Ingrown Beard Hairs

A hair that curls so that the tip punctures the skin can cause inflammation (pseudofolliculitis barbae). This most often happens with the curly hairs of the beard, especially in black men. Each ingrown hair results in a tiny, mildly painful pimple with a barely visible hair curling into the center.

Doctors diagnose the condition by its typical appearance. Treatment involves teasing the tips of any ingrown hairs out of the skin with the point of a needle or sharp scalpel. The best preventive treatment is to grow the beard: When the hairs are longer, they do not curl back and puncture the skin. A man who does not want a beard can use a depilatory (a liquid or cream preparation that removes unwanted hair) made of thioglycolate, although it often irritates the skin. People who must shave should shave in the same direction in which the hair grows. Shaving closely with multiple razor strokes should be avoided. People who continue to have problems may undergo laser therapy (see Section 18, Chapter 215).