| Sebaceous filament | |
|---|---|
| Other names | Blackhead (mistakenly) |
 | |
| A 14 year old with characteristic black kind of sebaceous filaments on the nose | |
| Specialty | Dermatology |
| Treatment | A topical retinol cream will help. |
A sebaceous filament is a tiny collection of sebum and dead skin cells around a hair follicle, which usually takes the form of a small, yellow to off-white hair-like strand when expressed from the skin.[1][2]
These filaments are naturally occurring, and are especially prominent on the nose.[3][2]: 64 They are typical among those with naturally oily skin and large pores, even if those individuals have ceased to produce acne.[2]: 64 They are not a sign of infection or any other ailment including acne,[2]: 16 and are commonly mistaken for, though cannot form,[2]: 26 blackheads. Expression, or squeezing, is discouraged as sebaceous filaments are a natural part of healthy human skin. As such, squeezing can lead to unintentional unnecessary harm, such as scarring or inflammation.[citation needed] They help to channel the flow of sebum within a given pore, allowing it to seep gradually to the surface. In 1979, David A. Whiting described them in a review in the Western Journal of Medicine as "a loose, porous mass of horny detritus".[1]
- ^ a b Whiting, D. A. (1979). "Acne". The Western Journal of Medicine. 131 (6): 551–7. PMC 1271924. PMID 161830.
- ^ a b c d e Plewig, Gerd; Melnik, Bodo; WenChieh, Chen (2019). Plewig and Kligman's Acne and Rosacea (4th ed.). Basel, Switzerland: Springer Nature Switzerland AG.: 2
- ^ Plewig, G.; Wolff, H. H. (1976). "Sebaceous filaments (author's transl)". Archiv für Dermatologische Forschung. 255 (1): 9–21. PMID 130839.