Folliculitis on Dark Skin

Folliculitis can happen on all skin types, but is most prevalent in dark, African-American skin. Mild cases are often referred to as razor bumps and can be treated at home with basic self-care methods, such as keeping the area clean and using some type of over-the-counter antibacterial cream. 

Due to the coarseness of African-American hair and skin texture combination, the razor bumps can have a much higher occurrence. If the folliculitis becomes infected it can cause permanent scarring to the affected area. Additionally, infection can spread if not medically treated.

In order to avoid future occurrences of folliculitis, people will often seek permanent hair removal methods; as this is the only way to prevent ingrown hairs 100 percent. Contrary to popular belief, laser hair removal has come a long way and it can be performed on dark skin. However, it needs to be administered by a skilled technician, since there are specific machines that should be used and the technician must be very comfortable with the proper settings to use. If done incorrectly it can cause hyper pigmentation and scarring in the treated areas. 

Alternative to laser hair removal for dark skin: 

If you’re considering permanent hair removal on an area that is highly visible, such as the face, neck, or armpits, you may not be completely comfortable with the risk of hyper pigmentation and scarring. If that’s the case, there is an alternative: electrolysis. 

Electrolysis works quite differently from laser hair removal, as it allows the technician to treat each hair individually. Thus you’re not relying on the machine to find the hair follicles, but rather a human eye. The risk of scarring when done by a skilled technician is much lower than with laser treatments. 

Do you have more questions about permanent hair removal on dark skin? I’m an experienced and certified, laser and electrolysis technician in Boca. I would love to answer any questions.