The U.S. Air Force will invalidate a large number of existing shaving waivers beginning next year, a move that is already drawing concern from Airmen who rely on medical profiles to avoid daily shaving.
According to a newly issued memorandum from Headquarters Air Force, all shaving profiles issued before March 1, 2025, will become invalid effective Jan. 31, 2026. Airmen who wish to maintain a medical shaving profile after that date will be required to undergo re-evaluation by a healthcare provider and meet updated clinical standards.
The guidance, signed by Air Force Surgeon General Lt. Gen. John J. DeGoes, replaces prior Air Force instructions governing pseudofolliculitis barbae (PFB) and related shaving conditions. The memo aligns Air Force medical policy with updated grooming directives issued by senior defense leadership in late 2025.
Under the new rules, shaving profiles may no longer be treated as open-ended or routine administrative accommodations. Each profile must be medically justified, reviewed by medical officers, and approved by commanders through the Aeromedical Services Information Management System. No single profile may exceed six months in duration, and Airmen who accumulate more than 12 months of shaving profiles within a 24-month period will be referred to their commander for further review.
Commanders are required to approve or disapprove profiles within seven days, reinforcing the Air Force’s intent to place unit leadership squarely in the decision loop. Medical providers are instructed to follow a standardized clinical algorithm when determining whether a shaving profile is warranted.
The memo also makes clear that religious accommodation waivers are not affected by this change. Those waivers fall under a separate policy framework and are not governed by medical shaving profile rules.
For many Airmen—particularly junior enlisted, NCOs, and SNCOs—the change raises practical concerns about long-term career viability. While the memorandum does not explicitly mandate separation for those unable to comply with grooming standards, Air Force policy links repeated or prolonged non-deployable status to administrative action. Airmen who remain non-deployable for extended periods may face involuntary separation under existing personnel rules.
The updated shaving guidance comes amid a broader push across the Department of Defense to tighten grooming, training, and fitness standards. In late September, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth issued multiple memorandums directing the services to re-examine standards that have changed since 1990, with an emphasis on deployability, combat readiness, and physical fitness.
As part of that effort, the Air Force has already announced more frequent fitness testing and expanded “combat field tests” for certain career fields. Grooming standards—particularly facial hair that could interfere with protective mask seals—have been identified as a readiness concern, especially in chemical, biological, and firefighting environments.
Under related guidance, Airmen who cannot achieve a proper seal on a protective mask or respirator may be flagged as non-deployable. Personnel who remain in a non-deployable status for 12 consecutive months can be identified for administrative separation.
While mustaches remain authorized, beards, goatees, and other facial hair are prohibited unless specifically allowed under a valid medical or religious waiver. Even then, medical waivers are now subject to far more scrutiny than in previous years.
For Airmen currently holding shaving profiles issued before March 2025, the message is clear: those waivers have an expiration date. Beginning in early 2026, continued authorization will depend on medical reassessment, command approval, and compliance with updated Air Force policy.
The memorandum remains in effect until incorporated into formal Air Force instructions or replaced by future guidance.
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