If you’ve ever helped Clients suffering from acne, you’ve probably come across the term “comedogenic.” Skin care products are formulated with a wide range of ingredients that can be classified as comedogenic or non-comedogenic, among other categories. Although “non-comedogenic” is generally viewed as a marketing phrase, it is the best guideline we have to identify ingredients that block pores.

When Clients suffer from breakouts, it’s essential that you understand the science behind what’s considered comedogenic and what skin care products to avoid. Read on for tips and products to use for Clients concerned with their blocked pores.

What Does Comedogenic Mean? 

Put simply, comedogenicity is the tendency of an ingredient or product to clog pores. The root of this word is “comedone.” According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, comedones are small, flesh-colored, white, or dark bumps that give skin a rough texture. Comedogenic ingredients cause the pores to get filled or “blocked,” leading to blackheads, congestions and breakouts over time. As HowStuffWorks.com explains, when your body produces excess sebum, it mixes with dead skin cells and bacteria to potentially plug up the pore. This results in a pimple — a comedo. 

HowStuffWorks.com states: “If the comedo is closed at the skin’s surface, it’s called a whitehead. When it’s open at the skin’s surface, and you can see the plugged follicle darkened by melanin buildup, it’s called a blackhead.” 

Individual skin types and conditions can influence the extent of an ingredient’s comedogenicity, so skin reactions vary differently between each person. As Skin Inc states, “One person may have no reaction, while another may have excessively clogged pores in a few weeks.” 

The Difference Between Comedogenic And Non-Comedogenic 

What’s the difference between comedogenic ingredients and non-comedogenic ingredients? To find out, we asked Dr. Hooman Khorasani, a triple board-certified, fellowship-trained cosmetic and skin cancer surgeon based in New York. 

“Common examples of comedogenic ingredients are lanolin, petroleum jelly and talc,” says Dr. Khorasani. “These ingredients slow the desquamation” meaning your skin’s cellular ability to turn over “of skin cells, causing them to stick together, trapping dirt and bacteria in the pores, leading to congestion and breakouts, allowing acne (anaerobic) bacteria to thrive.”    

In comparison, non-comedogenic ingredients are specifically formulated to prevent blockages from occurring, minimizing your chances of developing these skin care conditions, explains Dr. Khorasani. Some acne-prone individuals may find that strictly avoiding comedogenic ingredients is the only way to avoid developing breakouts.

The term non-comedogenic that you see on products is a label that remains unofficial by legal or regulatory standards, but it is still a good guideline for those who are worried about blocked pores. According to Dermletter.com: “Products labeled non-comedogenic indicate that the manufacturer considers the product to be designed for people with oily or acne-prone skin and is less likely to cause acne.”

Tips For Dealing With Comedones

Tip 1: Identify 

Need a refresher on identifying comedones? As SELF explains, closed comedones form when a mixture of oil, dead skin cells and bacteria build up underneath the skin and plug up a hair follicle. They are whitish in color and are covered by a layer of skin cells. You are unable to pop them. “That’s why they’re colloquially called whiteheads even though they don’t have a head that can be popped,” Clarissa Yang, M.D. tells SELF.  

Closed comedones are not to be confused with blackheads, otherwise known as open comedones. Regardless of whether a comedone is open or closed, you can offer the following advice or skin care products to improve your Client’s complexion.  

Tip 2: Advise Clients To Avoid These Ingredients

It is recommended that individuals prone to acne and clogged pores avoid lanolin, petroleum jelly and talc. You can also check the order of ingredients on the label. The order listed can give you a rough idea of the concentration level of a comedogenic ingredient in a product. If the final ingredient can block pores, you can gather that this ingredient exists in the lowest percentage of all ingredients in a product. 

Although you want your Client to avoid comedogenic ingredients, you can advise them to seek out non-comedogenic ones, which are non-clogging and hydrating. A few examples of non-comedogenic ingredients include grapeseed oil, hemp oil, salicylic acid and Vitamin A. Dr. Khorosani says: “These ingredients may encourage your skin’s desquamation, minimizing the risk of build-up, and maintain skin hydration to prevent dryness, sensitivity, and irritation.”