What is primarily needed to treat closed comedones effectively?

Closed comedones, commonly known as whiteheads, are clogged hair follicles filled with sebum and dead skin cells. To effectively treat these skin lesions, exfoliation and extraction are essential.

Exfoliation helps to remove the top layer of dead skin cells, which can prevent pores from becoming clogged. By reducing the buildup of these cells, exfoliation can promote the growth of new, healthy skin and facilitate the shedding of the material trapped within the follicle.

Extraction, typically performed by a trained skincare professional, involves the manual removal of the contents of the closed comedones. This process clears the follicle, thereby reducing the possibility of inflammation or the formation of acne lesions.

While other treatments like antibiotics or anti-inflammatory medications can be helpful in managing acne, they are not primary treatments for closed comedones specifically. Moisturizers can be beneficial for overall skin health but do not directly address the issue of clogged pores. Therefore, a combination of exfoliation and extraction is the most effective method for treating closed comedones.