PSEUDOFOLLICULITIS PATIENT HANDOUT

Pseudofolliculitis barbae or "PFB" is a common complaint among darker-skinned males with coarse curly hair. Patients with this condition develop bumps in the beard area, particularly the neck, that are a direct result of ingrown hairs. This irritation can result in pigmentary changes and scarring.

Options for treating PFB

• Grow a beard. If you don't mind growing a beard, do so. This is curative!
• Designer Stubble. The chances of having PFB is greatly reduced if the whiskers are kept at least a few millimeters long.
• Laser. Laser hair removal may be a good, permanent solution. Talk with your doctor.

If shaving is a must, please try the following:

• Apply a warm compress to the beard area for a few minutes prior to shaving.
• Use a mild exfoliant, such as a extra gentle Buf-Puf facial sponge or loofah or better still a soft bristle (clean) toothbrush. Massage the area that is prone to ingrown hairs prior to shaving. Massage in a circular motion to help release the hairs that have curled inward. Some even use a toothpick to release hairs that have grown back on themselves.
• Use a shaving gel designed for sensitive skin.
• Do not pull the skin taunt when shaving.
• Shave in the direction of hair growth (hairs pointing down, shave with a downward stroke). Do not shave against the direction of hair growth. Shaving against "the grain" will worsen the condition. On the neck, shave with the grain in a downward stroke only, never up.
• Take short strokes and do not shave back and forth over the same areas. One or two strokes in each area will suffice. Remember you do not want too close of a shave.
• After shaving, use a Hydrocortisone 1% lotion (available OTC) to soothe any "razor burn" or irritation if needed.
• At night use any medication prescribed by your doctor.

What do I do about ingrown hairs?

Hair releasing is critically important and must be done instead of plucking hairs. Plucking a whisker/hair tends to cause a viscious cycle as the new whisker/hair tends to be ingrown. Hair releasing means freeing the end of any whisker/hair buried in a razor bump. It may be done with a toothpick to all ingrown hairs every two to three days. The doctor may do this the first few times to get at hairs that are completely buried beneath the skin.

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