Sebaceous filament

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]

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.

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. 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 horned detritus".^[1]