Sebum plugs, also known as sebaceous filaments are actually a completely natural and normal part of our skin. However, we're willing to take a guess and say you have probably been mistaking them for blackheads! In fact, they are quite simply a build up of the oily liquid known as sebum within the pore.
A type of acne, sebum plugs happen when pores get clogged with sebum and dead skin cells. Sebum is oil your body produces to keep skin moist. Sebum plugs result from hormones and increased stress levels. Sebum plugs usually develop on the face, including the forehead, chin and nose.
Too much sebum in a follicle can cause a hardened plug to form, which can then lead to various forms of acne.
"Salicylic acid is an excellent comedolytic, or pore-clearing, ingredient because it exfoliates the stratum corner (the surface of the skin) and penetrates into pores to remove sebum." And if you're facing some sebum plugs on your scalp, a chemical scalp scrub may help give your hair follicles a necessary tune-up.
Poor Scalp Hygiene
An imbalance in sebum and scalp buildup can be a result of how often the hair is washed and which hair care products are used. Washing your hair less often will lead to a buildup of sebum that may cause scalp irritation and slow the natural hair growth process.
What Do They Look Like? Usually you can spot a blackhead easy enough, sebum plugs are a little trickier but if you grab a magnifying glass you can see them no problem. You will notice that although they may look like little black dots from a distance, they are actually more of a white or yellow color.
What does it look like? Sebaceous hyperplasia appears as small whitish-yellow bumps, 1 to 3 mm in diameter. The bumps have a centrally placed tiny pit and, in some cases, visible blood vessels. The central pit is surrounded by white-yellow tiny lumps.
At first glance, keratin plugs may look like small pimples. They are usually pink or skin-colored. They also tend to form in groups on specific parts of the body. However, keratin plugs don't have the noticeable heads that typical pimples might have.
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.
A buildup of dirt, oil or dead skin cells can cause clogged pores. The condition is most common in people with very oily skin. A gentle skin care routine can help resolve clogged pores.
If you find your spots on the scalp are sebum plugs, they help to keep the hair shafts healthy, and thus the whole of your hair. They protect the hair and skin against bacteria, too, so it is important not to try to remove them, simply because they are there.
You can't squeeze sebaceous hyperplasia bumps. This is because there isn't anything inside that can be extracted. In fact, squeezing them can actually cause them to become inflamed or bleed.
Follicular occlusion syndrome refers to a group of diseases in which hair follicles become blocked with keratin (scale) and then rupture, resulting in inflammatory skin disease. These conditions commonly coexist. They may be severe and difficult to treat.
Keratosis pilaris
It's a genetic skin condition where the hair follicles create a tiny plug of keratin, so it appears inflamed and bumpy. While they aren't harmful, she warns against popping or squeezing them in any way, as doing so can lead to scarring and further irritation.
The treatment for the Keratin Pearl excision may be done in-office or in the operating room (depending on the severity of clitoral adhesions between the clitoris and prepuce). The procedure consists of breaking up the adhesions with a fine metal probe and then removing the Keratin Pearls.
While sebaceous filaments aren't a big issue, many people have them removed for cosmetic purposes, which might be why Lee was having a little fun ripping them out — one by one — with the tweezers.
The sebaceous glands are tiny glands in the skin which produce an oily/waxy substance, called sebum, to moisturise the skin and hair. These glands are found in greatest amounts on the face and scalp. Sebum has no smell, but its bacterial breakdown can produce a bad smell.
A doctor can remove sebaceous hyperplasia bumps in a process called cryotherapy. The doctor will freeze the bumps, causing them to dry up and drop away. However, cryotherapy can potentially cause changes in skin color in the affected area.
Your dermatology professional may recommend removing sebaceous hyperplasia bumps with laser therapy. During treatments, the laser gently smooths the top layer of skin and removes any sebum trapped in your glands.
Vitamin A derivatives (Skinstitut Retinol 0.25% serum or ASAP Super A serum) – Vitamin A has been shown to improve sebaceous gland hyperplasia and reduce any coexistent acne lesions.
Sebaceous hyperplasia can be treated using noninvasive methods. Facial peels that contain salicylic acid and topical skincare products can reduce the size and prominence of the lesions.