Comedo | |
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Other names | Plural: comedones[1] |
Illustration comparing a normal skin pore with a whitehead and a blackhead | |
Specialty | Dermatology |
A comedo is a clogged hair follicle (pore) in the skin.[2] Keratin (skin debris) combines with oil to block the follicle.[3] A comedo can be open (blackhead) or closed by skin (whitehead) and occur with or without acne.[3] The word comedo comes from Latin comedere 'to eat up' and was historically used to describe parasitic worms; in modern medical terminology, it is used to suggest the worm-like appearance of the expressed material.[1]
The chronic inflammatory condition that usually includes comedones, inflamed papules, and pustules (pimples) is called acne.[3][4] Infection causes inflammation and the development of pus.[2] Whether a skin condition classifies as acne depends on the number of comedones and infection.[4] Comedones should not be confused with sebaceous filaments.
Comedo-type ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is not related to the skin conditions discussed here. DCIS is a noninvasive form of breast cancer, but comedo-type DCIS may be more aggressive, so may be more likely to become invasive.[5]
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