Surgical pearl: the safety pin as a better alternative to the versatile paper clip comedo extractor

Abstract

Acne vulgaris is a very common, chronic inflammatory disease of the pilosebaceous apparatus. The comedo extractor is the instrument primarily used for comedo extraction. There are many types of more costly instruments available, but extraction can be achieved with the help of a modified versatile paper clip and disposable syringes. The disposable syringe is a good option for acne surgery, but a safety pin has been found to be more effective than the clip comedo extractor for extracting the comedo. The safety pin can be regarded as a "two-in-one" instrument for piercing the lesion and for extracting the keratinous material from the pilosebaceous canals.