Occluded Cigarette Smoke Exposure Causing Localized Chloracne-Like Comedones

Abstract

Many environmental acne disorders, including chloracne and oil acne, were previously thought to occur predominantly in occupational settings following polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon exposure. Cigarette smoke has also been shown to contain a large number of these toxic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon components and strictly correlates with noninflammatory acneiform lesion development in postadolescent patients. We report a case of localized open comedones associated with occluded cigarette smoke exposure near the nasal cavity due to infrequently changed gauze following rhinectomy. The dermal uptake of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon components in cigarette smoke has the potential to function as a contributing factor in chloracne development. Several of these environmental and noninflammatory acne subtypes may share a common molecular propensity for enhanced comedogenesis originating from aryl hydrocarbon receptor pathway effects in the skin. Additional studies are needed to further elucidate the exact mechanistic pathways through which tobacco smoke impacts the integumentary system.