Periorbital comedones and their relationship to pitch tar: A cross-sectional analysis and a review of the Literature

Background: Comedones, often in a periorbital distribution, have been claimed to be associated with pitch tar. Objective: This cross-sectional study compares the incidence of periorbital comedones between a group of individuals exposed to pitch tar and a control group. Methods: The incidence of periorbital comedones was determined in workers (n = 55) at a tar distillation plant. A comparison group (n = 55) not exposed to pitch tar was also examined for the presence of facial comedones. The respective incidence rates were compared by using the Fisher exact test. Results: Eighteen percent (10/55) of die study group and 45 (2/55) of the control group had periorbital comedones. The study group had a significantly greater incidence of periorbital comedones (P = .01). Conclusion: The incidence of periorbital comedones is significantly greater in individuals exposed to pitch tar. Further studies are needed to elucidate the potential relationship between pitch tar and periorbital comedones.