Oil-Free Moisturizer Having dry, dead cells on the surface of your skin will keep oil trapped underneath. This causes it to build up inside your pores, potentially making sebaceous filaments worse (not to mention they'll appear more visible if the surrounding skin is dehydrated).
The skin's normal process of producing sebum can cause sebaceous filaments to become noticeable. This is more likely to occur in people with more oily skin or larger pores, compared with people who have drier skin and smaller pores.
With the ability to remove sebum, eliminate dead skin and clear the pores, these ingredients assist in the treatment of blackheads. However, these products can slightly dry out the skin. This is why you should properly moisturize your skin when using them.
Try a retinol serum or cream.
Retinol is the gold standard when it comes to improving skin texture. The ingredient is proven to regulate cell turnover to prevent clogged pores and sebaceous filaments from filling up with gunk.
Clogged pores are the most immediate sign of over moisturising. Too much moisturiser or heavy formulations can clog your pores, because of which you end up with blackheads and whiteheads.
Some signs you may be over-moisturizing are clogged pores, blackheads, bumpy skin and excess oil.
Not sure if you're over-moisturizing? Dr. Garshick says the most immediate signs are clogged pores, blackheads, and excess oil production. She advises moisturizing no more than two times a day, using a product formulated for your skin type.
Truth be told, you can never completely get rid of sebaceous filaments. You can extract them, but they'll come back shortly thereafter, usually around 30 days or less for those with very oily skin. They're something everyone has, and most people won't notice them anyway.
Can You Get Rid of Sebaceous Filaments? Since sebaceous filaments are a normal part of your skin, you cannot get rid of them. While large sebaceous filaments can be professionally extracted, removing them is only temporary—they always come back.
Unfortunately, filaments are part of the micro-anatomy of the skin and cannot be removed permanently. However, you can minimize its appearance. "Any active ingredients that work to exfoliate the skin will improve the look of sebaceous filaments," says Dr. Linkner.
Regular use of a BHA (beta hydroxy acid) exfoliant for sebaceous filaments can really help, because BHA is oil-soluble and can dissolve sebum and other substances crowding the pore lining. Use of a well-formulated clay face mask for sebaceous filaments might also help due to the clay's oil-absorbing properties.
Sebaceous filaments form due to normal oil production, especially in people with oily skin and who are prone to having large pores.
Research shows a link between people who consume foods with a high glycemic index and those with acne vulgaris, which is caused by inflammation of the sebaceous glands. These types of foods include pastas, breads, and cereals made with white flour, as well as white rice and sweeteners.
Sherber recommends using an oil-based cleanser, which can help to emulsify some of the oils in sebaceous filaments. “For oily or acne-prone skin types, follow an oil-based cleanser with a water-based gel cleanser to remove any residue,” she adds. Remember to wash your face after working out and perspiring as well.
Clogged pores can be the result of your glands producing too much oil. More oil on your skin increases the risk of clogged pores. But lots of other things can lead to enlarged pores, including age, skin products, hair follicles and sun damage.
Sebaceous Filaments: How Can I Treat Them? Make a date with your dermatologist, who can prescribe a topical retinoid like Altreno or Arazlo, which helps speed up cell turnover with minimal irritation. (For similar results without an rX, Dr. Hartman recommends La Roche-Posay Effaclar Adapalene Gel .
Oil dissolves oil, so an oil cleanser can actually eliminate excess sebum, as well as daily dirt and grime (aka, the exact recipe for sebaceous filaments).
If you squeeze sebaceous filaments out from your skin, a waxy, threadlike structure may pop out of your pore. If you squeeze blackheads out from your skin, the dark, waxy plug may pop out of your pore.
“By over-moisturizing, you can cause the skin barrier function to weaken and risk clogging pores,” explains Sobel. Add those together and you get both dry skin and body acne — the allover equivalent of combination skin.
Moisturisers can also stick dead cells to the skin's surface, she claims, and the oils can clog pores, contributing to acne and rosacea.
So by stopping moisturising, this actually stimulates cell turnover and encourages natural desquamation (that's the shedding of the outer layers of the skin). This improves skin function and exposes the tightly packed plump fresh cells to effectively reflect light and leave the skin glowing.
If your moisturizer contains a lot of oils, it could cause your skin to feel greasy after application. This is because your skin does not absorb oils as quickly as other ingredients. The oil just stays on top of your skin for a while, making it feel greasy and look shiny.