Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Are They?They’re Not BlackheadsReasons for ThemTreatmentsAvoid SqueezingSkin Care Tips
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
What Are They?
They’re Not Blackheads
Reasons for Them
Treatments
Avoid Squeezing
Skin Care Tips
Sebaceous filaments appear as many uniform whitish yellow, thin, needlelike structures. You are most likely to see them on your face. While they are often confused with blackheads, they are not linked to acne.
Daily cleaning andexfoliationcan prevent excess sebum from clogging the filaments. This process makes them less visible. Most people do not need to treat them.
This article describes sebaceous filament structures, their function, and how they differ from blackheads. It also explains how to deal with this problem if it becomes a nuisance.
AegeanBlue / Getty Images
Sebaceous Filaments: Pore-Like Holes on Skin
Sebaceous filaments are tubelike structures that are necessary for skin health. They carry sebum and dead skin cells from sebaceous glands. Sebaceous filaments become more visible when they are overfilled with sebum. They can appear as pore-like holes on your skin.
Location on Body
Sebaceous filaments can appear anywhere on your body. They most commonly develop on the nose along your T zone (across your forehead and down your nose) and other areas likely to have excess sebum production, like your chin and cheeks.
Function
Sebaceous glands release sebum into your hair follicle to lubricate and protect your skin. Sebaceous filaments help move the sebum, bacteria, and dead skin cells from the glands to the surface of your skin. Transporting the sebum to your skin helps keep it moisturized.
Sebaceous Filaments vs. Sebaceous Hyperplasia
Sebaceous filaments are a part of your skin structure and do not reflect a skin condition. They become more visible when there is an overproduction of sebum. Sebaceous filaments appear gray, tan, or yellow and are somewhat small and flat.
ThamKC/ ISMODE / Getty Images
Above is a photo showing how blackheads (left) vs. sebaceous filaments look.
Sebaceous Filaments Aren’t Blackheads
While they may look similar, sebaceous filaments aren’t blackheads. When you look closely, you can see that sebaceous filaments are usually flatter, smaller, and lighter in color than blackheads. Though both typically develop around your nose, forehead, and chin, they differ in structure.
Blackheads and Pore “Worms”
Blackheadsare a form of acne. They are signs of pores that are blocked from the top of the skin’s surface with a plug of sebum, leaving the pore closed as bacteria develop inside it.
Sebaceous filaments do not have a plug. They provide a passageway for sebum and bacteria to exit the pores. When the sebum becomes overfilled within your pore, this can give the appearance of thin wormlike structures.
Which One Can You Remove?
You can remove blackheads. However, you should not try to pop or remove them yourself. Consult a dermatologist if blackheads remain despite daily cleansing, regular exfoliating, and using cosmetics that are noncomedogenic (will not clog pores).
You can’t remove sebaceous filaments entirely since they are part of your skin structure. Removing them will likely result in their recurring within about a month when the sebum and other debris accumulate.
Attempting to remove sebaceous filaments or any facial blemish also carries a risk of scarring and irritation depending on the technique you use.
A Word From VerywellSebaceous filaments are an essential part of the skin’s anatomy and should not be squeezed. Popping sebaceous filaments can injure the skin and cause scarring. If the skin is broken, bacteria can enter and cause an infection.—WILLIAM TRUSWELL, M.D., MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
A Word From Verywell
Sebaceous filaments are an essential part of the skin’s anatomy and should not be squeezed. Popping sebaceous filaments can injure the skin and cause scarring. If the skin is broken, bacteria can enter and cause an infection.—WILLIAM TRUSWELL, M.D., MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
Sebaceous filaments are an essential part of the skin’s anatomy and should not be squeezed. Popping sebaceous filaments can injure the skin and cause scarring. If the skin is broken, bacteria can enter and cause an infection.
—WILLIAM TRUSWELL, M.D., MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
How to Remove Blackheads Safely
Reasons for Enlarged Sebaceous Filaments
Sebaceous filaments occur as a result of sebum accumulation, bacteria, and dead cells that surround your hair follicles, resulting in visible excretions. Overproduction of sebum leads to enlarged sebaceous filaments, which are more visible.
Reasons for enlarged sebaceous filaments can include the following:
Oily, Acne-Prone Skin Remedies
Treatments for Sebaceous Filaments
Treatment of sebaceous filaments is targeted at reducing the size of sebaceous glands. This should lead to fewer excretions, which should improve your skin’s appearance.
The following treatments can help reduce the appearance of sebaceous filaments:
Should You Squeeze Sebaceous Filaments?
You should never squeeze sebaceous filaments. Trying to squeeze the sebum out of the filament will only cause the filament to refill as sebum accumulates.
Dermatologists advise against giving in to the temptation to pop any type of pimple or blackhead. Doing so can lead to the following consequences:
Consult a dermatologist if you have sebaceous filaments that you think require removal.
Skin Care Tips With Sebaceous Filaments
The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) recommends the following skin care tips for treating large facial pores:
Summary
Sebaceous filaments are normal structures in your skin. They are needlelike tubes that help sebum travel from your sebaceous glands to the skin surface.
These filaments become easier to see when your sebaceous glands produce too much sebum. While they are not signs of a health problem, they can affect your self-image.
Since sebaceous filaments are part of your skin structure, they cannot be removed. Treating them is not needed.
If they bother you, you can use treatments that reduce the size of sebaceous glands. This should result in less sebum that is not easily seen.
If topical home treatments do not improve sebaceous filaments, consult a dermatologist. Do not try to remove or squeeze them. You can make them worse or cause skin damage.
10 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Mineroff JP, Hyde JT, Hsu S.A case report of sebaceous filaments.Cureus. 15(11):e48656. doi: 10.7759/cureus.48656iCliniq.Sebaceous filaments - causes, function, prevention, and treatment.The Australasian College of Dermatologists.Sebaceous hyperplasia.MedlinePlus.Blackheads.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Pimple-popping: why only a dermatologist should do it.Măgerușan ȘE, Hancu G, Rusu A.A comprehensive bibliographic review concerning the efficacy of organic acids for chemical peels treating acne vulgaris.Molecules. 2023;28(20):7219. Published 2023 Oct 22. doi:10.3390/molecules28207219National Library of Medicine.What is the role of benzoyl peroxide cleansers in acne management?Nascimento T, Gomes D, Simões R, da Graça Miguel M.Tea tree oil: properties and the therapeutic approach to acne—a review.Antioxidants (Basel). 2023;12(6):1264. doi:10.3390/antiox12061264Intermountain Health.Should you pop that pimple?American Academy of Dermatology Association.What can treat large facial pores?
10 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Mineroff JP, Hyde JT, Hsu S.A case report of sebaceous filaments.Cureus. 15(11):e48656. doi: 10.7759/cureus.48656iCliniq.Sebaceous filaments - causes, function, prevention, and treatment.The Australasian College of Dermatologists.Sebaceous hyperplasia.MedlinePlus.Blackheads.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Pimple-popping: why only a dermatologist should do it.Măgerușan ȘE, Hancu G, Rusu A.A comprehensive bibliographic review concerning the efficacy of organic acids for chemical peels treating acne vulgaris.Molecules. 2023;28(20):7219. Published 2023 Oct 22. doi:10.3390/molecules28207219National Library of Medicine.What is the role of benzoyl peroxide cleansers in acne management?Nascimento T, Gomes D, Simões R, da Graça Miguel M.Tea tree oil: properties and the therapeutic approach to acne—a review.Antioxidants (Basel). 2023;12(6):1264. doi:10.3390/antiox12061264Intermountain Health.Should you pop that pimple?American Academy of Dermatology Association.What can treat large facial pores?
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Mineroff JP, Hyde JT, Hsu S.A case report of sebaceous filaments.Cureus. 15(11):e48656. doi: 10.7759/cureus.48656iCliniq.Sebaceous filaments - causes, function, prevention, and treatment.The Australasian College of Dermatologists.Sebaceous hyperplasia.MedlinePlus.Blackheads.American Academy of Dermatology Association.Pimple-popping: why only a dermatologist should do it.Măgerușan ȘE, Hancu G, Rusu A.A comprehensive bibliographic review concerning the efficacy of organic acids for chemical peels treating acne vulgaris.Molecules. 2023;28(20):7219. Published 2023 Oct 22. doi:10.3390/molecules28207219National Library of Medicine.What is the role of benzoyl peroxide cleansers in acne management?Nascimento T, Gomes D, Simões R, da Graça Miguel M.Tea tree oil: properties and the therapeutic approach to acne—a review.Antioxidants (Basel). 2023;12(6):1264. doi:10.3390/antiox12061264Intermountain Health.Should you pop that pimple?American Academy of Dermatology Association.What can treat large facial pores?
Mineroff JP, Hyde JT, Hsu S.A case report of sebaceous filaments.Cureus. 15(11):e48656. doi: 10.7759/cureus.48656
iCliniq.Sebaceous filaments - causes, function, prevention, and treatment.
The Australasian College of Dermatologists.Sebaceous hyperplasia.
MedlinePlus.Blackheads.
American Academy of Dermatology Association.Pimple-popping: why only a dermatologist should do it.
Măgerușan ȘE, Hancu G, Rusu A.A comprehensive bibliographic review concerning the efficacy of organic acids for chemical peels treating acne vulgaris.Molecules. 2023;28(20):7219. Published 2023 Oct 22. doi:10.3390/molecules28207219
National Library of Medicine.What is the role of benzoyl peroxide cleansers in acne management?
Nascimento T, Gomes D, Simões R, da Graça Miguel M.Tea tree oil: properties and the therapeutic approach to acne—a review.Antioxidants (Basel). 2023;12(6):1264. doi:10.3390/antiox12061264
Intermountain Health.Should you pop that pimple?
American Academy of Dermatology Association.What can treat large facial pores?
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