Pseudofoliculitis Barbae / Beard Bumps

At CHIC Med-Aesthetic Clinic we offer men treatment for their beard bumps. CHIC offers men laser treatments and/or peels, which are both only performed by our fully trained doctors. We will always start with a personalised consultation, where we will discuss your concerns and expectations and guide you to your best treatment options, followed by a patch test.

What is Pseudofolliculitis Barbae?

Pseudofolliculitis barbae, also called beard bumps, razor bumps, shave bumps, barber’s itch is a persistent and recurrent irritation caused by shaving. This is most common on men’s beard area, but it can also occur in other areas, especially where hairs are thick and curly. When a hair has been shaved, it starts to grow back. Curly hair tends to curl into the skin instead of straight out the follicle, leading to an inflammation reaction. This will make the skin look itchy and red, and sometimes even grow pimples and pustules. If this is left untreated, it can cause scarring in the face or the affected area.

It can also be used to camouflage scars on the scalp, example following a hair transplant or a trauma scar.

Prevention and Treatment

The easiest prevention and cure for pseudofolliculitis barbae is to let the beard grow. For most men, however, this is unacceptable. Permanent removal of the hair follicle is the only definitive treatment for this, and so laser hair removal is the gold standard. Apart from removing hair follicles, this would prevent shaving, which is the culprit of the irritation. Existing infection and scars can also be treated with antibiotics, and other localised treatments to treat and to accelerate healing, including glycolic acid and salisylic acid peels and Retin-A.

Before and After