In this post I’ll explain how I discovered the viral hack for sebaceous filaments using La Roche Posay Cicaplast Baume B5 (this is not sponsored!).
If you’ve been googling how to get rid of sebaceous filaments on and off for years, you’re in the right place.
I’ll share my hack, the dermatologists who back it, which product to use, how it works and exactly how to do it.
What are sebaceous filaments?
So let’s start with this: did you know that sebaceous filaments can’t be removed?
Nope, there’s no way to remove them fully, they’re just a part of our face. So, let’s talk about why this Cicaplast hack can work to reduce their appearance overnight.
In order to understand how to remove sebaceous filaments, we need to understand what they are exactly. Sebaceous filaments are essentially hair follicles filled (sebaceous glands) with oil.
The filaments channel oil up to the surface of the skin and keep skin moist. This is why, even if you remove the oil, it’ll come straight back very quickly.
Sebaceous filaments vs blackheads
What’s the difference between sebaceous filaments and blackheads?
In comparison, a blackhead is physical ‘blob’ of sebum and dead skin cells, that can be removed and prevented from returning.
Blackheads form when a follicle is blocked with sebum and dead skin cells. Over time, if not removed, they turn black. Sebaceous filaments look very uniform and are not blockages.
You can tell them apart because sebaceous filaments usually cover the nose and chin evenly. The dots all tend to look the same. However, blackheads are all different sizes and colours.
What’s helped my sebaceous filaments so far
Over the years a few things have helped them look less obvious:
- Double cleansing, first with an oil cleanser then a water based cleanser. Check out my double cleansing tutorial here. This removes excess oil, but some naturally will always remain.
- Using a retinoid for years. This helps to refine the pore and reduce sebum production.
- Consistency
- Hydrating my skin rather than stripping it
Hydrating vs exfoliating
Whilst cleansing is certainly important to reduce the look of dilated (enlarged) pores, it’s important not to strip the skin too much.
One of the crucial lessons I learned a few years ago is that hydrated skin looks 1000x better than dehydrated, stripped skin. Everything from skin tone to acne marks and pore size looks better on a hydrated face.
Social media these days encourages a lot of exfoliation, often to the detriment of our skin’s appearance. If you don’t have a hydrating or nourishing product in your routine OTHER than moisturiser… you are probably guilty of this, too!
How does the viral sebaceous filaments hack work?
The theory behind it uses the same idea as above – hydrated, healthy skin looks more flawless than parched skin.
So if we hydrate the skin on our nose, then lock it all in, our pores might look smaller. Note – they won’t actually BE smaller, they’ll just look less noticeable.
Why Cicaplast Baume B5?
Truly, it doesn’t have to be Cicaplast. What I think La Roche Posay Cicaplast does so well in this scenario, is that it stops trans epidermal water loss. Basically, it not only adds water, but it’s very good at sealing it in.
In theory, another barrier cream might work, too. I have tried a few moisturisers and none of them are as effective, however.
Before trying this sebaceous filaments hack, I’ve been applying a dab extra moisturiser to my nose for a good few months.
I do this just before I go to bed, because my nose area produces more oil which is noticeable when I wake up. I find the right moisturiser prevents this from happening, and reduces the oiliness of the area.
Will Cicaplast clog pores?
It’s a valid question, as I don’t think Cicaplast is suitable for the whole face, for acne-prone people. If you’re calling out shea butter as comedogenic, I recommend reading my blog post on pore clogging ingredients.
I agree that the shea is probably problematic here, but it can’t truly be isolated to one ingredient. Where I can, I like to suggest reading that blog so you can develop a more nuanced view on “pore cloggers”.
Skin is not one homogenous mass. It’s a lot more common to break out on our cheeks, chin and forehead, than somewhere like our nose.
For the large majority of people, we could try a new product on our face and our nose would be spared from breakouts. This is because certain areas of the face respond differently, are more/less reactive and respond differently to hormones.
This is why I think Cicaplast is fine on the nose for most. Of course, this hack won’t work if you’re not also cleansing and/or exfoliating correctly.
Does Avene Cicalfate work for sebaceous filaments?
When I posted the hack on TikTok, lots of commenters asked if Avene Cicalfate would also work.
I initially speculated that it would, however when I tried it my experience was… awful to say the least!
Honestly I felt my pores looked way larger the next day. Perhaps it was just me, but that experience put me off the cream for life!
Cicaplast feels very soft and sinks in well, whereas Cicalfate felt super oily and sat on top of my skin.
How to do the sebaceous filaments hack: the method
It’s very simply to try this hack, you just need Cicaplast and your regular night time routine.
- Do your full evening routine, including moisturiser
- Allow the moisturiser to sink in
- Apply a small blob of Cicaplast to your nose and the sides of your nose. I recommend 1/4 of a pea size, it really doesn’t have to be a lot!
That’s it! Now you just go to sleep and see if it works for you in the morning.
How does it work without salicylic acid?
There were a few stitches explaining that the sebaceous filaments hack ‘can’t possibly’ work, and that it’s just another silly viral hack.
These explanations usually came from the perspective that only exfoliants, like glycolic acid or salicylic acid, can help sebaceous filaments.
Whilst I totally understand this point of view, I think it’s a little short-sighted.
Dr Dray (board-certified dermatologist) explains in her video that lots of skin issues can be improved by optimising the moisture levels within the skin, and barrier health.
In fact, when skin is in optimum condition, this is what allows it to shed skin cells properly on the skin surface. Ultimately, this makes for a reduced appearance of sebaceous filaments on the nose.
Update: is the Cicaplast hack for sebaceous filaments still working for me?
Short answer: yes! I do it every night. If I skip a night out of laziness, my sebaceous filaments always look more pronounced the next morning.
I’ve also seen lots of people stitch my video and agree that it works well, including multiple dermatologists.
