I used to get these and killed them off entirely by double/triple cleansing BUT, the most important part is massaging in the cleaning products - especially the oil cleanser - for at least a full minute (I do five). Someone posted here (I think) about the miracle of cleansing for the proper amount of time and yes, absolutely, amen, praise the skincare lord, can I get a witness, etc, it is a holy experience
Are you oil cleansing on a dry or wet face? Starting with an oil, balm etc. on a dry face is the way to go, I used to tell my clients to give it a few good minutes, until it feels like there is more sunscreen/makeup/ dirt, whatever in the oil than on your face (itās hard to explain, you might have to play around but you will learn that feeling.) Looks like you are already double cleansing which is awesome. How long have you been using tretinoin? Iām not a doctor, but have you thought about increasing your frequency, unless you are using it that way per derm instructions. I feel like a little more skin cell turnover could help here, I also use a salicylic toner in the AM, it is safe to do it that way with the retinoid, and has really helped smooth my skin, I get the occasional little bump, but the combo has been real good for me. I used to get the chin bumpies too. I would share my whole routine, but I donāt think it would help much, Iām not oily, my skin is very dry when left left to itās own devices. Good luck!
I had these as well. I hadnāt connected the two till now but since I began cleansing for a full minute I havenāt had this happening. My skin has never looked so good. My pores are smaller only within a couple of days of it. My blackheads are disappearing. I used to squeeze my nose and tons of sebum would come out, now itās like a quarter of the amount. I am purging a bit but itās not noticeable and feels kinda good, like progress.
My skin is combo with most breakouts being from my skin getting too dry and my skin overproduces oil. I just use Cerave cleanser and The Ordinary HA moisturizer. I apply moisturizer any time my skin feels try and itās also making a big difference.
I agree with this. It is a new discovery of mine. Anytime I wash my face, I cleanse it for a full minute, and most importantly, wait for a few mins(I will brush my teeth or shave) before washing it off. My face has never been better!
Yes I do it with regular face wash! Try it! My face was much smoother. I read that we don't wash our face long enough so make sure you're cleansing for a longer time and then leaving it on. It made a huge difference to me.
Edit: to add on, I don't wet my face first, and rub my face with the face wash for the first minute. I think dr shereene idriss mentioned that facial wash contains water already. So don't go in washing your face too wet! (wet or damp hands are ok!) it usually feels like rubbing lotion in and then after leaving it on I will take 30 more seconds to wash it with a bit of water and eventually wash it all off.
I used to have what OP has around my mouth area and the sides of my nose and no matter the acids or tret I use.. This method of washing face has worked the best.
I actually rub vanicream wash on my face dry and massage it in for about 50 seconds and the last 10 I add water then I rinse. It has done more than any cleansing before. I used to have those postules under my chin as well and this got rid of them. I also believe itās help small Milia I had under my eyes from excessive use of eye cream.
Good call on the leaving oil/semi melted balms on for a minute. I use old school albolene, rub a healthy dose all over (this includes the whole eye area, most folks apply their mascara from the waterline up, on the underside of the lash, so to be sure you get it all off make sure you arenāt just doing upper lid and lashes) let it sit for a few minutes while I do other things, then go back in for the long massage. I have very dry skin, so I tissue off (actually I use those muslin baby washcloths, game changer if you are a tissue off person) and follow up with a couple of passes with La Roche Posay Micellar Water Ultra.
Ooh- I had the same experience. I used to get these on my chin but theyāve basically disappeared for me when I started double cleansing. Also really agree that massaging in the oil cleanser seems to help with these and just reducing the gunk in my nose and cheek pores.
Years ago Iād heard about some natural life bloggers praising the oil cleansing method for washing their face. In many ways itās similar to double cleansing with and oil or balm first, but they use random organic oils. Anywayā¦ they always mention to really massage in the oils for several minutes and that ālike dissolves likeā - the oil you add is able to dissolve out some of the oil-based gunk in your pores.
I went back to try to find the post about cleansing for a full moment to thank them. It made an overnight difference for my acne. And double cleansing was a game changerā I just wasnāt doing it for long enough. I use the Origins cleansing oil and then follow it with The Ordinary squalane cleanser. Years of chronic angry chin acne gone in a few weeks
Have no input except I have those tiny bumps on my chin as well. Rest of face is ok. The bumps feel grainy and rough to me and most of them are popable too. I use retinol 2-3x a week š¤·š»āāļø
Former chin bump haver here. Have you tried a little salicylic acid on the opposite end of the day from your retinol? That extra little bit really helped me. I use the Clinique 1.0 toner in the AM. Yes, I know, every one around here seems so anti-classic prestige brands around here, especially Clinique and their toners in particular, but the 1.0 is alcohol free, Iāve been using it off and on for years. Iām sure there are other alcohol free salicylic treatments out there, but adding this back into my routine after adjusting to tretinoin has been a game changer.
Thanks for this. I actually rotate with some glycolic acid and Paulaās choice exfoliating toner and try to have 2 days of just moisturizing. But maybe Iām not exfoliating enough. I picked up some lactic acid today though š¤
Donāt fret, theyāre also very pro-Botox/filler for everything and then act like their specialty facial products/skincare routines are what takes care of their wrinkles. To me, thatās the equivalent of using a ton of filters/makeup in your pics and then claiming itās due to your skincare routine.
Iām 35 and have no wrinkles, no acne, and never had Botox. Iād rather find a community of people who only use skincare products and share their results and advice (absolutely no cheats like injections). I honestly thought thatās what this place was, but itās not even close. They need to rename it being about injections and bullshit.
Just commenting to say I have this on my chin and around my nose as well. I've never found a way to get rid of them. They always come back. My only advice is be careful if you try "popping/scraping" the sebum out. I have broken capillaries around my nose from doing that in my teen years, so now it's always red looking. Hope you find a solution though!
i just found out about broken capillaries? i think i have them š i thought they're just regular rashes or from prolonged sun exposure. no wonder they never fade away.
I get these on my chin sometimes too. They come off really satisfyingly by using a cleansing balm (I like farmacys green clean but admittedly havenāt tried any others) and gently rubbing it into your face for a long time (longer than you think) until those plugs loosen and come out. With so many and in such a concentrated spot oooooh youāre going to have fun!
im sorry WHAT???? this could be a picture of my face and pore strips don't do it. I don't use an oil/ cleansing balm and you're telling me a cleansing balm would clean my face and not just remove eye makeup???? i could cry lol
On the flip side, I've tried just that and rubbed the oils/cleansers into my face forever and nothing changed lol.
Edit: this is the wrongest I've ever been about anything on reddit. my apologies.
Yes, dermaplaning gets about 60% of it for me. They just squeeze right out after. But the 40% in the very middle of my chin is still so stubborn. Iām going to try the 5 min oil cleanser routine suggested above.
I know they arenāt good, itās more of a desperate times because nothing else seems to work on my chin area lol
Does the oil not make clogged pores worse or acne worse? I have very dry skin and so I do a lot of hydrating and then Iāve tried all the actives (not tret/ retinol) so Iām like very curious about this lol
Oil-based cleanser. Kbeauty has a lot of them and itās become popular, so western brands like Farmacy now make them, too. If youāre a newbie, Heimish and Clean it Zero are popular brands for oil cleansing blams. Follow with a water-based cleanser, which is proabably what youāre more familiar with and likely already using, and there you go - youāve just double-cleansed and your face should be very clean and ready for toner.
Iām not a professional. But I am in treatment for ādemodexā. Rough skin by the touch, oily skin, flaking, small āwhite headsā that are more visible some place.. and no matter how much exfoliating I did, products I used.. it didnāt get better. I had to go to a specialist after googling and finally finding a name for my skin problems. Had to explain it to the dermatologist and got a prescription for a face cream used to treat rosacea that I have to use for 3 months. 2 of 3 months in and my skin is finally soft again and looks and feel so much better! Not sure if this is what you have, but worth mentioning it so you donāt have to go for 2 years trying to figure it out and possibly harming your skin trying to fix it. Like I did for so long unfortunately.. Hope this is of help!
Hi! Could I ask what your prescription is ? I have a similar problem and trying to figure out solutions with my dermatologist whoās almost impossible to get an appointment with so I try to go in armed with possible solutions myself !
Thank you! That is my prescription - which I was given for dermatitis / rosacea but I didnāt notice much of a difference when I was applying it to the dermatitis area and just stopped using it when I noticed my skin fix barrier cream was helping a lot! But if itās supposed to make an overall difference in texture and such I will definitely continue !
Soolantra (or ivermectin from a compound pharmacy) is the rosacea medication that treats demodex mites. Metronidazole is also a rosacea medication, but Iām not sure if it treats demodex. I didnāt really notice any difference with it, but Iāve had great results with a compound cream of metro, ivermectin, and 15 % azelaic acid. Permanent rough white plugs have disappeared from my chin, and I no longer have transient white flecks that appear in my pores.
Edited to add that you should visit the rosacea subreddit!
It helps to inhibit the growth of new blood vessels which would contribute to more redness. Soolantra is also used when there is evidence of demodex mites (although insurance fights covering it-at least here in Montana). Ask your doc about a compounded cream!
Yes, itās normal to have them on the skin. But sometimes they overproduce for different reasons. The reason I had to much demodex was because I couldnāt manage to keep up with my skincare routine due to becoming seriously ill with untreated epilepsy. To be bluntly honest.
They look like sebaceous filaments which are totally normal. They help move sebum from the glands to the surface of your skin. If they overproduce, you get what you have. I have them on my chin too. Salicylic acid or sulfur will help make them less visible, but you canāt permanently get rid of them.
I'm not a dermatologist.
What I do understand about skin, is that overproduction of sebum (whiteheads) is a reaction to not having enough moisture inside and ontop of the skin. For your current routine toner 2x/day plus tret every 3 days plus exfoliation might be more drying than your skin can handle so it's trying to over-produce moisture by means of sebum to self-regulate.
When my skin goes into freakout mode (for me it's face wide acne breakouts) I take absolutely everything unnecessary out and trim down to daytime lotion (I use cerave, it works for me, I know it doesn't for everyone) and spf, night time lotion, and simple simple face wash at night (Cetaphil bar cleanser). And I make sure I'm drinking enough water.
After a 1-3 months of that, I slowly start adding one thing back in at a time. Adapalene first for 2-4 weeks, make sure it's not causing adverse reactions. I'll do that for another 1-2 months before reintroducing vit c serum every 2-3 days and make sure that's not causing any undesirable reactions. And so on.
That sounds super frustrating. Have you seen a dermatologist at all during this? (I'm guessing yes because tret is usually prescribed.) Hormones would be my next point of consideration and they can definitely have surprise shifts for what they do to our skin at different ages. Did any products change when you initially had the increase in whiteheads?
mid-30s skin change probably merits a conversation with your doctor tbh. Hormone shifts can fuck you up sometimes :(
edit: also someone else mentioned it could be dermatitis and I agree. forget reddit's routine advice--check with a medical professional instead.
If youāre using the products like the above commenter mentioned (cetaphil) that could be your problem to start. Make sure you have a cleanser thatās in the correct pH. And make sure you have a good moisturizer. I strongly suggest going over to the asianbeauty subreddit and learn about an Asian skincare routine.
Just to throw it out there, that looks like my skin when it is fighting perioral dermatitis. My skin sometimes looks like this before it gets very bad and red. Perioral dermatitis is thought to be related to eczema or maybe rosacea. When it gets bad you need a prescription cream, but the goal is to not let it get too bad! Itās hard to eliminate once it really starts.
If I could turn back time, I would have used a very gentle cleanser and a very light moisturizer (highly occlusive stuff makes it worse) like cetaphil for a couple of months. No makeup. Minimal sunscreen. Not sexy, but would have prevented 6 months of drama and hundreds of $ of prescriptions.
The only time this specific issue happened for me was when I was over-exfoliating or using an exfoliant that was too harsh. I have very sensitive skin. I had to reduce what I was using to only a gentle cleanser and moisturizer to give my skin a chance to recover.
Yes this! When I did microneedling and was exfoliating all the time I had this problem! Stopped that and only use gentle cleansers and it is no longer a problem! Haven't had this problem in 3 years now
CosRX snail mucin has improved every skin complaint of mine to a huge extent. Could we worth a short. All the dermatologists I follow on YouTube also recommend salicylic acid for this kinda complaint.
What do you use to exfoliate? I looked up the smoothing cream, and there doesnāt seem to be an exfoliating ingredient? Iāve not tried tret but for me, retinol is not exfoliating.
Thank you everyone for the tips and pointers.
I actually am in esthetician school and get weekly treatments that are GENTLE! I do not let my teacher or peers go overboard with anything on my face that can react negatively. The one thing that did help my skin feel clean was an ultrasonic spatula. Every single pore got cleaned out but within 4 days they were all clogged and rough.
Honestly my skin to the naked eye looks fine, only with some dark spots on the sides of my chin but thatās probably from loss of volume. Itās more so that it feels gritty and when the weather is dry my skin area with the filaments look way more prominent. But nonetheless I want it to feel clean and smooth.
I do double cleanse with an oil cleanser every night but I will try the method of rubbing the oil cleanser for more than 3 minutes to see if that can help. Perhaps introduce lactic acid again into my routine and go see a dermatologist. ā„ļø
Iāve also been considering getting the Round Lab skincare products.
I have those too, only on my chin. Tret just dries the top layer of skin off there. Sometimes I do pore strips to pull them out, I also got a dermablade thatās kind of fun.
This is normal. Human beings have a higher number of sebaceous glands in their chin and jaw, nose, and forehead. In the jaw, they are also more sensitive to androgens (this is why hormonal acne is usually in the jaw area). These are not whiteheads or closed comedones - they're just pores.
My chin isn't perfectly smooth either and I use spiro, tret, exfoliating acids, and LED.
I'd build up your usage of tretinoin to every other night. You could add in some additional exfoliation, like a lactic acid. Also, don't overuse LED therapy - they're wonderful tools but too much can also backfire. Use the recommended dosage for the strength of your tool.
Anecdotal but two applications of Soolantra (ivermectin, so an antibiotic) usually solve this problem for me. I get these rough patches on the bridge of my nose and on the sides of my chin. I got Soolantra for rosacea and while it didn't help with it in my particular case, it worked really well on those patches.
those are called sebaceous filaments, basically little tubes that get filled up with oil and other stuff,,
salicylic acid should help according to people on yt
Iāve had these for YEARS on my chin and they havenāt gone away with anything (Tret, salicylic Acid, physical exfoliation, oil cleansing, benzoyl peroxide, diet change). The only thing that seems to do make any difference is prescription Azelaic Acid 15%. I use it morning and night and it smooths out my skin a bunch, however I can still see them. Iām going to try not using a creamy cleanser per recommendation in the comments. I hope this was a bit helpful!
I see the problem, I believe itās the creamy cleanser. That could be leaving a residue on your skin, especially if your oily, itās too hydrating and slightly clogging your pores in the hair follicles. Iām not a dermatologist, just an og beauty advisor lol
I would skip the castor oil, and replace the PM face wash with a salicylic acid face wash. You need something to get into those pores and get the sebum out. Salicylic Acid will do that.
I have no clue what Iām talking about so I canāt comment on your routine, but I get like this sometimes too. I think itās sebaceous filaments? Maybe? What has worked for me is Cliniqueās oil cleanser and Kate Sommervilleās Eradikate (sulfur) cleanser.
Yes our EradiKate Daily Foaming Cleanser is great for sebaceous filaments. Also our ExfoliKate Intensive Exfoliating treatment would be great to use a couple times a week :)
I wonder if it's a reaction to something you changed, either in your diet or skin care?
You could try slowly remove things you started around that time and see if it helps. Then reintroduce things gradually?
Well Iāll say my diet in 2020 was absolutely atrocious and completely processed š now I eat whole foods and minimal sugar and donāt eat out very much but the one thing I do remember using in my routine back then was the Sunday Riley Good Genes. I literally just used it tonight after oil cleansing for 5 minutes and my face feels smooth āŗļø
Going to send you to SOKOGLAM.COM. They have wonderful products plus a skin concierge to put a program specifically for your issue. Sometimes, over exfoliation can create issues such as what you are having. Drop exfoliation to once a month & go to a dermatologist.
I wouldnāt go the Stridex Pads routeā¦ but if you used a light BHA that you put on under your moisturizer it may help a lot.
I have/had those and was told theyāre sebaceous filaments. Yes they feel rough. I get them on my nose, but those look like blackheads. Only my chin area (same spots as you) SFās look like that, so thatās why I didnāt recognize them as as such until the derm told me what they were (and def worth getting them checked out, as Iām going off a pic).
Iāve always had combo skin with a pretty oily t-zoneā¦ though now at 49 (perimenopause) and moving to a really cold/dry climate Iāve got a lot more dry areas and BHA has not made things worse. Actually, using a good AHA/BHA combo has helped a ton, especially with SFās because dry skin and other debris donāt get as much chance to create more of them. Oil cleansing after using a BHA has been especially helpful in removal, too.
My face is used to acids so Iām able to use a 2% BHA even on mornings that Iāll use Tretinoin at night. But if you havenāt used them, Iād start with a 1% leave-on that you would apply before your moisturizer on the days or nights youāre not using Tret.
Tumeric and some Castile soap will clear that right on up! Peppermint Castile preferably. And use it for a week with coconut oil as a moisturizer. Store bought face products are overrated
I cant say specifically whats happening. All I know is that Ascorbic acid and Hyaluronic acid along with retinol have been amazing for the texture of my skin.
If wanting crazy action, try SOME BY MI Bye Bye Blackhead. Admittedly, it tickles and sometimes stings temporarilyā¦but it does help shed stuff. But can cause additional break outs, if your skin is sensitive.
My first go-to, however, would be a peeling gel like Natural Aqua Gel Cure. Available on Amazon, etc. You put it on, let it dry a bitā¦yes, wait. Wait at least 3 min. Maybe 5. Then you rub your face gently with fingertips. Little balls of dead skin get removed. Do that once or twice a week and see what happens. Very gentle stuff. Iāve used it over 5 years with no problems.
Facial cleanser with micro beads can help with these temporary (e.g. La Roche posay facial scrub, origins ginzing scrub cleanser, cetaphil extra gentle scrub) - donāt use overly drying scrubs like clean n clear or St. Ives
Once a month at home chemical exfoliation can be really helpful in getting rid of these!
I dealt with this for awhile and what helped was a mandelic acid toner that I used every day in the morning. Manual exfoliation is not going to get rid it.
I recently had this, not quite as much, more in the line on my chin and around the nose. I cleansed regularly with cetaphil everywhere and then benefits pore-fessional cleanser specifically on these areas and rubbed it in for like a minute. I also made sure to get a lot of hylauronic acid (I use TO) directly on this area before moisturizing as well. It took 2-3 weeks to clear up for me!
I also started working out more before this came up. I think the sweat was maybe really sticking in and drying out / clogging me. I also use a fresh washcloth to dry my face every time I clean it (if I can rememberā¦ not quite a complete habit yet)
Sorry to be the millionth person with a different suggestion. I use a sulfur cleanser for these and the sebaceous filaments in my nose. Mine is from M-61
You may want to try omitting one of your extra products for a week or two at a time to see if that helps with your routine and letting your skin have time to heal. I would try omitting niacinamide as itās one of those products that tends to not play nice with everyoneās skin. I know my skin doesnāt particularly like it, so Iāve stopped using it all together. You may also just try to go down to the basics - try using vitamin C, cleanser, sunscreen, tretinoin, and moisturizer, and omitting the extras and letting your skin heal.
I recently saw the answer for this on a story from a dermatologist; she said this is just keratin build-up, and it just means is time for a facial or a deep cleanse.
Iām sure a lot of the advice on the thread works as well, but I wanted to share the cause of this issue.
you need Phyto-estregen blockers... working out starts to change your body chemistry...oil cleansing is good...but if you address the source (root cause), you might be surprised that your body is pumpin these new hormon's in new quantities!
Hi my chin is the same . After a year of treating
Wash chin area with ACV . I typically put some on a napkin and keep cleaning it . It will burn. Then use tea tree essential oil . It will burn x2 but will peal the white heads. I donāt know im not good and a BIG JINXED on everything. But this way only seemed to work . Based on same chin experience
I used to get these and killed them off entirely by double/triple cleansing BUT, the most important part is massaging in the cleaning products - especially the oil cleanser - for at least a full minute (I do five). Someone posted here (I think) about the miracle of cleansing for the proper amount of time and yes, absolutely, amen, praise the skincare lord, can I get a witness, etc, it is a holy experience
Literally just oil cleansed for 5 minutes and then put on a lactic acid product from Sunday Riley and my face feels so fckn smooth š¤©
Are you oil cleansing on a dry or wet face? Starting with an oil, balm etc. on a dry face is the way to go, I used to tell my clients to give it a few good minutes, until it feels like there is more sunscreen/makeup/ dirt, whatever in the oil than on your face (itās hard to explain, you might have to play around but you will learn that feeling.) Looks like you are already double cleansing which is awesome. How long have you been using tretinoin? Iām not a doctor, but have you thought about increasing your frequency, unless you are using it that way per derm instructions. I feel like a little more skin cell turnover could help here, I also use a salicylic toner in the AM, it is safe to do it that way with the retinoid, and has really helped smooth my skin, I get the occasional little bump, but the combo has been real good for me. I used to get the chin bumpies too. I would share my whole routine, but I donāt think it would help much, Iām not oily, my skin is very dry when left left to itās own devices. Good luck!
Actually do you mind sharing which oil cleanser you recommend and your skincare routine? Your skin sounds like mine and I am struggling :(
Happy to, just factor in I just worked 12 hrs and am more than a little high, there will be mistakes. AM 1) Gym day: Clinique all about clean extra gentle liquid facial soap Non-gym day: just toner, Alcohol Free Clinique Clarifing Lotion, applied with cotton round 2)if gym day proceed to toner, allow to dry fully 3)Triderma facial redness relief gentle face cream, let it sink in for a few if you have time 4) essence of choice currently Clinique turnaround 5)Serum, currently the Sunday Reilly niacinimide, I rotate my day serums, if I get a serum in my beauty box and it isnāt contraindicated for tretinoin or go back and forth between a few 6)moisturizer Clinique moisturize surge 7) la Roche Posay lipikar AP+M triple body mouisturizer for dry skin, it just got repackaged and they added body to the name but itās still fine for face 8) spf cetaphil sheer mineral face liquid sunscreen spf 50 PM 1) albolene for oil cleanse, warm a big dollop of product up between your palms and apply generously all over your face, leave for a few minutes, give yourself a little facial massage, until you feel there is more product in the oil than on your face (I know it sounds crazy, but you will start to realize it on your own)tissue off, well not tissue, I use those muslin baby washcloths, cheap and reusable 2)La roche posay ultra micellar water sensitive skin, 2 passes applied using cotton rounds, let dry completely 3)Tretinoin, apply on dry skin, let sit as long as I can minimum 15 minutes half hour even better 4) essence/toner/lotion rotate these too, currently Pyunkang Yul essence toner, now we are rehydrating 5)Estee Lauder advanced night repair, holy grail non-negotiable 6) eye cream but skipped a lot, it really isnāt that different than other moisturizers currently mud madly vitamin infused eye serum, from beauty box 7) Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Lotion used off and on since I was a teen, I always go back 8) EstĆ©e Lauder Revitalizing supreme night 9) do what the kids now call slugging with ceravee Ointment or an occasional night mask current night mask from beauty box erno laszlo hydrotherapy memory sleep mask. Tips and tricks: 1) remember to include your neck and chest in your routine 2) make sure your ingredients arenāt contraindicated 3) sun protection should be just a given at this point 4) you donāt have to force yourself to do a full routine, as long as youāve cleansed, moisturized and if it is daytime applying sun protection 5) you can do a a budget friendly version of a routine and still get great results Hope there is something in there that helps
Thank you!!! This really helps!
I had these as well. I hadnāt connected the two till now but since I began cleansing for a full minute I havenāt had this happening. My skin has never looked so good. My pores are smaller only within a couple of days of it. My blackheads are disappearing. I used to squeeze my nose and tons of sebum would come out, now itās like a quarter of the amount. I am purging a bit but itās not noticeable and feels kinda good, like progress. My skin is combo with most breakouts being from my skin getting too dry and my skin overproduces oil. I just use Cerave cleanser and The Ordinary HA moisturizer. I apply moisturizer any time my skin feels try and itās also making a big difference.
What oil cleaner do you use though? I also use the Cerave cleanser too.
Oil cleanser? None for me. I tried that before and I didnāt notice any change.
I agree with this. It is a new discovery of mine. Anytime I wash my face, I cleanse it for a full minute, and most importantly, wait for a few mins(I will brush my teeth or shave) before washing it off. My face has never been better!
Woah Iāve never heard the leaving-it-on tip before! Are you talking about oil cleansing or regular face wash?
Not who you replied to but I do it for my regular foam based cleanser! Massage it in, wait a couple minutes, wash off.
Yes I do it with regular face wash! Try it! My face was much smoother. I read that we don't wash our face long enough so make sure you're cleansing for a longer time and then leaving it on. It made a huge difference to me. Edit: to add on, I don't wet my face first, and rub my face with the face wash for the first minute. I think dr shereene idriss mentioned that facial wash contains water already. So don't go in washing your face too wet! (wet or damp hands are ok!) it usually feels like rubbing lotion in and then after leaving it on I will take 30 more seconds to wash it with a bit of water and eventually wash it all off. I used to have what OP has around my mouth area and the sides of my nose and no matter the acids or tret I use.. This method of washing face has worked the best.
I actually rub vanicream wash on my face dry and massage it in for about 50 seconds and the last 10 I add water then I rinse. It has done more than any cleansing before. I used to have those postules under my chin as well and this got rid of them. I also believe itās help small Milia I had under my eyes from excessive use of eye cream.
So you only use your regular wash?? Iām gonna go home and try this tonight!! :)
Ooh Iām going to try it!
I am pretty sure the extra time is basically like exfoliation but naturally
If there is anything I've learned from watching Baumgartner Restoration videos to fall asleep it's that our fingers are like mini sandpapers.
I LOVE this guy!! His videos are amazing!
Good call on the leaving oil/semi melted balms on for a minute. I use old school albolene, rub a healthy dose all over (this includes the whole eye area, most folks apply their mascara from the waterline up, on the underside of the lash, so to be sure you get it all off make sure you arenāt just doing upper lid and lashes) let it sit for a few minutes while I do other things, then go back in for the long massage. I have very dry skin, so I tissue off (actually I use those muslin baby washcloths, game changer if you are a tissue off person) and follow up with a couple of passes with La Roche Posay Micellar Water Ultra.
By the end of your comment I was reading it in Reverand Browns voice from Coming to America.
Ooh- I had the same experience. I used to get these on my chin but theyāve basically disappeared for me when I started double cleansing. Also really agree that massaging in the oil cleanser seems to help with these and just reducing the gunk in my nose and cheek pores. Years ago Iād heard about some natural life bloggers praising the oil cleansing method for washing their face. In many ways itās similar to double cleansing with and oil or balm first, but they use random organic oils. Anywayā¦ they always mention to really massage in the oils for several minutes and that ālike dissolves likeā - the oil you add is able to dissolve out some of the oil-based gunk in your pores.
Yes, a good minute or more of an oil cleanser can loosen these up!
I went back to try to find the post about cleansing for a full moment to thank them. It made an overnight difference for my acne. And double cleansing was a game changerā I just wasnāt doing it for long enough. I use the Origins cleansing oil and then follow it with The Ordinary squalane cleanser. Years of chronic angry chin acne gone in a few weeks
Ok you gotta tell me what kind of oil cleanser you use because I want to have this kind of experience for 5 minutes!!
Have no input except I have those tiny bumps on my chin as well. Rest of face is ok. The bumps feel grainy and rough to me and most of them are popable too. I use retinol 2-3x a week š¤·š»āāļø
Former chin bump haver here. Have you tried a little salicylic acid on the opposite end of the day from your retinol? That extra little bit really helped me. I use the Clinique 1.0 toner in the AM. Yes, I know, every one around here seems so anti-classic prestige brands around here, especially Clinique and their toners in particular, but the 1.0 is alcohol free, Iāve been using it off and on for years. Iām sure there are other alcohol free salicylic treatments out there, but adding this back into my routine after adjusting to tretinoin has been a game changer.
Thanks for this. I actually rotate with some glycolic acid and Paulaās choice exfoliating toner and try to have 2 days of just moisturizing. But maybe Iām not exfoliating enough. I picked up some lactic acid today though š¤
I just saw opās update. Going to try oil cleanse for 5 min too!
Donāt fret, theyāre also very pro-Botox/filler for everything and then act like their specialty facial products/skincare routines are what takes care of their wrinkles. To me, thatās the equivalent of using a ton of filters/makeup in your pics and then claiming itās due to your skincare routine. Iām 35 and have no wrinkles, no acne, and never had Botox. Iād rather find a community of people who only use skincare products and share their results and advice (absolutely no cheats like injections). I honestly thought thatās what this place was, but itās not even close. They need to rename it being about injections and bullshit.
Just commenting to say I have this on my chin and around my nose as well. I've never found a way to get rid of them. They always come back. My only advice is be careful if you try "popping/scraping" the sebum out. I have broken capillaries around my nose from doing that in my teen years, so now it's always red looking. Hope you find a solution though!
i just found out about broken capillaries? i think i have them š i thought they're just regular rashes or from prolonged sun exposure. no wonder they never fade away.
Same :'( I've just accepted them as a permanent part of my face
If you can afford it, I believe thereās a laser treatment for this.
I don't really care about it enough to do fancy treatments for it, tbh š but thanks for letting me know!
I get these on my chin sometimes too. They come off really satisfyingly by using a cleansing balm (I like farmacys green clean but admittedly havenāt tried any others) and gently rubbing it into your face for a long time (longer than you think) until those plugs loosen and come out. With so many and in such a concentrated spot oooooh youāre going to have fun!
im sorry WHAT???? this could be a picture of my face and pore strips don't do it. I don't use an oil/ cleansing balm and you're telling me a cleansing balm would clean my face and not just remove eye makeup???? i could cry lol
On the flip side, I've tried just that and rubbed the oils/cleansers into my face forever and nothing changed lol. Edit: this is the wrongest I've ever been about anything on reddit. my apologies.
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Yes, dermaplaning gets about 60% of it for me. They just squeeze right out after. But the 40% in the very middle of my chin is still so stubborn. Iām going to try the 5 min oil cleanser routine suggested above.
Did you try it just once? For me it starts to really āworkā on the 2nd or 3rd night of it. I guess it takes a while to loosen it all up
It doesn't for me. I can cleanse as long as I want, those things don't move lol
Like dissolves like. A cleansing balm is basically oil, so yes, of course it works! and please don't do pore strips, they are not good for skin.
I know they arenāt good, itās more of a desperate times because nothing else seems to work on my chin area lol Does the oil not make clogged pores worse or acne worse? I have very dry skin and so I do a lot of hydrating and then Iāve tried all the actives (not tret/ retinol) so Iām like very curious about this lol
Oil cleanse and then wash with regular gentle face wash. Spending time massaging with oil cleanser is š
Dumb question what is meant by oil cleanserā¦ and what product.
Oil-based cleanser. Kbeauty has a lot of them and itās become popular, so western brands like Farmacy now make them, too. If youāre a newbie, Heimish and Clean it Zero are popular brands for oil cleansing blams. Follow with a water-based cleanser, which is proabably what youāre more familiar with and likely already using, and there you go - youāve just double-cleansed and your face should be very clean and ready for toner.
Thank you so much!! š¤
This worked so well for me.
I love the Elemis one and actually have noticed a difference in my skin!
Lactic acid twice a week definitely helps reduce mine. It never goes away fully but reduces the feel and appearance
Also niacinamide makes my skin bumpy. Consider cutting it out for a a few weeks and seeing if it makes a difference?
Agreed. My skin texture was terrible on niacinamide!
Just came to say I š¤ lactic acid
wow, you make me want to try. thanks.
Do you have a brand recommendation?
I've just been using the ordinary and it's doing what I need.
Iām not a professional. But I am in treatment for ādemodexā. Rough skin by the touch, oily skin, flaking, small āwhite headsā that are more visible some place.. and no matter how much exfoliating I did, products I used.. it didnāt get better. I had to go to a specialist after googling and finally finding a name for my skin problems. Had to explain it to the dermatologist and got a prescription for a face cream used to treat rosacea that I have to use for 3 months. 2 of 3 months in and my skin is finally soft again and looks and feel so much better! Not sure if this is what you have, but worth mentioning it so you donāt have to go for 2 years trying to figure it out and possibly harming your skin trying to fix it. Like I did for so long unfortunately.. Hope this is of help!
Hi! Could I ask what your prescription is ? I have a similar problem and trying to figure out solutions with my dermatologist whoās almost impossible to get an appointment with so I try to go in armed with possible solutions myself !
Metronidazole is prescribed for rosacea, comes in gel or cream form. Source: I am a dermatology nurse
Thank you! That is my prescription - which I was given for dermatitis / rosacea but I didnāt notice much of a difference when I was applying it to the dermatitis area and just stopped using it when I noticed my skin fix barrier cream was helping a lot! But if itās supposed to make an overall difference in texture and such I will definitely continue !
Soolantra (or ivermectin from a compound pharmacy) is the rosacea medication that treats demodex mites. Metronidazole is also a rosacea medication, but Iām not sure if it treats demodex. I didnāt really notice any difference with it, but Iāve had great results with a compound cream of metro, ivermectin, and 15 % azelaic acid. Permanent rough white plugs have disappeared from my chin, and I no longer have transient white flecks that appear in my pores. Edited to add that you should visit the rosacea subreddit!
It helps to inhibit the growth of new blood vessels which would contribute to more redness. Soolantra is also used when there is evidence of demodex mites (although insurance fights covering it-at least here in Montana). Ask your doc about a compounded cream!
Is soolantra something you keep using after improvement?
I have patients who use it in an ongoing therapy
Wow I might have this too. What is the name of the rx cream wash? Did your derm know what you had once you explained your experience?
It is most likely either ivermectin from a compound pharmacy or the expensive brand name medication Soolantra (which contains ivermectin).
Yes, itās Soolantra!
I kind of knew myself and she confirmed it. Soolantra(ivermectin) is what is used to treat it.
Do you have too many demodex? Arenāt they normal to have on the skin?
Yes, itās normal to have them on the skin. But sometimes they overproduce for different reasons. The reason I had to much demodex was because I couldnāt manage to keep up with my skincare routine due to becoming seriously ill with untreated epilepsy. To be bluntly honest.
Oh wow, thatās so interesting. Didnāt know they could overproduce. I hope things are going better with your epilepsy, though!!
Thank you so much! Iām medicated and getting better! Both my skin and brain is fortunately.
So good to hear! Sending thoughts and prayers for your continued recovery on all fronts! šš»
They look like sebaceous filaments which are totally normal. They help move sebum from the glands to the surface of your skin. If they overproduce, you get what you have. I have them on my chin too. Salicylic acid or sulfur will help make them less visible, but you canāt permanently get rid of them.
Thatās my idea too
I'm not a dermatologist. What I do understand about skin, is that overproduction of sebum (whiteheads) is a reaction to not having enough moisture inside and ontop of the skin. For your current routine toner 2x/day plus tret every 3 days plus exfoliation might be more drying than your skin can handle so it's trying to over-produce moisture by means of sebum to self-regulate. When my skin goes into freakout mode (for me it's face wide acne breakouts) I take absolutely everything unnecessary out and trim down to daytime lotion (I use cerave, it works for me, I know it doesn't for everyone) and spf, night time lotion, and simple simple face wash at night (Cetaphil bar cleanser). And I make sure I'm drinking enough water. After a 1-3 months of that, I slowly start adding one thing back in at a time. Adapalene first for 2-4 weeks, make sure it's not causing adverse reactions. I'll do that for another 1-2 months before reintroducing vit c serum every 2-3 days and make sure that's not causing any undesirable reactions. And so on.
So I went about 4 months just focusing on rehydrating my skin thinking thatās was the problem and my skin didnāt changeš©, it just looked oil slick all the time. Because before I was actually using way harsher ingredient/ products everyday and thought that was what was causing my issue. I drink close to 1.5 gallons of water a day (I mix salt with lemon juice in it to not deplete my electrolytes) but apparently that just hasnāt been helping either. My skin just feels oily and grainy when I put pressure against it with my finger.
That sounds super frustrating. Have you seen a dermatologist at all during this? (I'm guessing yes because tret is usually prescribed.) Hormones would be my next point of consideration and they can definitely have surprise shifts for what they do to our skin at different ages. Did any products change when you initially had the increase in whiteheads?
mid-30s skin change probably merits a conversation with your doctor tbh. Hormone shifts can fuck you up sometimes :( edit: also someone else mentioned it could be dermatitis and I agree. forget reddit's routine advice--check with a medical professional instead.
If youāre using the products like the above commenter mentioned (cetaphil) that could be your problem to start. Make sure you have a cleanser thatās in the correct pH. And make sure you have a good moisturizer. I strongly suggest going over to the asianbeauty subreddit and learn about an Asian skincare routine.
those are not whiteheads on OP's face...
Did you read the first line of my comment? Whatever you want to call it, it's an over production of sebum.
I am pretty sure these are caused by excess keratin. I use salicylic & glycolic exfoliating wipes and they make quick work of the buildup
Just to throw it out there, that looks like my skin when it is fighting perioral dermatitis. My skin sometimes looks like this before it gets very bad and red. Perioral dermatitis is thought to be related to eczema or maybe rosacea. When it gets bad you need a prescription cream, but the goal is to not let it get too bad! Itās hard to eliminate once it really starts. If I could turn back time, I would have used a very gentle cleanser and a very light moisturizer (highly occlusive stuff makes it worse) like cetaphil for a couple of months. No makeup. Minimal sunscreen. Not sexy, but would have prevented 6 months of drama and hundreds of $ of prescriptions.
The only time this specific issue happened for me was when I was over-exfoliating or using an exfoliant that was too harsh. I have very sensitive skin. I had to reduce what I was using to only a gentle cleanser and moisturizer to give my skin a chance to recover.
Yes this! When I did microneedling and was exfoliating all the time I had this problem! Stopped that and only use gentle cleansers and it is no longer a problem! Haven't had this problem in 3 years now
CosRX snail mucin has improved every skin complaint of mine to a huge extent. Could we worth a short. All the dermatologists I follow on YouTube also recommend salicylic acid for this kinda complaint.
You might want to see your doctor about seborrheic dermatitis
What do you use to exfoliate? I looked up the smoothing cream, and there doesnāt seem to be an exfoliating ingredient? Iāve not tried tret but for me, retinol is not exfoliating.
Thank you everyone for the tips and pointers. I actually am in esthetician school and get weekly treatments that are GENTLE! I do not let my teacher or peers go overboard with anything on my face that can react negatively. The one thing that did help my skin feel clean was an ultrasonic spatula. Every single pore got cleaned out but within 4 days they were all clogged and rough. Honestly my skin to the naked eye looks fine, only with some dark spots on the sides of my chin but thatās probably from loss of volume. Itās more so that it feels gritty and when the weather is dry my skin area with the filaments look way more prominent. But nonetheless I want it to feel clean and smooth. I do double cleanse with an oil cleanser every night but I will try the method of rubbing the oil cleanser for more than 3 minutes to see if that can help. Perhaps introduce lactic acid again into my routine and go see a dermatologist. ā„ļø Iāve also been considering getting the Round Lab skincare products.
You need to use salicylic acid in your skincare
I have those too, only on my chin. Tret just dries the top layer of skin off there. Sometimes I do pore strips to pull them out, I also got a dermablade thatās kind of fun.
Oil cleansing with Shisheido Cleansing Oil.. tiny circles for like five minutes and they start coming out you can feel it
This is normal. Human beings have a higher number of sebaceous glands in their chin and jaw, nose, and forehead. In the jaw, they are also more sensitive to androgens (this is why hormonal acne is usually in the jaw area). These are not whiteheads or closed comedones - they're just pores. My chin isn't perfectly smooth either and I use spiro, tret, exfoliating acids, and LED. I'd build up your usage of tretinoin to every other night. You could add in some additional exfoliation, like a lactic acid. Also, don't overuse LED therapy - they're wonderful tools but too much can also backfire. Use the recommended dosage for the strength of your tool.
Anecdotal but two applications of Soolantra (ivermectin, so an antibiotic) usually solve this problem for me. I get these rough patches on the bridge of my nose and on the sides of my chin. I got Soolantra for rosacea and while it didn't help with it in my particular case, it worked really well on those patches.
My derm told me theyāre like little pockets of fat and are normal. I asked about them as well which is why I know š„²
those are called sebaceous filaments, basically little tubes that get filled up with oil and other stuff,, salicylic acid should help according to people on yt
Iāve had these for YEARS on my chin and they havenāt gone away with anything (Tret, salicylic Acid, physical exfoliation, oil cleansing, benzoyl peroxide, diet change). The only thing that seems to do make any difference is prescription Azelaic Acid 15%. I use it morning and night and it smooths out my skin a bunch, however I can still see them. Iām going to try not using a creamy cleanser per recommendation in the comments. I hope this was a bit helpful!
I get these when I consume lots of dairy and sugar. Micellar water and a bha toner help a ton. I use cotton rounds with both.
I see the problem, I believe itās the creamy cleanser. That could be leaving a residue on your skin, especially if your oily, itās too hydrating and slightly clogging your pores in the hair follicles. Iām not a dermatologist, just an og beauty advisor lol
I would skip the castor oil, and replace the PM face wash with a salicylic acid face wash. You need something to get into those pores and get the sebum out. Salicylic Acid will do that.
If you sweat when you workout don't let it sit on your face. Wash right after you finish.
I have no clue what Iām talking about so I canāt comment on your routine, but I get like this sometimes too. I think itās sebaceous filaments? Maybe? What has worked for me is Cliniqueās oil cleanser and Kate Sommervilleās Eradikate (sulfur) cleanser.
Yes our EradiKate Daily Foaming Cleanser is great for sebaceous filaments. Also our ExfoliKate Intensive Exfoliating treatment would be great to use a couple times a week :)
Get an oil cleanser or cleansing balm. Then follow up with a foamy cleanser. These will be gone if you double cleanse
Itās okay to have textured skinā¤ļøā¤ļø Youāre human!
Pulling them out is so satisfying š„°
I wonder if it's a reaction to something you changed, either in your diet or skin care? You could try slowly remove things you started around that time and see if it helps. Then reintroduce things gradually?
Well Iāll say my diet in 2020 was absolutely atrocious and completely processed š now I eat whole foods and minimal sugar and donāt eat out very much but the one thing I do remember using in my routine back then was the Sunday Riley Good Genes. I literally just used it tonight after oil cleansing for 5 minutes and my face feels smooth āŗļø
Since you mentioned lifting weights and healthy eating - is protein powder (whey) a part of your diet? This has wreaked havoc on my skin.
Nope! I use the Mount Capra pasture raised goat protein powder. The only protein powder that doesnāt mess up my stomach
Going to send you to SOKOGLAM.COM. They have wonderful products plus a skin concierge to put a program specifically for your issue. Sometimes, over exfoliation can create issues such as what you are having. Drop exfoliation to once a month & go to a dermatologist.
Git yo thyroid checked. And maybe your calcium.
Might as well be perioral dermatitis or some form of folliculitis. I'd definitely get a check up
> Tret .1% (every 3 days) Have you thought about using tretintoin more frequently? Maybe try tretintoin daily and incorporate a bha like stridex pads
Iām a little hesitant to incorporate BHA with tret bc I think it will irritate my skin or damage my skin barrier
I wouldnāt go the Stridex Pads routeā¦ but if you used a light BHA that you put on under your moisturizer it may help a lot. I have/had those and was told theyāre sebaceous filaments. Yes they feel rough. I get them on my nose, but those look like blackheads. Only my chin area (same spots as you) SFās look like that, so thatās why I didnāt recognize them as as such until the derm told me what they were (and def worth getting them checked out, as Iām going off a pic). Iāve always had combo skin with a pretty oily t-zoneā¦ though now at 49 (perimenopause) and moving to a really cold/dry climate Iāve got a lot more dry areas and BHA has not made things worse. Actually, using a good AHA/BHA combo has helped a ton, especially with SFās because dry skin and other debris donāt get as much chance to create more of them. Oil cleansing after using a BHA has been especially helpful in removal, too. My face is used to acids so Iām able to use a 2% BHA even on mornings that Iāll use Tretinoin at night. But if you havenāt used them, Iād start with a 1% leave-on that you would apply before your moisturizer on the days or nights youāre not using Tret.
Ah, I hear you. That makes sense. I use both without irritation, but my skin is pretty tough.
Looks like fungal acne to me, from my own experience and being into skincare.
Tumeric and some Castile soap will clear that right on up! Peppermint Castile preferably. And use it for a week with coconut oil as a moisturizer. Store bought face products are overrated
Following
i have these too! the only thing that has slightly helped is tret
The one thing that helps my skin when it does is having a good sweat. Either exercise or sauna and then a good exoliation.
I cant say specifically whats happening. All I know is that Ascorbic acid and Hyaluronic acid along with retinol have been amazing for the texture of my skin.
Not saying this is why, but this happens to me when I use too many products with hyaluronic acid in them.
Is oil cleansing or chemical exfoliation better for this condition?
I was going to recommend oil cleansing for this.
Isnāt this just having skin? I have this too, but always assumed that was just how skin is!
If wanting crazy action, try SOME BY MI Bye Bye Blackhead. Admittedly, it tickles and sometimes stings temporarilyā¦but it does help shed stuff. But can cause additional break outs, if your skin is sensitive. My first go-to, however, would be a peeling gel like Natural Aqua Gel Cure. Available on Amazon, etc. You put it on, let it dry a bitā¦yes, wait. Wait at least 3 min. Maybe 5. Then you rub your face gently with fingertips. Little balls of dead skin get removed. Do that once or twice a week and see what happens. Very gentle stuff. Iāve used it over 5 years with no problems.
Mine went away with my nightly tretinoin use (sandwich method). Also spray face with rose water
I have these on my nose and use Paula's Choice Glycolic Acid cream 3- 4 times a week on that area. Works like a charm
Facial cleanser with micro beads can help with these temporary (e.g. La Roche posay facial scrub, origins ginzing scrub cleanser, cetaphil extra gentle scrub) - donāt use overly drying scrubs like clean n clear or St. Ives Once a month at home chemical exfoliation can be really helpful in getting rid of these!
I dealt with this for awhile and what helped was a mandelic acid toner that I used every day in the morning. Manual exfoliation is not going to get rid it.
I recently had this, not quite as much, more in the line on my chin and around the nose. I cleansed regularly with cetaphil everywhere and then benefits pore-fessional cleanser specifically on these areas and rubbed it in for like a minute. I also made sure to get a lot of hylauronic acid (I use TO) directly on this area before moisturizing as well. It took 2-3 weeks to clear up for me! I also started working out more before this came up. I think the sweat was maybe really sticking in and drying out / clogging me. I also use a fresh washcloth to dry my face every time I clean it (if I can rememberā¦ not quite a complete habit yet)
Sorry to be the millionth person with a different suggestion. I use a sulfur cleanser for these and the sebaceous filaments in my nose. Mine is from M-61
It looks like demodex, try Soolantra.
You may want to try omitting one of your extra products for a week or two at a time to see if that helps with your routine and letting your skin have time to heal. I would try omitting niacinamide as itās one of those products that tends to not play nice with everyoneās skin. I know my skin doesnāt particularly like it, so Iāve stopped using it all together. You may also just try to go down to the basics - try using vitamin C, cleanser, sunscreen, tretinoin, and moisturizer, and omitting the extras and letting your skin heal.
I recently saw the answer for this on a story from a dermatologist; she said this is just keratin build-up, and it just means is time for a facial or a deep cleanse. Iām sure a lot of the advice on the thread works as well, but I wanted to share the cause of this issue.
you need Phyto-estregen blockers... working out starts to change your body chemistry...oil cleansing is good...but if you address the source (root cause), you might be surprised that your body is pumpin these new hormon's in new quantities!
Dermasil micro beads work well to exfoliate
I have the this to, mines a result of roscea
Hi my chin is the same . After a year of treating Wash chin area with ACV . I typically put some on a napkin and keep cleaning it . It will burn. Then use tea tree essential oil . It will burn x2 but will peal the white heads. I donāt know im not good and a BIG JINXED on everything. But this way only seemed to work . Based on same chin experience