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Surprising secret about your pores that you may be too embarrassed to ask

Posted on November 03, 2017

Often patients ask us what to do with unsightly tiny black spots that clog the pores, commonly found on the nose and central face.

When the skin in these areas is pinched, tiny cord-like grayish material can be expressed from the involved pores. Patients usually call them “blackheads.” This may surprise you, but they are not actually blackheads. Some have coined the term “sebaceous filaments” for this normal and natural phenomenon.

How do they form? The oily material produced by our sebaceous glands under the skin is called sebum. It is composed of triglycerides, free fatty acids, squalene, wax and sterol esters, as well as free sterols. Sebum and dead skin cells are spontaneously and continuously extruded in our pores to the surface of the skin, resulting in sebaceous filaments. How much sebum one produces naturally varies from person to person. When this mixture reaches the skin surface, it oxidizes, making it look darker gray to black in color.

On the other hand, blackheads, otherwise called “open comedones” (plural for an open comedo), are actually acne lesions that are formed when sebum and dead skin cells clog the pore. The difference with the above is that the acne environment stimulates faster generation and greater accumulation of the dead skin cells, as well as making the mixed material more cohesive or “stickier” than normal. This in turn creates a bottleneck phenomenon as clogging or plugging of the pore, and subsequent comedo/blackhead formation.

If you notice that you have sebaceous filaments, try to refrain from squeezing the areas. Doing so may make matters worse and may even cause scarring. Even though we cannot stop it from happening, there are a few things you can try that may improve their appearance over time:

• Skinceuticals LHA Cleansing Gel, is an exfoliating gel cleanser that decongests pores, smoothes skin texture, and brightens skin. Now available in our offices.
• Retinoids help surface skin cells to turn over quickly while encouraging new cell growth, which helps pores be less susceptible to getting clogged. If your skin is sensitive or prone to dryness, it is a good idea to start with Skinceuticals Retinol, which is available in our offices. Prescription-strength retinoids (for example, tretinoin) are also available with prescription. Make sure you also use oil-free moisturizer to avoid overdrying or irritating your skin. Retinoids should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
• Microneedling is a procedure in which tiny needles create microscopic divots in your skin, thereby spurring your natural healing and collagen. Medical Aestheticians in our North Naples, Downtown Naples, and Bonita Springs offices perform this non-invasive, relatively painless procedure to improve the skin’s appearance.
• Biore Pore Strips, which look a lot like nose bandages and temporarily help with the appearance of clogged pore. They are available over-the-counter in most drug stores.

If you have blackheads or acne problems, we would be happy to evaluate and treat you.

Trust your skin health and beauty to our experts at The Woodruff Institute. We are honored to care for you and your family. We offer same-day appointments.