Comedone Extractor with Multiple Variable Sized Holes for Mass Comedone Extraction

Abstract

Conventional comedone extractor has only one or two holes of fixed or variable sizes. This conventional extractor is not suitable for mass comedone extraction and that too of variable sizes. We tried to made an attempt to overcome this problem.

CHALLENGE

Comedones, milia, and molluscum extraction is one of the more common procedures in dermatology practice. The available comedone extractors have only one or two working ends with the same or two different sizes of holes. Only one or two holes make it difficult to work on too many lesions of variable sizes, spread out over a large area. This is because the operator has to clean the extracted material repeatedly, which is inconvenient and time-consuming. Moreover, the large-sized comedones are difficult to be extracted by fixed-sized hole in conventional comedone extractors. This prolonged procedure makes the patient uncomfortable.

SOLUTION

To overcome this problem, we made customized comedone extractors with a tablespoon and/or a metal strip [Figure 1]. Numerous holes of variable sizes 0.8–2 mm were drilled on the spoon/metal strip. This allowed us to remove multiple comedone of various sizes without the need for repeated cleaning [Figure 2]. The spoon has an added advantage of making the procedure less painful as because of the curvature, it allows maximum pressure where it is needed, that is, around the comedones; however, there is not much pressure on the skin away from the comedones. This is a cost-effective, convenient, and faster tool as an alternative to the traditional comedone extractor. It can be easily sterilized by autoclaving. Therefore, a comedone extractor with many variable-sized holes is the need of hour.

Figure 1.

Customized comedone extractors made from metal strips and spoon with multiple holes of varying sizes

Figure 2.

Extraction being done using the customized comedone extractor

Financial support and sponsorship

Nil.

Conflicts of interest

There are no conflicts of interest.

Declaration of patient consent

The authors certify that they have obtained all appropriate patient consent forms. In the form the patient(s) has/have given his/her/their consent for his/her/their images and other clinical information to be reported in the journal. The patients understand that their names and initials will not be published and due efforts will be made to conceal their identity, but anonymity cannot be guaranteed.