Pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB) is a common condition occuring in African American men and other people with curly hair. It is often referred to as razor bumps, shaving bumps, and ingrown hairs. Pseudofolliculitis barbae occurs when highly curved hairs grow back into the skin causing inflammation and a foreign body reaction. Eventually, this can lead to keloidal scarring which appears as hard bumps on the beard and neck area.

The cause of this is very simple. Blade shaving sharpens the ends of the hairs like a spear. The hairs then curve back into the skin and cause Pseudofolliculitis barbae.

So, how do you cure this problem? Good question.

One of the most effective solutions is to simply let the beard grow. Once the hairs become a certain length they will not grow back into the skin. However, this is not an ideal solution for everyone.

If you’re not wanting to grow a full beard, you can use Retin-A or some other topical antibiotic to help the problem.

If you are using blades, it is highly recommended that you switch to an electric shaver if at all possible. This will help immensely because an electric shaver does not cut as close as blades do. Some doctors recommend shaving with products such as Nair, Neet, or Magic Shave to improve pseudofolliculitis barbae.

However, if you simply must shave with blades, make sure you shave with the grain of the beard and do not pull the skin taut. Use only one stroke.

In addition to this, you should also wash the beard area with Lever 2000 soap using a Buf-Puf. This will help raise the hairs from under the skin and prevents them from growing back into the skin. This should be done twice a day.

For a long-term solution to pseudofolliculitis barbae, laser hair removal may be the best option. Electrolysis and laser hair removal should be considered when all else fails. A couple visits to a laser hair removal clinic could completely eliminate pseudofolliculitis barbae.

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