Sebaceous Filaments

A sebaceous filament is a tiny collection of sebum and dead skin cells around a hair follicle, which usually takes the form of a small hair-like strand. They usually have a white or yellow color and can be expressed from the skin by pinching. These filaments are naturally occurring, and are not a sign of infection or any other ailment including acne. They help to channel the flow of sebum within a given skin pore, allowing it to seep gradually to the surface. David A. Whiting described them in his review in the Western Journal of Medicine as “a loose, porous mass of horny detritus”. Sebaceous filaments are usually only notable around the thin skin of the nose.

Sebaceous filaments can be treated by a variety of different methods. The best method is to get yourself checked up by a qualified dermatologist. According to duskyskin.com, over the counter treatment for sebaceous filaments includes peel masks, salicylic acid, benzyl oxide, and laser treatment.

Sebaceous Filaments Nose

The next time you are pressing your face up against a magnifying mirror to inspect your pores, I would like you to remember two things. First and foremost, no one you want in your life besides a toddler with no sense of personal space is going to be that far up your grill. Stop obsessing over your skin at 10x zoom because no human eye on the planet is going to notice the shit you are inspecting. Second, those things all over your nose that you think are blackheads are not blackheads, so stop treating them like their blackheads.

Blackheads are what occur when a pore becomes clogged with excess sebum and dead skin cells. The pore remains open and exposes the skin cells at the surface to oxygen, turning them black. Blackheads are not caused by dirt, and while it may feel super-satisfying to squeeze those suckers out, you’re doing way more damage by extracting them. Now, let’s talk about those things you always think are blackheads. All over your nose, you see little dots? Those are your pores, and unless those dots are black, those are sebaceous filaments. Squeeze one of them and a hard piece of yellow gunk comes out, or maybe it’s a long string of white gunk? Still sebaceous filaments.

Sebaceous filaments are pores with sebum in them. Your pores produce sebum to keep your skin moisturized. Removing it through extraction or by using products with a high alcohol content that dry out the skin? The only thing that does is send a signal to your body that it isn’t making enough sebum and needs to ramp up production. So more sebum is coming your way. Sure, some people produce an excess of sebum (where my oily skin girls at?), but the way to combat that is by keeping your skin properly moisturized so your body cools its jets on oil production.

How To Get Rid Of Sebaceous Filaments

Home remedies

1. Mineral oils

Mineral oils are essential concentrates that are used to fight off blackheads. They exhibit natural healing properties that not only dissolve the accumulated debris around the hair follicle but also inhibit microorganisms that might colonize the skin.

2. Baking soda

When it comes to removing blackheads and sebaceous filaments of the nose, baking soda is among the most common home remedies. Besides removing excess oil from the skin.

• Ensure that you wash your face or the part affected by blackheads with warm water.
• Use a tablespoon of baking soda to make a paste by adding a little water to it.
• Apply the paste by spreading it over the affected part of the skin.
• After the whole process, rinse it with warm water roughly after three minutes of applying the paste.

3. Apple cider vinegar

Apple cider vinegar potentially breaks down the materials blocking the skin pores and causing blackheads. As it does, it provides a cooling sensation to your skin. Apple cider vinegar has antibacterial properties that are essentially useful in managing sebaceous filament on the nose.

• Mix two tablespoonfuls of apple cider vinegar with two tablespoonfuls of water.
• Mix the solution and soak a cotton ball with it.
• Apply it in the blackheads directly using the soaked cotton balls.

  

4. Lemon juice

Lemon juice is hailed as a natural astringent, which is very useful in controlling your blackheads. Its mechanism of action is very simple.

• Select a lemon randomly and cut it into halves.
• Using each half at a time, rub the exposed part on the affected skin so that the juice can be in c. direct contact with the blackheads.
• Wait for at least five minutes till the juice dries up on your skin.
• One the skin is sufficiently dry, rinse it with warm water.

Sebaceous Filaments Vs Blackheads

Unlike blackheads, sebaceous filaments are not a clogged hair follicle that needs to be cleared away. Rather, they are a completely normal function of the skin. As Dr. Lily Talakoub of McLean Dermatology and Skincare Center explained to us, “Sebaceous filaments are particles released from oil glands. Blackheads are oxidized keratin (produced by the squamous cells of the skin). Because they are open to the air, they oxidize and look black.”

If sebaceous filaments are simply a function of the skin, and only visible when someone has excessive sebum production or larger pores, what causes blackheads? Blackheads can be caused by five main factors:

1. Environment: In an environment with pollution and/or poor circulation, you are exposed to a greater amount of particulate matter in the air. This dirt and dust settle on the skin making its way into open pores.
2. Oil: The oil or sebum found inside of pores is sticky. Especially if you have an oily skin type, this will combine with pollutants, creating a sludge that gets stuck inside the pore.
3. Diet: Sometimes dietary changes, restrictions or sensitivities can cause the skin to produce more or less oil. More oil will add to stickiness inside the pore, while less oil can lead to a dry, tight pore that lacks the flexibility to be cleaned out properly.
4. Hormones: Hormonal changes can also contribute to excessive oil production, leading to clogged pores, blackheads and even acne. While breakouts sometimes clear once hormones settle, blackheads are less likely to fade.
5. Medication: Lastly, just like with diet, medication can drastically change your skin’s oil production. You may see the skin become more greasy and clogged, or the area around the pore becomes tight and shiny – both of which aggravate blackheads.

Sebaceous Filaments Removal

1. Using a clay mask regularly in the shower
2. Using a gentle salicylic or mandelic acid treatment
3. Using retinol regularly in my routine
4. The most important thing…cleansing