Let me guess,
No matter how hard you try, these little blackhead like spots do not leave your face.
Like you, I was sick and tired of constantly using nose strips and masks to try and shrink my sebaceous filaments.
The picture below is the opposite of what happens when using nose strips.
I even bought the ones that go on your chin and forehead.
You know how it works though.
You pull the strips off, and 30 minutes later your skin looks exactly the same as before.
That's because the white gooey stuff you pull out isn't supposed to come out like that.
Those are your sebaceous filaments, and the need to be shrunken - not pulled out.
Besides, you're not even pulling them all of the way out, so it's even more useless.
Sure, if they actually were blackheads, then that would be great.
But a blackhead could NEVER be pulled out that easily.
After years of mistaking them to be white or blackheads, I finally found out they weren't either.
Long story short, I ended up shrinking them to the point where my complexion now looks better than anyone I know.
And now they are completely invisible (unless you want to pull out a magnifying glass).
What are Sebaceous Filaments?
They honestly sound like a fancy name for light bulbs.
But, they are far from it.
So, sebaceous filaments are basically glands that deposit sebum, which is our skin’s natural oil, to support the little hair follicles that are also connected to these filaments underneath the skin.
They are located inside of your pore, but sometimes they can fill up the pore, making it look bigger than it actually is.
The problem is that some people have some excess sebum production, which will make these filaments larger.
That's where the small dots come from.
You can see the sebum glands in this diagram below.
They are not really raised off the skin and they blend into the surface.
The difference between sebaceous filaments and white/blackheads is simple.
You can read all of the differences here, but I'll do a quick summary.
A whitehead is formed when there is an excess of sebum in your sebaceous glands, hence the white blocked pores you sometimes see on your nose.
Blackheads are larger and open versions of whiteheads, except the sebum becomes oxidized due to exposure and thus turns black.
Basically, it’s white icky gunk that is made up of dead skin cells, bacteria and oil.
I know what you’re thinking (cause that is the first thought I had): Is it a serious skin condition?
The answer to that is: NO.
Why Do Sebaceous Filaments Appear?
It is a normal and healthy mechanism of the body that helps to balance the skin’s moisture and protect the skin and hair follicles.
However, sometimes you feel gross and like there is too much of the sebum generated by the sebaceous filaments.
Sebaceous filaments can be prominent for a number of reasons.
Sebaceous filaments can appear due to hormonal abnormalities, changes in medications or even diet.
When I found all of this out, I felt a huge wave of relief.
These annoying grey pores had become the bane of my existence.
I had tried nose pore strips, masks, and the like and no difference was ever made.
They just stayed, ruthless, and in turn, made me feel utterly hopeless.
Knowing that having sebum on your face and nose is completely normal restored my faith and I went on a grueling journey to fix my skin.
I’ll walk you through the whole process.
How Did I Shrink Mine?
You might be wondering: is it possible to completely get rid of the problems sebaceous filaments cause?
I can answer that.
It is not possible to get rid of pores or completely close them, they are there for a reason!
In this case, you will need to practice the saying: if you can’t beat them, join them!
Even though you cannot completely get rid of sebaceous filaments, it is still possible to shrink them in order to make them virtually invisible.
The first thing I had to do was to stop all that I had previously been doing.
Sound silly? It’s not.
The damage I was causing by constantly picking and squeezing the pores with my bacteria filled hands just made the surplus sebum problem a lot worse.
So, gathering all restraint I first stopped continuously picking on my sebaceous filaments.
Then I started gathering my courage and trusted skin care product and started treatment.
The Next Step To Shrinking Them
I first tried the easy ways of reducing the oily sebum secretion on my skin.
I did this through sebum clearing masks, gels and oil absorbing sheets.
Then, I started to follow a daily skin care ritual.
All I did was use this liquid which contained salicylic acid (or BHA) which helped to exfoliate my skin and unclog the troublesome pores.
You've probably seen it on the bottle of every single acne treatment.
Salicylic acid has been used to treat acne and oily skin problems for decades.
I keep it on for around 10 minutes to make sure it gets deep into the pores.
Then without washing the BHA off and to further aid the skin care regime, I tried my personal favorite product, the clay mask.
OK, I know what you’re thinking: but it’s only a clay mask why are you so excited?
Well, maybe it is biased, but I find the process of using a clay mask fun and extremely relaxing.
There are so many clay masks that do not dry your face and leave your face feeling as smooth as a baby’s bottom.
Especially if you go to a spa and ask specifically for a clay mask treatment that's made for oily or acne-prone skin.
I used to go all of the time (before I became extremely busy at work 24-7)
The Last (And Possibly Most Crucial) Step
So, now this is the step I like to call: the showstopper.
I used a cleanser as the last step to combat my sebaceous filaments.
I believe it is better to massage the cleanser your skin, it acts as a sebum remover!
The highly satisfying feeling of massaging your face with this cleanser to get those nasty grey substances out of the face is truly unmatched.
I go on massaging for around 3 minutes.
Slowly but surely you feel those grits pulling out of your face.
However, you should make sure not to apply too much pressure, as they will come out after this whole skin care regime.
The results?
Almost instantaneously I saw my face look brand new!
Think I’m exaggerating?
From having a face filled with little irritating grey spots, I suddenly had a nearly clear and glowing face.
I almost could not believe it myself at the time.
How to Keep Your Sebaceous Filament Shrunken?
So, besides your usual skin care routine, doing what I did to shrink my sebaceous filaments around 2 times a week should help you to keep your face looking like it has been photoshopped.
Of course, using your night time creams and applying moisturizers is a must, not only to keep the sebaceous filaments away but also to reduce the chances of acne and blackheads appearing.
The simple bottom line is that:
Sebaceous filaments are a normal way of your body taking care and balancing out the oils contained on your skin.
Make sure to really know the difference between white and blackheads vs sebaceous filaments before picking at the affected areas.
Besides my sebaceous filament fighting formula, you absolutely need to cleanse your face before bed, to get rid of all the dirt, gunk and makeup that may have collected.
Other Little Skin Care Tips to Keep Your Pores Clear
So, as much as it is sad, it is impossible to permanently shrink your pores.
It is, however, possible to religiously follow your skin care routine in order to keep your pores unclogged as often as possible.
Willow bark is also an amazing substance that really helps to exfoliate the skin and clean out the pores, making the pores look smaller!
Charcoal masks are also an amazing way to remove surface sebum and shrink your pores.
If you are in a rush and are particularly unhappy with how big your pores are looking, you should apply a primer under bb cream in order to smooth out your skin.
I learn from experience, and doing that has been such a lifesaver.
An amazing evening skin care treatment is definitely using the topical retinoid.
Retinoids works wonders to unclog those clogged up pores, and strengthen tissues around the pores so that your pores look small.
Why Skin Care Is Important
I am sure many of you reading this might be thinking: what is the point?
Well, taking care of your skin is not just about improving your appearance.
It can help to balance out bodily chemicals and remove bacteria.
It is a basic question of hygiene and self-care that most people do not usually take into account.
After I finally got to visibly shrinking my sebaceous filaments, I felt brand new.
I also got the comfort of knowing that it was not all in my head.
My mental health actually improved, as the constant worry of not knowing what those little spots were and how dangerous they were, was gone.
I feel a lot cleaner, healthier and glowing.
I feel how I look, and I have honestly never felt better.
And now you can live your best life too.