What is the best way to handle closed comedones? And what are some of the products you should use?
Hi Gladys,
The cause of closed comedones is due to the underlying genetic tendency of the skin to be inflamed and produce these tiny seeds which slowly rise to the skin’s surface. Some types of makeup or skin-care products can actually cause acne , look for the label non-comedogenic on your makeup, and for skin-care, for dermatologically tested labels. Also, if you are wearing certain types of headgear or face masks, you can develop a type of acne known as occlusion acne, over the specific areas of contact and pressure.
Closed comedones should not be ignored because they develop into more severe forms of acne like papules, cystic acne and gram-negative folliculitis. Never try to prick and extract the closed bumps or let any facial aunty do that because it will introduce bacteria. I personally treat closed comedones with a specialised machine with a vacuum handpiece that gently extracts blackheads and whiteheads without pain or scarring , at the same time infusing a customised blend of fruit-based acids that exfoliate the skin. Do not use scrubs with rough beady material as these only irritate the skin further besides being totally ineffective at removing whiteheads. In terms of skincare, do not use oil-based moisturisers if you have any form of acne, opt for emulsions(oil in water) or hyaluronic acid serum (water-molecule based skin hydration), which I prescribe for my patients with acne as no matter how oily one’s skin is, you still need moisture!
Dr Teo Wan Lin
DermatologistÂ