{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,10,30]],"date-time":"2026-10-30T13:31:33Z","timestamp":1793367093915,"version":"4.5.0"},"reference-count":7,"publisher":"Oxford University Press (OUP)","issue":"9-10","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":[],"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,1]]},"abstract":"Abstract<\/jats:title>\n \n Introduction<\/jats:title>\n Pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB) is an inflammatory follicular disorder caused by shaving in individuals who have naturally curly hair. PFB is commonly seen in the United States Military, where Service Members (SM) are required to shave their facial hair to maintain strict grooming standards. Laser hair removal (LHR) is effective at treating PFB and is an accepted alternative to a shaving waiver.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Materials and Methods<\/jats:title>\n 50 patients previously treated for PFB with LHR were identified in the electronic medical record system at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. All 50 participants were active duty of various ranks and branches during their treatment. LHR treatment series were considered complete after 4-6 sessions separated by 4-8 weeks of LHR with either the Nd: YAG or Alexandrite lasers. Time interval for the search was between January 2017 and June 2021. The authors conducted a phone survey in June 2021. Participants were asked various questions to assess the long-term effectiveness of LHR and subsequent hair regrowth after their LHR treatment. Participants\u2019 overall satisfaction with LHR as a PFB treatment modality and impact on military service was queried.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Results<\/jats:title>\n Of the 50 participants (74% identified as Black), 88% were satisfied with LHR. Immediately post-treatment, 70% of participants noted \u2265 75% reduction in PFB lesions, allowing 96% of all participants to resume shaving. PFB recurred in 84% of participants, with 56% of these noting recurrence within 6 months. After treatment, 64% of participants reported patchy hair growth, which became more uniform over time. Notably, PFB influenced 24% of participants\u2019 decisions to remain in the military.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>\n \n Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n LHR is an effective management option for PFB, significantly reducing disease burden and enabling shaving in most military patients. However, recurrence is common, often within six months, necessitating maintenance treatments. Patients require thorough counseling on outcomes and expectation management, including the high likelihood of recurrence and the potential for patchy hair growth. Lastly, educating SM about PFB and LHR during recruitment and basic training may help to increase awareness of this condition and treatment options.<\/jats:p>\n <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1093\/milmed\/usaf611","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,10]],"date-time":"2025-12-10T13:18:15Z","timestamp":1765372695000},"page":"e1810-e1816","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":4,"title":["Evaluating the Short- and Long-Term Outcomes of Laser Hair Removal for the Management of Pseudofolliculitis Barbae in a Military Population"],"prefix":"10.1093","volume":"191","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8676-9958","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Shena","family":"Kravitz","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Dermatology, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center , Bethesda, MD 20814,","place":["United States"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jacqueline","family":"Jones","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Dermatology, Moncrief Army Health Clinic , Columbus, SC 29207,","place":["United States"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Emily","family":"Raffetto","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command , Annapolis, MD 21402,","place":["United States"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Michael","family":"Stanley","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Dermatology, Walter Reed National Military Medical Center , Bethesda, MD 20814,","place":["United States"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Sunghun","family":"Cho","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Dermatology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences , Bethesda, MD 20814,","place":["United States"]}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"286","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,7]]},"reference":[{"key":"2026090403530252200_usaf611-B1","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"652","DOI":"10.1111\/j.0022-202X.2004.22309.x","article-title":"An unusual Ala12Thr polymorphism in the 1A alpha-helical segment of the companion layer-specific keratin K6hf: evidence for a risk factor in the etiology of the common hair disorder pseudofolliculitis barbae","volume":"122","author":"Winter","year":"2004","journal-title":"J Invest Dermatol"},{"key":"2026090403530252200_usaf611-B2","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"878","DOI":"10.1111\/bjd.13427","article-title":"Pseudofolliculitis cutis: a vexing disorder of hair growth","volume":"172","author":"Jasterzbski","year":"2015","journal-title":"Br J Dermatol"},{"key":"2026090403530252200_usaf611-B3","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"627","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1365-4362.1990.tb02584.x","article-title":"Regional dermatoses in the african race. Papular lesions on the face","volume":"29","author":"Olumide","year":"1990","journal-title":"Int J Dermatol"},{"key":"2026090403530252200_usaf611-B4","first-page":"246","article-title":"Pseudofolliculitis barbae: a review of current treatment options","volume":"18","author":"Nussbaum","year":"2019","journal-title":"J Drugs Dermatol"},{"key":"2026090403530252200_usaf611-B5","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e52","DOI":"10.1093\/milmed\/usaa243","article-title":"Pseudofolliculitis barbae in the U.S. Military, a review","volume":"186","author":"Tshudy","year":"2021","journal-title":"Mil Med"},{"key":"2026090403530252200_usaf611-B6","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"263","DOI":"10.1067\/mjd.2002.124081","article-title":"Treatment of pseudofolliculitis barbae in skin types IV, V, and VI with a long-pulsed neodymium: yttrium aluminum garnet laser","volume":"47","author":"Ross","year":"2002","journal-title":"J Am Acad Dermatol"},{"key":"2026090403530252200_usaf611-B7","doi-asserted-by":"publisher","first-page":"e242","DOI":"10.1093\/milmed\/usab272","article-title":"Shaving waivers in the United States air force and their impact on promotions of black\/African-American members","volume":"188","author":"Ritchie","year":"2023","journal-title":"Mil Med"}],"container-title":["Military Medicine"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/milmed\/article-pdf\/191\/9-10\/e1810\/66295230\/usaf611.pdf","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"syndication"},{"URL":"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/milmed\/article-pdf\/191\/9-10\/e1810\/66295230\/usaf611.pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,4]],"date-time":"2026-09-04T07:53:09Z","timestamp":1788508389000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/academic.oup.com\/milmed\/article\/191\/9-10\/e1810\/8416647"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,7]]},"references-count":7,"journal-issue":{"issue":"9-10","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,7]]},"published-print":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,1]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1093\/milmed\/usaf611","relation":{},"ISSN":["0026-4075","1930-613X"],"issn-type":[{"value":"0026-4075","type":"print"},{"value":"1930-613X","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published-other":{"date-parts":[[2026,9]]},"published":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,7]]}}}