Hers: Blackheads are something we are all familiar with, but did you know they are also called open comedones? Blackheads are usually caused by a pore that gets clogged with keratin (skin protein) and sebum (oil). Given the black color many believe these spots are clogged with dirt, but really it’s the exposure to air that oxidizes the clogged pore and turns it black. Don’t worry though, most blackheads can be extracted with a trusty comedone extractor!
His: A pilar cyst, also known as a trichilemmal or isthmus-catagen cyst, is a benign (non-life-threatening) growth that, upon examination, looks identical to the more common epidermoid cyst, except that 90% of pilar cysts occur on the scalp. They tend to be more mobile and firmer than epidermoid cysts, and are derived from a different part of the hair follicle. The internal contents tend to be more "homogenous" and smooth. It is not uncommon to have multiple pilar cysts on the scalp and for the condition to run in families. Treatment is generally only for cosmetic reasons and excision with removal of the cyst and its contents is curative. The nice thing about these cysts is that they are often thicker-walled, so they can often be "popped" out whole, which not only ensures that I've removed it completely, but also leads to an extremely satisfying “pop!”
Up Next in Bedtime Blackheads
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A Cigarette Butt Dilated Pore of Winer
A dilated pore of winer is essentially a large, single open comedone, also known as a blackhead. Similar to a blackhead, dilated pores are completely benign. Dead skin cells at the surface of the skin get trapped and widen this pore, plugging up the opening. Using a comedone extractor to express ...
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Two Small Dilated Pores of Winer on t...
A dilated pore of winer is essentially a large, single open comedone, also known as a blackhead. Similar to a blackhead, dilated pores are completely benign. Dead skin cells at the surface of the skin get trapped and widen this pore, plugging up the opening. Using a comedone extractor to express ...
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A Goldmine of Blackheads & Whiteheads
Blackheads are something we are all familiar with, but did you know they are also called open comedones? Blackheads are usually caused by a pore that gets clogged with keratin (skin protein) and sebum (oil). Given the black color many believe these spots are clogged with dirt, but really it’s the...
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