Skip to main content

Comedo

What is a comedo?

A comedo (plural comedones) is plugged in follicular orifice.

  • Open comedones (blackheads) are gray, orange, brown, or black papules. The keratinous contents can be expressed or extracted.
  • Closed comedones (whiteheads) are non-inflamed, skin-colored papules. They must be pierced to remove their contents.

open-comedones-001__protectwyjqcm90zwn0il0_focusfillwzi5ncwymjisingildfd-8713207-9600818

Open comedones

acne-001__protectwyjqcm90zwn0il0_focusfillwzi5ncwymjisingildfd-1958904-4376660

Closed comedones

What conditions are characterized by a comedo?

Lesions and skin conditions in which prominent comedones are present include:

  • Acneespecially common acne and comedonal acne
  • Hidradenitis suppurativa
  • Solar comedones (senile) and Favre Racouchot syndrome
  • Discoid lupus erythematosus
  • A seborrheic keratosis (best seen in dermoscopy)
  • A compound or dermal papillomatous melanocytic nevus or Mole (best seen in dermoscopy)
  • A new comedian
  • A epidermal cyst (giant eater)
  • A dilated pore of Winer
  • Dilated pores.

Comedones

comedonal-acne__protectwyjqcm90zwn0il0_focusfillwzi5ncwymjisingildfd-1084411-5994774

Comedonal acne

hidradenitis-comedones__protectwyjqcm90zwn0il0_focusfillwzi5ncwymjisingildfd-8809838-6678270

Comedones in hidradenitis suppurativa

solar-comedones__protectwyjqcm90zwn0il0_focusfillwzi5ncwymjisingildbd-9012330-9107565

solar comedones

discoid-lupus-comedones__protectwyjqcm90zwn0il0_focusfillwzi5ncwymjisingildbd-7752554-8402881

Discoid lupus erythematosus

10-comedo-like-a__protectwyjqcm90zwn0il0_focusfillwzi5ncwymjisingildfd-9870450-1370896

Dermatoscopy of seborrheic keratosis. The rectangles highlight the comedones.

papillomatous-naevus__protectwyjqcm90zwn0il0_focusfillwzi5ncwymjisingildfd-3791311-8088831

Papillomatous nevus

comedo-naevus__protectwyjqcm90zwn0il0_focusfillwzi5ncwymjisingildfd-1328847-2992348

Comedone naevus

comedo__protectwyjqcm90zwn0il0_focusfillwzi5ncwymjisingildfd-1971138-5565421

Giant comedo

comedones__protectwyjqcm90zwn0il0_focusfillwzi5ncwymjisingildfd-1838959-5991945

Multi-headed comedo cyst