How to Say “闭口粉刺” in English？

How many of you—whether male or female—have long struggled with stubborn and recurring 闭口粉刺 (closed comedones)? That formerly smooth and delicate skin—how did it end up dotted with these tiny bumps? What exactly arethey, and how do we express this condition in English?

闭口粉刺, commonly known as “whiteheads,” are usually translated as closed comedo/comodone or whitehead. They represent an early stage in the development of acne (痤疮), and are sometimes simply referred to as acne. When a hair follicle (毛囊) becomes clogged with sebum (皮脂), a small bump appears on the skin’s surface, sometimes visible as a tiny white dot. At this stage, the follicle starts to expand, and Propionibacterium acnes (痤疮丙酸杆菌) begins to proliferate.

In terms of classification, we distinguish between:

• Open comedones (开放性粉刺) — these are exposed to air and are essentially blackheads.

• Closed comedones (闭合性粉刺) — commonly referred to as 白头 or “closed whiteheads.”

Open comedones are easier to extract as the pore remains open. In contrast, closed comedones result from excessive sebum production (皮脂腺分泌旺盛) and keratin overgrowth at the follicular opening. Since the trapped sebum isn’t oxidized, it doesn’t turn black. Instead, it appears as a white or red bump under the skin—red indicating inflammation, and the potential development of a pimple/acne (痘痘).

Closed comedones frequently appear on the forehead (额头), chin (下巴), cheeks (脸颊), lips (唇部), and the wings of the nose (鼻翼两侧). Individuals with oily and acne-prone skin (油痘肌) are more likely to experience recurrent breakouts. Compared to over-the-counter skincare products, cosmetic dermatology (医美皮肤美容) can offer faster and more targeted solutions for these stubborn blemishes.

In injectable aesthetics (注射美容), two popular skin rejuvenation methods are:

• Mesotherapy (水光针)

• Platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy 自体血清嫩肤

Both involve delivering skin-nourishing substances directly through microinjections to improve texture and hydration. For those with excess oil and rough skin, treatments like Hydrafacial (海菲秀) and Acid Peels (刷酸) are especially effective.

Hydrafacial, a form of high-end skincare (高端线皮肤管理), deeply purifies and nourishes the skin, quickly restoring the skin barrier and suitable even for sensitive skin (敏感肌). Acid Peels help to unclog pores by exfoliating dead skin cells (老废角质) and activating skin cell turnover, making them highly effective in treating and preventing closed comedones.

At Ai Beauty Clinic, we use the Milk Peel 牛奶酸 developed by Dermaceutic (迪玛丝缇), a leading French resurfacing brand. This multi-acid formula (复合酸) addresses various skin concerns and delivers safe, reliable results.