Treatment of Pseudofolliculitis With a Pulsed Infrared Laser

Abstract

Background: Pseudofolliculitis barbae is a common disorder in individuals with thick, curly hairs, and treatment options are limited.Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of a diode laser in the treatment of pseudofolliculitis barbae.

An Unusual Ala12Thr Polymorphism in the 1A α-Helical Segment of the Companion Layer-Specific Keratin K6hf: Evidence for a Risk Factor in the Etiology of the Common Hair Disorder Pseudofolliculitis Barbae

“…Second, considering the low PFB frequency in Caucasians, we wanted to increase the number of potentially susceptible individuals through the inclusion of Afro-Americans (Table I). Indeed, our randomly sampled test population confirmed a much higher PFB incidence in the black population (82% in black individuals versus 18% in Caucasian individuals), which fell within the previously reported variation range of 50%-83% (Kauvar, 2000). A minority of PFB-affected individuals were black (7%) and Caucasian women (3%), who noted PFB symptoms after shaving in the groin and/or the axilla.…”

Laser hair removal

“…Thirteen of 22 patients completed the study, and of these 10 subjects improved. Whereas the diode appears to be effective for PFB in this and in other studies (56), Smith et al. suggested that permanent hair reduction may not be achieved in type VI skin because the maximum tolerated fluence may be insufficient to cause long‐term reduction.…”

Modified Superlong Pulse 810 nm Diode Laser in the Treatment of Pseudofolliculitis Barbae in Skin Types V and VI

“…In a study by Kauvar of 10 patients with PFB and skin types I to IV, subjects were given three treatments with fluences of 30 to 40 J/cm 2 and pulse durations of 20 to 30 milliseconds. 8 All patients exhibited greater than 50% improvement in signs of pseudofolliculitis, and hair density was reduced by greater than 50% 6 to 8 weeks after the third treatment. Likewise, Greppi found that the 810 nm laser with the 30-millisecond pulse duration was effective in PBF in dark skin.…”