally studied this observation, we have anecdotally encountered a higher prevalence of tailbone-area pilonidal disease among biologically female patients who are transitioning to male.  In some of these patients, pilonidal disease appeared after hormonal manipulation but before any gender-affirming surgery had been performed.

It is natural to imagine that the androgenous hormonal milieu seen in male gender affirmation may alter hair density and hair coarseness in such a way as to predispose patients to pilonidal disease.  We have certainly seen a similar such association in polycystic ovary syndrome.  Until it is formally studied, however,causation can only be theorized and not claimed. Nevertheless, we can and should state with conviction that further study here is  warranted.  At present, the science is too new to generate derivative medical recommendations. This may change in the coming years as institutions like ours continue to generate rigorously perfomed pilonidal research .