Pseudofolliculitis Barbae Cures

Folliculitis barbae, commonly called "shaving bumps," is an inflammatory disorder of the beard area affecting primarily men with dark skin and curly hair. The root of the hair is curved so that the growing hairs, sharpened by shaving, curl around and pierce the skin, causing small red bumps that are often infected with Staphylococcus aureus. Repeated inflammation can result in permanent hard, lumpy scars.

Shaving

• According to the American Osteopathic College of Dermatology, the most effective treatment is to stop shaving for three to four weeks or at least until the inflammation subsides, as longer hairs don't pierce the skin. Apply warm compresses, shaving solutions or shaving gel to your face before shaving to soften the beard and shave every other day using a single-blade, adjustable or electric shaver and avoiding close shaves that leave the beard less than 1 mm in length. Special "bump fighter" razors are also available. Brushing the beard before shaving or using special hooks to pull out ingrown hairs may reduce inflammation. Be sure to shave downward in the direction the beard grows and avoid making repeated strokes over the same area or stretching the skin as this can worsen the condition.

Alternative Beard Removal

• You might try depilatories, which chemically soften and remove the beard, but make sure that all bumps have healed first as the chemicals will further irritate inflamed skin. Try in a small area to make sure that your skin can tolerate the depilatory, and avoid using more often that every 48 hours. Follow directions carefully, leaving the chemicals on the face for no more than three to five minutes, depending on the type of product. The solution and hair are manually removed by stroking against the direction of hair growth with a tongue blade or other straight edge. Do not remove with a razor. Rinse your face thoroughly after the treatment.

  Other hair removal methods include electrolysis, in which a tiny metal tip is inserted into the hair follicle to provide an electric current to damage the follicle and prevent hair growth. This procedure is painful and may produce some scarring, although it's usually minimal, and regrowth may occur. If your skin is infected with Staph, electrolysis can spread the infection.

  Laser removal is another option. According to The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, laser beams are absorbed by the pigment in hair and travel down the hair follicle, damaging those follicles that are actively growing. You may need repeated treatments because individual hair follicles are in different stages of growth. However, if you have dark skin, the difference in color between your skin and the hair may not be significant, so laser removal may be less effective.

Medications

• Hair follicles may become clogged with debris, worsening folliculitis barbae, so topical medications, such as glycolic gel, help keep the follicles open. Mild cases may be treated with hydrocortisone cream or tretinoin cream (Retin-A) to reduce inflammation. According to Dr. W.P. Slomiany in "The 5-Minute Clinical Consult," if infection is present, you will need topical antibiotics, such as clindamycin or erythromycin solutions, or oral antibiotics to control the infection and prevent spread.