| abstract |
An electro-medical method for the treatment of pseudofolliculitis barbae ("razor bumps") through the use of electrolysis. The current invention suggests treating only the visible causative follicles of the above condition, and at least to the point of the hair follicle becoming straight and thin enough to prevent the hair from reentering into the skin. Generally, it takes two or more treatments to completely kill a curly coarse hair follicle. With each treatment the hair would regrow straighter and thinner, preventing the recurrence of the disease. It is possible to prevent the recurrence of the above condition with only one treatment; therefore a patient would still be able to regrow hairs in the beard area. During the process of the present invention a patient would shave a number of days prior to treatment (three to seven days), to allow the hairs to become ingrown into the skin adjacent the follicle. An electrologist would then treat the causative follicles relieving a patient from pain and discomfort. During electrolysis treatment, current is directed into the soft moist tissue surrounding the hair follicle. The current reaches the salt water content within the hair follicle, and this results in a decomposition process. Significant or permanent damage to the normal tissue or other harmful results is avoided by the utilization of a low discharge power and a short duration or application. If needed, an injectible form of cortizone (such as Kenalog) could be used at the very end of all treatments to reduce the size of any preexisting scar tissue caused by infection or ingrown hairs. |