Laser Hair Removal Offers Hope For Common Painful Skin Condition

At last, a light of hope for curly-haired men and some women, particularly millions of African-American men who suffer from painful and unsightly razor bumps. This uncomfortable condition, known as Pseudo-Folliculitis Barbae, is a severe reaction to shaving over ingrown hairs. Until recently, treatment has been painful, time consuming and often ineffective.

Tim White has dealt with this condition since he was about age 14, when he first began shaving. “I’d get horrible ingrown hairs, itching, pain, even some scarring on my neck," recalls White. “My only alternative was to quit shaving and grow a beard. Later, as a businessman, I felt that my facial hair compromised the clean-shaven professional look I hoped to project."

White is not alone. Surprisingly, nearly 65 percent of all African American men suffer from this condition. Facial hair and neck hair on men tend to be much more coarse than that of women. Add a slight curl to the hair, which causes it to grow back into the skin, and you have the ingredients for a painful dose of Pseudo-Folliculitis Barbae.

In September 2005, White had suffered enough. He made an appointment to have the hairs permanently removed using a laser. White said he had tried all methods of hair removal – shaving, tweezing and even waxing. Nothing prevented the shaving bumps. “I served in the Army from 1997 until 2001, and even the Army said there was nothing that could be done for my condition. When I heard about the opportunity to remove the hair permanently with laser, I had to give it a shot."

Laser hair removal has become increasingly popular with more than 1.5 million people having the procedure in 2005 – up 11 percent from 2004. It is the second most frequently requested non-surgical cosmetic enhancement procedure in the U.S., second only to Botox injections – and the top choice for people under the age of 35. Thanks to advancements in FDA-approved lasers, help is virtually available to everyone. It is now possible to more effectively and safely treat individual skin and hair types, including the darker pigment and more coarse hair of many African American men.

Lasers treatment is often performed with a one-size-fits-all mentality, using one type of laser and dispensing the same degree of power for a light-skinned, light haired person as a person with darker, more coarse hair. Ideal Image distinguishes itself by providing multiple lasers, thus enabling personalization of treatment to fit an individual’s skin and hair type. This greatly improves the results and thus Ideal Image has achieved long-term hair reduction among their African American clients, who have been thrilled.

Laser hair removal procedures are much more effective, quicker, less costly and far less painful than electrolysis. Most importantly, laser hair removal prevents ingrown hairs or scarring that can result from plucking, waxing and electrolysis.

Effective laser hair removal requires multiple treatments spaced about 8 to 10 weeks apart and staggered over many months because only a percentage of the hairs are vulnerable to the laser at any given portion of the growth cycle.

Other common areas for laser hair removal include hair on the upper lip, underarms or the bikini line. While these procedures take only a few minutes, a man’s back hair can take about an hour. Patients can resume normal activities immediately after a procedure.

Robert J. Ailes, M.D. Director of Research & Development and Corporate Medical Director Ideal Image Development Corporation Tampa, Florida.

Laser Hair Removal Info at Ideal Image


About Ideal Image and Dr. Ailes: Headquartered in Tampa, FL., Ideal Image has the nation's leading laser hair removal centers and has performed more than 100,000 laser hair removal treatments to-date. Dr. Robert Ailes joined Ideal Image at its inception in 2001. With more than 30 years of medical experience, he oversees the testing of new equipment and procedures for safety and effectiveness and the training of new laser operators for the company. Dr. Ailes is a member of the American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery (ASLMS) and the International Society of Cosmetic Laser Surgeons (ISCLS). Additionally, Ailes is a Diplomat of the National Board of Medical Examiners and is board-certified with Honors by the American Board of Quality Assurance & Utilization Review Physicians. He is also board-certified in Family Practice.