Pseudofolliculitus Barbae (Ingrown Hairs)

Pseudofolliculitus barbae, or ingrown hairs, can affect many areas of the body. Caucasian men may experience a minor form of this condition from shaving the neck area. Black men are especially prone to ingrown hairs on the face and the neck because hairs in this ethnic group are often stiff and curly. (Fig. 1)

(fig.1)

The tips of strongly curved stiff hairs may emerge from the follicle. Due to their wavy or curly configuration, they may reenter nearby skin. Close shaving leads to retraction of the hair tip below the skin's surface where it can become trapped. Each time this occurs, the imbedded hair provokes an in­ flammatory reaction as a result of skin tissue perceiving the hair as a foreign body. This inflammation results in perifollicular papules (acne like lesions). In black men, this con­ dition may eventually leave criss-cross scars and sometimes keloiding.

Ingrown hairs are also a frequent challenge in individuals who wax their legs, bikini area, or areas of the face.

Studies by Nicholas Perricone, M.D., demonstrate that glycolic acid can help to prevent, as well as resolve, problems asso­ciated with ingrown hairs. Dr. Perricone indicates that glycolic acid has this ability because it is chemically related to a compound known as thio-glycolate. Thio­ glycolate is used in permanent wave solutions and hair straighteners. It acts by breaking down the hair's disulfide bonds allowing the hair to be reconfigured into a curlier or straighter state. It is believed that glycolic acid acts in the hair follicle in a similar manner. As the hair relaxes, the fol­ licle acts like a kind of splint and assists the hair in reaching the surface properly. Secondly, by loosening the dead cellular buildup of the stratum corneum, hair is able to surface more easily.