Dr. Natalia Spiering's Masterclass: Comedogenicity

In this monthly masterclass, Dr. Natalia discusses comedogenicity.

Comedogenicity – facts and myths

The FDA does not have a legal definition for the term ‘comedogenic’ and there is no actual list of ingredients recognised as such
The term ‘non-comedogenic’ doesn’t actually mean anything but it does imply to the user that the final product does not clog facial pores (hair follicles) with skin cells, debris, and oil
The comedogenicity of a substance has nothing to do with how oily or greasy it is; the chemical structure of the compound determines comedogenicity.
You cannot judge if a product is giving you comedones or aggravating your acne after only a few days of using it. It takes weeks of continued use to see that change.

One study (Draelos 2006) checked the comedogenicity of a variety of skincare products. A face powder, cleanser, moisturiser, sunscreens, day cream, night cream, powder makeup and bronzing powder were all found not to be comedogenic during 4 weeks of human testing. However, every product tested had at least one ingredient in it that is known to be comedogenic and can be used as a positive control.

How is this possible? This occurs because the concentration of the seemingly comedogenic ingredient is so much lower in the finished product than when the ingredient is tested just on its own

REFERENCES:

Draelos ZD, DiNardo JC. A re-evaluation of the comedogenicity concept. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2006 Mar;54(3):507-12. doi: 10.1016/j.jaad.2005.11.1058. PMID: 16488305.

Katoulis AC, Kakepis EM, Kintziou H, Kakepis ME, Stavrianeas NG. Comedogenicity of cosmetics: a review. JEADV. 1996. Sept; 7(2):115-119. Doi:10.1111/j.1468-3083.1996.tb00606.x

Kligman AM, Mills OH Jr. "Acne cosmetica". Arch Dermatol. 1972 Dec;106(6):843-50. PMID: 4264346.

Maarouf M, Saberian C, Shi VY. Myths, Truths, and Clinical Relevance of Comedogenicity Product Labeling. JAMA Dermatol. 2018 Oct 1;154(10):1131-1132. doi: 10.1001/jamadermatol.2018.1741. PMID: 29998304.

Mills OH Jr, Kligman AM. A human model for assessing comedogenic substances. Arch Dermatol. 1982 Nov;118(11):903-5. PMID: 7138047.