Many women complain of having blackheads – with the nose being a particular problem area.
But now, a facialist has revealed that those marks might not be blackheads at all – but in fact tiny hairs needed to hydrate your skin.
Dermal therapist Michelle Cashen said many clients mistake ‘pore or sebaceous filaments’ for the dreaded pimples.
She warned that these should generally be left alone – adding that squeezing them can make pores appear ‘more prominent’.
Dermal therapist Michelle Cashen says many clients mistakenly think they have blackheads (file photo)
Speaking to the Metro, Michelle, who is based at the Privet Body salon in Notting Hill, explained how the sebaceous filaments perform a very important function.
‘The purpose of the pore is to contain oil and hydrate the skin,’ she said.
‘This is done via sebaceous filaments, which are tiny hairs that act like a bridge and help transport the oil to the surface of the skin.’
The facial expert said the size of pores are down to genetics, but said they can appear smaller when they are clear.
She said that ‘sebaceous filaments’ tend to be uniform in location while blackheads are slightly raised
‘The overuse of aggressive products, not exfoliating enough, and sometimes poor hygiene will result in more oil accumulation and subsequent stretching of the pore,’ Michelle explained.
Blackheads meanwhile tend to be ‘slightly raised’ and ‘not uniform in location’.
‘They are usually found in areas that produce excess oil and have enlarged pores, [such as the] nose, chin, back, and they’re normally grey/black in colour,’ she said.
Experts have previously warned against using peel-off masks to treat blackheads, as well as steaming.
Erica Parker, an aesthetician at Michael Todd Beauty, told FEMAIL: ‘The [product] stretches the skin unnaturally, causing inflammation and destroying skin’s elastic properties.’
Dermatologist Michael Freeman meanwhile has said that steaming should be avoided, as it dries out the skin and makes blood vessels stand out.
He said pore strips offer a temporary fix, but can leave the skin more sensitive to anything applied shorty after.