Secrets That You Shouldn’t Know About Comedones

Small, flesh-colored acne papules are called comedones. They often start on the chin and forehead. These papules are commonly seen in acne patients.

The two types of comedonal acne that are most prevalent are blackheads and whiteheads. Whiteheads have “closed” comedones but blackheads have “open” comedones.

Microcomedones, a kind of comedone, may not be apparent to the naked eye. On the other hand, it is also possible to develop larger-than-average whiteheads (macrocomedones) and blackheads (giant comedones).

Who Is Susceptible To Comedonal Acne And What Causes It?

Hair follicles that are entrapped are what often create blackheads and whiteheads.

Normal surface skin cell shedding allows for the formation of new skin cells. Dead skin cells may sometimes get lodged in the hair follicles. A clog may develop when mixed with the sebum (natural oils) in your pores.

Adults with oily skin are more likely to get this form of acne. Additionally, it occurs more often among smokers.

The following are additional comedonal acne risk factors:

• Diet with a high dairy intake and plenty of fats and sweets
• Excessive hydration of the skin, frequently caused by improper moisturizing
• Extreme humidity
• A follicular damage from “picking” skin or popping comedones might result with laser treatment or chemical peels.

What Kind Of Therapies Are Offered?

Reaching the cause, which is an excess of sebum production from the sebaceous glands, is crucial to preventing comedonal acne. Because of this, over-the-counter (OTC) treatments may not be effective enough to permanently eradicate comedonal acne.

Have a discussion with your doctor about the following possibilities. Avoid picking at the acne in the meanwhile. This will exacerbate it and leave scars in its wake.

Topicals

To reduce excessive sebum and clear existing comedones, topical therapies are administered directly to the face.

Typical choices include:

• Azelaic Acid
• Glycolic acid benzoyl peroxide
• Salicylic acid
• Vitamins 
• Sulphur

Every day while taking topicals, particularly acids and retinoids, you should wear sunscreen. These are potent procedures that also remove the epidermis, leaving you more susceptible to sunburn. Make sure the product you purchase has an SPF of 30 or higher.

Medications

OTC topicals are a decent place to start when trying to treat acne, but they don’t always work. For a topical or oral treatment with a prescription strength, you may need to contact your doctor.

They could suggest:

• Medications and oral contraceptives
• To regulate the production of sebum in women, the anti-androgen drug combination of isotretinoin (Accutane) and spironolactone (Aldactone) is sometimes used.
• Prescription drugs, including topicals, might increase your chance of becoming sunburnt, therefore it’s crucial to use sunscreen every day. A product with an SPF of 30 or more is recommended.

Surgical Procedures

If topicals and drugs are unable to control severe comedonal acne breakouts, surgery may be required. Recurring comedones may also be helped by these kinds of therapy. For example, comedonal acne lesions are opened and removed during surgery for acne using needles and tiny blades.

Additionally, your doctor could advise microdermabrasion. To do this, a machine will either brush a diamond-tipped wand over your skin or blast tiny crystals onto your skin to remove the top layer of skin. Comedones may be opened and removed with this. It could also aid in healing any associated scars.

Another surgical possibility is cryotherapy. Your healthcare practitioner will treat the comedones with liquid nitrogen during the operation. For removal, this freezes them.

What Herbal Treatments Are Offered?

All forms of acne, including comedones, are being studied more and more using natural remedies. These, however, do not take the place of a treatment strategy that has been authorized by your doctor.

Discuss your alternatives for natural treatment and how to use these cures as a complementary therapy with your healthcare physician or dermatologist.

Tea Tree Oil

Tea tree oil is used in alternative medicine to treat a number of skin conditions. It is praised for fighting infections as well as inflammation. Tea tree oil may relax the skin and reduce sebum, which may assist comedonal acne. At your neighborhood pharmacy, you should be able to get moisturizers and spot treatments that contain the oil.

Witch Hazel

Witch hazel works as a natural astringent to balance the moisture in your skin. Additionally, it has the advantage of opening closed comedones. This may assist in removing trash and grime that has been stuck.

Up to twice a day, use witch hazel in lieu of your regular astringent.

Clay Or Charcoal Masks

Clay and charcoal masks are more effective than other treatments for comedonal acne because they assist to dry up stored sebum in your pores. The eradication of blackheads may even be facilitated by their assistance in removing entrapped debris and skin cells.

Can Changing Your Lifestyle Be Beneficial?

Trying to completely avoid comedonal acne is the best course of action. Any therapies your healthcare practitioner advises might be complemented by your lifestyle choices.

Skincare Items

Creamy or gel cleansers remove oil and grime from acne-prone skin the best. A water-based moisturizer is the best. Look for lotions designed for combination with oily skin if you have comedones.

Make sure your makeup is non-comedogenic if you wear it so that your pores won’t be clogged. Wear sunscreen-containing foundation as an added benefit, particularly if you’re using retinoids or acid-based peels.

Tips For General Skincare

Every morning and night, you should cleanse and moisturize your skin. You should include the following additional advice into your everyday routine:

• Wash your face in gentle circular strokes for at least 30 seconds at a time. No scraping at all!
• Apply witch hazel or an over-the-counter toner after.
• Before using sunscreen and makeup, let your moisturizer dry.
• After working out throughout the day, wash your face.
• Never go to bed wearing makeup since this might cause your pores to retain extra oil.
• To get rid of grease, makeup, and sunscreen, use a pre-cleanser. 

Nutrition And Exercise

It’s also beneficial to think about how you can manage comedonal acne internally. Diet and exercise may aid you in this situation.

You should limit your intake of dairy products, added sugars, and fats. According to some sources, these chemicals make comedones’ underlying cause of inflammation worse. Avoiding processed meals and sugary drinks is the easiest approach to do this.

You can’t go wrong with plant-based diets for healthy skin. These include plenty of antioxidants, which may reduce inflammation and free radicals. These outcomes are also possible with regular exercise.

What Is The Prognosis?

It may be challenging to cure comedonal acne on your own, so consulting a healthcare professional is essential.

Additionally, while treating any kind of inflammatory acne, patience is essential. A new therapy may take many months to show results on your skin.

Keep in mind that comedonal acne needs long-term care and therapy. There is always a chance of developing new comedones due to overactive sebaceous glands.