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.
Though you may be tempted to squeeze or otherwise get rid of a sebaceous filament, it's best to leave them alone. Squeezing or picking at sebaceous filaments risks scarring and spreading any bacteria that may be in or around the pore to other parts of your face, causing a breakout.
Gentle cleansing
Using a gentle, pH-balanced cleanser twice per day with warm (but not hot) water is a nonirritating way to remove excess oil and dead cells from the skin. It is a good idea to wash the face gently, as vigorous scrubbing can cause redness and draw attention to clogged pores.
If you have clogged or congested pores, it might be because your skin overproduces sebum or you may have an accumulation of dead skin cells and other debris (like makeup) in your pores. Dr. Rubin says all of this increases the risk that the pore could become blocked, and blocked pores can lead to, yup, acne.
Sebum plugs are small white spots that can occur anywhere on the body. They are most visible on the parts of the body where there is most hair. However, we do not have sebum plugs on the palms of our hands or under our feet. The small dots or spots may be easily confused with small pimples or hair follicles.
An overproduction of sebum can lead to oily skin. People with oily skin may notice that their pores look larger, and their skin appears greasy or shiny. Excess sebum combined with dead skin cells can form a plug inside the pore, resulting in blackheads and pimples.
Never pick at, squeeze or try to “pop” a keratin plug. Doing so can cause irritation and scarring. If you don't like the way they look, you can: Gently exfoliate your skin.
The American Academy of Dermatology Association strongly advises againstextracting or squeezing out the sebaceous filaments as trying to do so can injure the skin and cause scarring. Moreover, it can also damage and stretch the pore, making it look bigger.
Damaging your skin by squeezing or picking can also cause inflammation, hyperpigmentation and scarring. Squeezing additionally introduces bacteria, oil and dirt from your hands into your pores, which can lead to more blackheads.
Use an exfoliating scrub or chemical exfoliant 2-3 times a week to give the skin a deep clean and clear out the pores without stripping it of any natural oils. Clay masks are ideal for clearing out the pores, they can remove oil, dirt and dead skin that is found deep inside the pores.
If you were to squeeze a sebaceous filament, a white or yellow worm-like structure may ooze out. Or, the filament may not produce anything. Always take caution as trying to extract sebaceous filaments can injure the skin and cause permanent scarring. It can also damage and stretch the pore, making it appear bigger.
High-dose red light photodynamic therapy (PDT) offers highly effective and durable treatment for acne by selectively destroying the sebaceous gland.
Wash regularly
Wash with a gentle soap and warm water. Avoid soaps with fragrances, added moisturizers, or harsh chemicals, which can irritate or dry out the skin, making it respond by creating more sebum. Avoid loofahs and rough washcloths, as added friction may stimulate the skin to make more oil.
“Since cold water tightens your pores, bacteria and debris can get trapped and won't clear out as easily as using warm water,” explains Knapp. She recommends washing your face with lukewarm water first as a way to remove any makeup and pollutants from the day.
Usually, clogged pores look like: Whiteheads—this is where the clogged pore closes and bulges out to make a white dot. Blackheads—where a clogged pore closes and looks like a small black dot.
While clogged pores will eventually go away, they can be persistent and often need the help of skincare formulas. A routine that includes daily cleansing, removing makeup and exfoliating regularly can help remove excess oil and loosen buildup within these pores.
The pores on our face, just like our ear canals, are designed to clean themselves. So for most people, leaving them to their own devices is fine, and just cleansing the face is enough.
The pores on our face, just like our ear canals, are designed to clean themselves. So for most people, leaving them to their own devices is fine, and just cleansing the face is enough.
A sebum plug can look like a tiny bump under the surface of the skin or it may stick out through the skin like a grain of sand. When a sebum plug forms, bacteria that normally lives harmlessly on the surface of your skin can start to grow within the follicle. Inflammation follows, causing a breakout.
Do dermatologists recommend using pore vacuums? In short, yes. Since these vacuums make the process of unclogging pores and clearing skin a lot faster and easier, many experts have given at-home devices an official nod of approval.
Get to squeezing: Understanding where a sebaceous filament lies within the pore is critical for proper extraction. They live inside pores, which is why the only way to extract them is to angle your hands and squeeze from the sides and bottom of the pore.
Sandra Lee, MD—plucks sebaceous filaments out of a patient's nose. The tiny skin concerns look similar to the hairs on a kiwi, practically microscopic in appearance. In the clip, Dr. Lee uses a surgical tweezers to pluck out the sebaceous filaments, many of which are already popping out from the patient's pores.