How to Neatly Remove Unextractable Acne Without Scars

Are you bothered by acne where you can feel sebum on your face, but no matter how hard you try, it won't come out? This unextractable acne can easily leave scars or hyperpigmentation if you try to forcefully extract it. Today, we will learn about effective methods to resolve unextractable acne without scars or hyperpigmentation, with dermatologist Dr. Lee Hae-ha.

Generally, acne occurs when dead skin cells and waste products block the pore opening, or when excessive sebum is produced and cannot be smoothly discharged, leading to its accumulation. The type of acne varies depending on where the sebum is stagnant.

• Extractable acne: If the pore opening is blocked and sebum accumulates, it appears as small, bumpy comedonal acne, and if inflammation occurs, it becomes red pustular acne.
• Unextractable acne: This is when sebum is stagnant in a large mass deep within the pore. It can be felt by hand but does not appear raised on the surface, or it appears as a large swelling due to inflammation. Since the sebum is in a large mass deep in the pore, it is difficult for it to reach the pore opening, and it is also hard for it to exit through a narrow pore, so no matter how much you try to extract it, it won't come out.

Unextractable acne can sometimes disappear naturally, but there are also cases where treatment is absolutely necessary. Differentiating between these two is crucial.

Identifying the difference is surprisingly simple. Check if there is pain in the acne area.

• If there is no pain: This acne is likely to disappear naturally.
• If there is pain: This means inflammation has started, so you should visit a nearby dermatology specialist and receive prompt treatment before the inflammation worsens, the lesion grows, or skin cells are destroyed, leading to acne scars.

Many people try to self-extract unextractable acne at home by applying strong force. However, this invariably damages the skin and should never be done.

• Applying excessively strong pressure can leave black or brown hyperpigmentation.
• It can induce inflammation, causing the lesion to grow larger, which greatly increases the likelihood of it becoming a scar.

For inflammatory acne that occurs deep within the skin, topical ointments may not penetrate deeply enough to be very effective. Furthermore, if acne becomes inflamed and swells, the pores disappear, making it even harder for sebum masses to come out, so dermatological extractions may also be difficult to perform immediately.

For this type of unextractable acne, an anti-inflammatory injection that can dissolve the inflammation and sebum mass is the most effective.

An anti-inflammatory injection can prevent the inflammation from progressing further and also dissolve the sebum mass to some extent, reducing its size. This can cleanly eliminate the lesion while minimizing the possibility of hyperpigmentation or scars.

Generally, one anti-inflammatory injection can reduce inflammation and show results, but some cases may require two or three injections. However, it is crucial to be careful, as receiving an excessively large amount at once or repeatedly injecting if it doesn't disappear quickly can lead to side effects such as skin atrophy or indentation.

Occasionally, multiple lesions similar to sebaceous cysts may appear on the face. For such individuals, taking sebum suppressants like isotretinoin along with anti-inflammatory injections to reduce sebum secretion can be very helpful.

We have discussed unextractable acne that can only be felt and not extracted. For any questions about unextractable acne, please consult a nearby dermatology specialist.