Douglas Shander

Treatment of Pseudofolliculitis Barbae

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the different techniques for the treatment of pseudofolliculitis barbae. Pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB) is a condition of the beard area occurring in black men and other people with curly hair. Highly-curved hair can grow back into the skin, causing inflammation and a foreign-body reaction surrounding the site of the ingrown hair. A variety of treatment options exist for managing PFB, and a judicious use of a combination of treatment options may offer the best opportunity for controlling the formation of ingrown hair that results in shaving bumps and inflammation. The magnitude of improvement resulting from compliance with a daily shaving regimen to provide a very safe, effective, economical, and convenient method to manage PFB can, in some subjects, equal that of professional lasers. The use of appropriate topical treatments such as glycolic acid may enhance the ability to comply with daily shaving, as well as alter superficial skin topography to minimize the occurrence of ingrown hair and maximize shaving efficiency. Topically applied hair-growth retardants such as Eflornithine HCl have been demonstrated to slow hair growth, modify the morphology of the hair follicle and the hair shafts in a manner that can reduce ingrown hair, and also improve compliance with a daily-shave regimen.

Synergy of Eflornithine Cream with Laser and Light-Based Systems for Hair Management

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the synergy of Eflornithine cream with laser and light based systems for hair management. Eflornithine is an irreversible inhibitor of ornithine decarboxylase, a critical rate-limiting enzyme in the de novo biosynthesis of the polyamines putrescine, spermidine, and spermine. Although the precise function of polyamines in cellular proliferation is not well-understood, they seem to play a fundamental role in the synthesis and/or regulation of DNA, RNA, and protein. There are multiple factors that have contributed to their low acceptability including expense, inconvenience, efficacy limitations, and skin safety risks. The efficacy and safety issues become particularly important when treating the facial areas. Nonuniformity of hair types and pigmentation, and possibly an androgenic hormonal involvement makes the facial hair more resistant to laser treatment. Further, the sensitivity around the beauty aspect of the face prevents one from using laser fluences higher than what a subject can comfortably tolerate, because of the risk of causing dermal damage such as blistering, scarring, or permanent pigmentary changes. The use of hair-growth reduction chemical technologies in combination with a laser or IPL system provides an opportunity for enhanced effectiveness. The efficacy synergy demonstrated for the combination of Vaniqa and a laser system represents an opportunity for overcoming the limitations of either technology alone, and meeting the threshold of consumer satisfaction for facial hair removal.