Sebaceous Filaments
What are those slightly raised bumps? Don’t squeeze them!!!!!
What exactly are sebaceous filaments and why are they there?
Sebacous filaments are a mix of sebum (the skin’s natural oil) and dead skin cells, they surround the hair follicle and play a big part in regulating the skins natural oil levels. They allow for a slow release of sebum to the upper layers of the epidermis.
What's the difference between sebaceous filaments and blackheads, and how do you tell the difference?
Blackheads are where the hair follicle itself has become blocked, the “black” colour is due to the fact that the follicle is open and the debris are oxidized by the air. Sebaceous filaments are clear or slightly white, however not be confused with a “whitehead” which is a large collection of trapped oil under the skin.
What happens when you squeeze sebaceous filaments?
Sebaceuos filaments should not be squeezed, they have a job to do. With extremely firm pressure they could be squeezed and sebum would come to the surface, however within 30 days the filaments would be back – the biggest issue with squeezing and using firm pressure is the high chance of ruputring the cell wall, causing a scar.
These filaments are an important part of skin health, but they can be unsightly when they're large. Is it possible to make them smaller or less obvious?
It’s more about getting to the root cause as to why they are big or obvious. There are 2 main reasons for sebaceous filaments to be larger or obvious. The first is an excess production of oil, this could be due to hormonal factors, age or lifestyle factors such as poor diet, stress and environment. The second is a skin suffering from an imapried barrier function, meaning it doesn’t have a “protection layer”. A skin with an imapired barrier function will be lipid (oil) dry, sensitive and can be thin in density. The lack of oil can put these filiaments into overdrive, making them larger. The thin density of the skin can also increase the appearance and size of the filament.
What products and treatments are best for minimising their appearance?
Once you have established the root cause of the issue you can treat accoringdly, due to the elastin fibres being stretched in the follicle, it is impossible to get a full reduction of the size. However treating the root caues will help to mimimse and stop them from increasing in size. For an oily skin type, seeing your Skin Therapist for a light fruit enzyme treatment, ingredients such as papaya and pineapple are great when used correctly by a trained therapist. If the root cause is due to an imapired barrier function, then your first step would be to repiar the skins natural oil levels. Omega 3 is essential in doing this, our bodies only produce Omega 6 and 9, so 100% of your Omega 3 requirements come from topical application and internal consumption. Our Kiwi Seed Oil has the highest content of Omega 3 from a plant source. Other Prologic products contain barrier loving ingredients such as squalene, rice bran, alpha lipoic acid and lecithin.
It's often suggested to cleanse oil with oil – how does this work?
This works in two ways, oil when massaged into the skin acts like a magent. It attracts impurties and debris to the surface, giving you a deep cleanse without disturpting the skins natural balance. It also insures that the skin is balanced a ready to get the most out of the ingredients that are applied after the cleansing process.