Pseudofolliculitis barbae. Medical consequences of interracial friction in the US Army.

Pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB) is a minor disease affecting only, and almost all, blacks who shave. Because of a continued requirement by the US Army of clean shaven faces, significant interracial turmoil and animosity has been aroused. Unclear standards of care of the disease and haphazard policing of shaving habits led to a chaotic process with effective dermatologic care almost paralyzed by the hostile parties. Randomly approached lower-ranking enlistees and draftees are much more likely to complain about their disease, even if minor, and are more likely to refuse to shave and be unkempt even without permission to grow a beard (in contravention of Army regulations). Career black enlistees are likely to under-report the severity of their disease and not seek medical help, possibly because of fear of continuous harassment and inability to be promoted by their superiors. Lotion depilatories, or hair clippers, combined with routine lifting of ingrown hairs, are the most effective treatments, although complete cessation of shaving is first required.