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Sebaceous filaments: What are they and how can you remove them? Let’s start with what most people get wrong: the difference between sebaceous filaments and blackheads. Because, spoiler alert — sebaceous filaments are NOT blackheads, despite what you might have heard.

 

 

But what are they, why do you have them and is there a way to get rid of them completely? Let’s talk about all that and why – shocking, I know – pore strips might get something like a recommendation here!

 

 

What is the stuff that comes out of your nose when you squeeze it?

Maybe you have stumbled upon one of these TikTok videos where people push on their nose and a bunch of white, wormy looking stuff comes out of their pores. I certainly have. During my lunch break, which was not the best time to see that – I’ll take it as a reminder to stay off of my phone while eating.

This stuff is what is commonly referred to as sebaceous filaments, sebum plugs in the pore, that can either be white or turn grayish or amber looking on the surface. As they are common in areas where you have noticeable pores, the t-zone for example, they are often mistaken for blackheads. There are a few important differences though.

 

 

What is the difference between blackheads and sebaceous filaments?

You see, blackheads and sebaceous filaments might look similar, but they’re quite different. Blackheads have a dark top, so dark they were called blackheads, because they’re exposed to air and oxidize, whereas sebaceous filaments are more amber or light grey. Blackheads are clogged pores filled with bacteria and dead skin cells. Sebaceous filaments, on the other hand, are sebum plugs that help move oil to the skin’s surface. So while blackheads are part of acne and can lead to breakouts, sebaceous filaments don’t.

Let’s get into what exactly sebaceous filaments are. They’re a natural part of your skin’s oil production process, tiny, candle-wick-like structures that line the inside of your pores, guiding sebum to the surface. Genetics and skin oiliness play a big role in who gets visible sebaceous filaments, so they’re more noticeable if your skin is oily and you have larger pores than others. That doesn’t mean others don’t have them, everyone one does. They are just not always visible. (More info: How to make your pores look smaller)

As sebum travels to your skin’s surface, it sometimes dries out and hardens, forming these filaments, and the larger your pores are and the more oil there is, the more noticeable they become. Unlike blackheads though, they don’t clog the pores and are essential for healthy skin—just not very aesthetically pleasing.

 

 

How can you remove sebaceous filaments?

Bad news first: You can’t just get rid of sebaceous filaments permanently. They’ll keep coming back as long as your oil glands are active. And please, don’t squeeze them—that can damage your skins structure, making your pores appear larger in the long run or even lead to scarring.

That doesn’t mean you have to accept them though. If you don’t like the way they look, here is how you treat them and then prevent them from coming back.

We know that they are hardened sebum inside the pores, so the first step is to clean out our pores. There are different ways to do that, and the pore strip that has such a bad reputation could be one of them, as it pulls the plugs out of your pores, leaving them clean.

Now that is not going to be me recommending pore strips to you, I wouldn’t use them and will give you other, in my opinion preferable way to clean out your pores in a bit, but if you feel like that is a good option for you individually, limit pore strip use to roughly once a month and make sure you treat your skin very gentle beforehand and afterwards, as you will essentially be ripping off your skins upper layer with them. One of the reasons I don’t use them is that paired with strong retinoids I would most likely rip my face off if I tried. (More info: How to use strong retinoids with minimal irritation)

Another method of cleaning out your pores is getting one of these HydraFacials where they use something like a vacuum to deep clean your skin and at the same time rehydrate it. Again, I wouldn’t recommend doing that at home even though you can get things called a pore vacuum for at home use. Such things belong into the hands of a professional to make sure you don’t bruise or otherwise damage your skin. People tend to get quite aggressive when it comes to treating their skin at home themselves! Now these facials are pricey, so let’s move on to the things you can do at home.

I am pretty sure you have heard of oil cleansing, a method that addresses sebaceous filaments using the “like dissolves like” principle. The thought here is that you use an oil to loosen the oil in the pore, massaging it out in the process. That can be a lengthy procedure, as it takes 15 to 30 minutes to loosen the gunk in your pores, and I admit I am way too impatient to do that, but TikTok again has impressive videos of people practicing it and showing off what they removed on camera – weirdly satisfying if you don’t happen to eat while watching it.

What I personally do is much simpler: Salicylic Acid. If you are familiar with acids, you know that Salicylic Acid is oil-soluble and able to get into the pore to remove the gunk, which is why it is part of most acne regimes. It prevents clogged pores. But even if your pores aren’t clogged, it is very helpful to loosen the oil inside, the sebaceous filament, and it does that much quicker than oil cleansing. Depending on your skin and routine you can use it either as face wash or as leave on, and over time the grayish dots on your nose will disappear. (More info: The benefits of acids in skincare explained)

 

 

How can you prevent sebaceous filaments?

We have learned that sebaceous filaments are part of the way the skin transports sebum to the skin surface, so part of how the skin works. That also means we can remove the visible ones, but as the reasons they were there in the first place, large pores and excess sebum, are still there, they will return if we don’t take preventative steps. I’d say if you clean out your pores and then do nothing, it will take around 30 days until everything is back to how it was beforehand.

So incorporate Salicylic Acid in your regular routine and then see if you can do something to reduce excess sebum. Either through ingredients like Niacinamide, Green Tea Extract, ZINC PCA, Sulfur or Retinoids that aim to balance production or through ingredients that absorb the oil like different clays – a Kaolin clay mask once or twice a week for example might help. (More info: The benefits of Niacinamide in skincare explained, The benefits of Green Tea Extract in skincare explained and The benefits of Retinoids in skincare explained)

Sebaceous filaments are a natural part of your skin’s oil production, but while they can’t be completely eradicated, a consistent skincare routine can manage their appearance effectively.

And that is how you deal with Sebaceous filaments!

 

TL;DR

Let’s clear a common misconception: sebaceous filaments are NOT blackheads. Unlike blackheads, which are clogged pores with a dark top due to oxidation, sebaceous filaments are sebum plugs not clogging the pore that appear light grey or amber.

They’re natural tiny structures in your pores that help oil move oil to the skin’s surface. Everyone has them, but they’re more visible if you have oily skin and larger pores.

You can’t permanently get rid of them, but you can manage them by cleansing out your pores with salicylic acid or oil cleansing to loosen the sebum and then by using ingredients to help balance oil production and absorb excess oil like Niacinamide, Gree Tea Extract or clay masks.

As tempting as it might be, do not squeeze them as that could lead to skin damage and remember: A consistent skincare routine is key!

 

 

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