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Pseudofolliculitis Barbae

By

Wendy S. Levinbook

, MD, Hartford Dermatology Associates

Reviewed/Revised Jun 2022
View PATIENT EDUCATION
Topic Resources

Pseudofolliculitis barbae is irritation of the skin due to hairs that penetrate the skin before leaving the hair follicle or that leave the follicle and curve back into the skin, causing a foreign-body reaction.

Pseudofolliculitis barbae predominantly affects Black men. Risk factors include tightly curled hairs and certain keratin gene variations (KRT75, K6hf). It typically results from shaving.

Pseudofolliculitis barbae is most problematic around the beard and neck, hence the term "barbae," which refers to the beard. However, pseudofolliculitis can occur in women who shave, especially in the groin area, and anywhere hair is shaved or plucked. It causes small papules and pustules that can be confused with bacterial folliculitis Folliculitis Folliculitis is an infection of hair follicles. Diagnosis is clinical. Treatment for most cases of bacterial folliculitis is with topical mupirocin or clindamycin. (See also Overview of Bacterial... read more Folliculitis . Scarring can eventually result.

Diagnosis of Pseudofolliculitis Barbae

  • Examination

Diagnosis of pseudofolliculitis barbae is by physical examination.

Treatment of Pseudofolliculitis Barbae

  • Cessation of shaving

  • Warm compresses and retraction and release of ingrown hair tips

  • Topical or oral drugs as needed for inflammation and secondary infection

  • Sometimes hair follicle removal

  • Sometimes prednisone

Shaving should be discontinued until all inflammatory lesions have cleared. Acute manifestations of pseudofolliculitis barbae (eg, papules and pustules) can be treated with warm compresses and manual retraction of ingrown hair tips with a toothpick or sterile needle to release embedded hairs.

Topical hydrocortisone 1% or topical antibiotics can be used for mild inflammation. Oral doxycycline (50 to 100 mg 2 times a day) or oral erythromycin (250 mg 4 times a day, 333 mg 3 times a day, 500 mg 2 times a day) can be used for moderate to severe inflammation. Because inflammation, not infection, is being treated, there is no fixed duration for treatment with doxycycline or erythromycin.

Tretinoin (retinoic acid) gel, liquid, or cream or benzoyl peroxide cream may also be effective in mild or moderate cases but may irritate the skin.

Topical eflornithine hydrochloride cream may help by slowing hair growth so that shaving can be done less frequently. Alternatively, hairs can be allowed to grow out; grown hairs can then be cut to about 0.5 cm in length.

Hair follicles can be permanently removed by electrolysis or laser treatment. Chemical depilatories may also be used because chemical removal of hairs does not trigger the pathology; however, it may irritate the skin.

A short course of prednisone may be necessary for resistant cases.

Once lesions clear and patients resume shaving, shaving techniques must be optimized.

Drugs Mentioned In This Article

Drug Name Select Trade
Deltasone, Predone, RAYOS, Sterapred, Sterapred DS
A-Hydrocort, Ala-Cort, Ala-Scalp, Alkindi, Anucort-HC, Anumed-HC, Anusol HC, Aqua Glycolic HC, Aquaphor Children's Itch Relief, Aquaphor Itch Relief, Balneol for Her, Caldecort , Cetacort, Colocort , Cortaid, Cortaid Advanced, Cortaid Intensive Therapy, Cortaid Sensitive Skin, CortAlo, Cortef, Cortenema, Corticaine, Corticool, Cortifoam, Cortizone-10, Cortizone-10 Cooling Relief, Cortizone-10 External Itch Relief, Cortizone-10 Intensive Healing, Cortizone-10 Plus, Cortizone-10 Quick Shot, Cortizone-5 , Dermarest Dricort, Dermarest Eczema, Dermarest Itch Relief, Encort, First - Hydrocortisone, Gly-Cort , GRx HiCort, Hemmorex-HC, Hemorrhoidal-HC, Hemril , Hycort, Hydro Skin, Hydrocort, Hydrocortisone in Absorbase, Hydrocortone, Hydroskin , Hydroxym, Hytone, Instacort, Lacticare HC, Locoid, Locoid Lipocream, MiCort-HC , Monistat Complete Care Instant Itch Relief Cream, Neosporin Eczema, NuCort , Nutracort, NuZon, Pandel, Penecort, Preparation H Hydrocortisone, Proctocort, Proctocream-HC, Procto-Kit, Procto-Med HC , Procto-Pak, Proctosert HC , Proctosol-HC, Proctozone-HC, Rectacort HC, Rectasol-HC, Rederm, Sarnol-HC, Scalacort, Scalpicin Anti-Itch, Solu-Cortef, Texacort, Tucks HC, Vagisil Anti-Itch, VANICREAM HC, Walgreens Intensive Healing, Westcort
Acticlate, Adoxa, Adoxa Pak, Avidoxy, Doryx, Doxal, Doxy 100, LYMEPAK, Mondoxyne NL, Monodox, Morgidox 1x, Morgidox 1x Kit, Morgidox 2x , Morgidox 2x Kit, Okebo, Oracea, Oraxyl, Periostat, TARGADOX, Vibramycin, Vibra-Tabs
A/T/S, Akne-mycin, E.E.S., Emcin Clear , EMGEL, E-Mycin, ERYC, Erycette, Eryderm , Erygel, Erymax, EryPed, Ery-Tab, Erythra Derm , Erythrocin, Erythrocin Lactobionate, Erythrocin Stearate, Ilosone, Ilotycin, My-E, PCE, PCE Dispertab , Romycin, Staticin, T-Stat
Altinac, Altreno, Atralin, AVITA, Refissa, Renova, Retin-A, Retin-A Micro, Tretin-X, Vesanoid
Acne Medication, Acne-10, Acneclear, Benprox , Benzac AC, Benzac W, Benzac-10, Benzac-5, Benzagel, Benzagel-10 , Benzagel-5, BenzaShave, BenzEFoam, BenzEFoam Ultra , BenzePrO, Benziq, Benziq LS, BP Cleanser, BP Cleansing Lotion, BP Foaming Wash, BP Gel, BP Topical , BP Wash, BP Wash Kit, BPO, BPO Creamy Wash, BPO Foaming Cloth, Brevoxyl-4, Brevoxyl-8, Clean&Clear Persa-Gel, Clearplex , Clearplex X, Clearskin, Clinac BPO, Del Aqua, Delos, Desquam-E, Desquam-X, EFFACLAR, Enzoclear, EPSOLAY, Ethexderm BPW, Inova, Inova Easy Pad, Lavoclen-4 , Lavoclen-8, NeoBenz Micro, NeoBenz Micro Cream Plus Pack, NeoBenz Micro SD, NeoBenz Micro Wash Plus Pack, Neutrogena Acne Cream, OC8, Oscion, Pacnex, Pacnex HP, Pacnex LP, Pacnex MX, PanOxyl, PanOxyl 10 Maximum Strength, PanOxyl 5, PanOxyl AQ, PanOxyl Aqua, PanOxyl-10, PanOxyl-5, PanOxyl-8, Peroderm, RE Benzoyl Peroxide , Riax, SE BPO, Seba, Seba-Gel, Soluclenz Rx , Theroxide, TL BPO MX, Triaz, True Marker Lintera, Zaclir, Zoderm Cleanser , Zoderm Cream, Zoderm Gel, Zoderm Redi-Pads , Zoderm Wash
Iwilfin, Vaniqa
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NOTE: This is the Professional Version. CONSUMERS: View Consumer Version
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