Synonym(s)
Comedonal acne; blackheads; whiteheads
Definition
Open and closed comedones on the face, chest, and back
Pathogenesis
Accumulation of corneocytes in the follicular infundibulum, producing a spherical dermal papule (see acne vulgaris); cause unknown but may involve stimulation of the follicular lining and sebaceous duct by exogenous compounds, an endogenous hormonal stimulus, or a neurologic stimulus
Clinical manifestation
Open comedone: skin-colored or white, slightly elevated papule with a punctate central opening
Closed comedone: slightly raised papule with a central black keratotic plug
Differential diagnosis
Milium; epidermoid cyst; giant pore of Winer; nevus comedonicus; Favre-Racouchot disease; radiation acne; acne cosmetica; chloracne; trichostasis spinulosa; flat warts; appendageal tumors (syringoma, etc.); sebaceous gland hyperplasia
Therapy
Tretinoin cream 0.025%; tazarotene 0.1%; adapalene 0.1% gel; benzoyl peroxide 5% gel; azelaic acid 20% cream; salicylic...
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References
Webster, GF (1999) Acne vulgaris. Archives of Dermatology 135:1101–1102
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© 2004 Springer-Verlag
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(2004). Acne comedonica. In: Levine, N., Levine, C.C. (eds) Dermatology Therapy. A to Z Essentials. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-29668-9_20
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-29668-9_20
Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg
Print ISBN: 978-3-540-00864-4
Online ISBN: 978-3-540-29668-3
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