Is hair removal required before getting a permanent shaving profile?

2020-02-26T16:49:32-05:00

I have PFB and cystic acne that can break out whenever I shave which results in a lot of pain and unsightly bumps. I'm currently on a temporary and the dermatologist I just saw the other day said that since no topical medicine was effective that I HAD to get laser hair removal before I could get a permanent profile. I've never heard of anyone else having a treatment of that level be required before getting their permanent. Beards hold high spiritual importance to me and my family but I do not wish to fight the religious exemption battle and would've been okay with shaving if there was no pain but I'd rather not have such a large area of my neck/face have it's hair permanently removed as that would be impacting me for my whole life while the army is nothing more than a stint for me as far as profession options go. So is laser hair removal required before they can give a permanent shaving profile or was my doctor blowing smoke?

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 26 at 2020 6:31 PM

2020-02-26T18:31:00-05:00

I would talk with my chain of command first about that.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 26 at 2020 7:37 PM

2020-02-26T19:37:00-05:00

Does it make sense to you? If you went through laser hair removal, would you still need a shaving profile to not shave what is not growing on your face?
Get a second, smarter opinion from another doctor.

Response by SFC Marc W. made Feb 26 at 2020 7:59 PM

2020-02-26T19:59:44-05:00

No it's not required. Go see your PCM and they can do a permanent P2 profile for shaving. There are parameters for it in AR670-1 and DA PAM 670-1. It's really not hard.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 26 at 2020 10:27 PM

2020-02-26T22:27:40-05:00

I am awaiting a 2nd opinion only issue is I had to switch hospitals because the hospital I was at had only 1 dermatologist so I won't have a derma appointment until April. I was just making sure I wasn't wasting my time because the first dermatologist just kept telling me that I needed to go through that procedure and that that's what the rules were and that either everyone with a permanent either went through the procedure or had dermatologists that broke rules

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 26 at 2020 10:36 PM

2020-02-26T22:36:02-05:00

Laser hair removal was terrible. Not the worst thing ever... but still god awful. You got to hear in-growns pop and smell the hair burn. Skin gets super hot and sensitive and it doesn’t necessarily kill the follicles- even after seven sessions. So- you still get to shave and deal with the bumps... not as bad for me, worth it, but still sucked.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 27 at 2020 3:20 PM

2020-02-27T15:20:50-05:00

TB MED 287 is the publication that deals with PFB and shaving profiles. The most recent update is 10 DEC 2014. Tricare just started covering laser hair removal around the first of 2020 according to the almighty internet. While the TB does talk about some treatments and the effects their outcome has on the profile, I don't see where it says anything about laser hair removal.