You know those really tiny white and black dots on the nose and chin? Like when you press your tongue against your chin, and suddenly your skin has the texture of those 90’s movie snacks, Snow Caps?

Yeah… those aren’t blackheads. They’re sebaceous filaments. So what the hell are they, and why do you keep hearing about them?

Sebaceous filaments are little hair-like structures that help move oil from your oil glands to the surface of your skin. Although we all want to get rid of them, they actually play a very important role in your skin barrier health. Sebaceous filaments help keep the pores and surface of the skin soft, hydrated, and protected from external factors such as pollutants, UV rays, etc.

But like, what’s the difference between a blackhead and a sebaceous filament?

Blackheads literally create constipation in your pores. They’re an excessive buildup of oil that often creates a 3D element — think bump, clog, or crater — while sebaceous filaments are flatter, much smaller, and typically yellow, gray, or brown.

Nonetheless, they’re still annoying AF because don’t we all want that poreless skin look?

Ok well, here are three ingredients you can have in your arsenal to reduce the appearance of sebaceous filaments:

1. Salicylic Acid — This acid is lipophilic, meaning it LOVES oil. It helps dissolve oil and lift away dead skin cells. You can use it in a cleanser, serum, cream, etc.
2. Retinoids — Decrease oil production, increase skin cell turnover, and help “recraft” pores through keratinization (the shedding of skin cells).
3. Niacinamide — Helps decrease oil production.

Blemish BABES tip: Be cautious of over-drying your skin!!! I know we might want to throw on all the products at once to get things working “faster,” but if you dry your skin out too much, your progress can reverse and aging can speed up.