Solar Comedones (Favre-Racouchot’s Disease)

Abstract

Open and closed comedones, particularly around the eyes and on nose, cheeks, and forehead of Caucasian subjects, are but one of the many pathologic changes caused by excessive exposure to sunlight. They are also called senile comedones, an ungracious term. The peak occurrence is from age 60 to 80, but if there is enough occupational or recreational UV exposure these comedones can disfigure the face of adults in their forties. Men are much more often affected than women. Solar comedones often start with small closed comedones. With time these develop into big, open, often dark comedones which are found on a background of yellow, thickened, elastotic skin.