I've had these on my chin for years now, and I've tried everything to make them disappear - exfoliators, over the counter acne medication, two types of antibiotics and Differin gel. But they're still there! I've tried popping them, but there's too many and some won't pop either. My skin isn't like that anywhere else!
i one to my dermatologist but she was very dismissive of it, focussing more on my red spots.
any help/advice would be greatly appreciated!
Looks like you have whiteheads, which is extremely normal to have on your chin. Ingredients like benzoyl peroxide and salisylic acid may help you, and remember to be very consistent when on a treatment! For me, it took several months before I saw progress. Maybe you could give the acne.org regimen a go?
38 minutes ago, Mathilde said:Looks like you have whiteheads, which is extremely normal to have on your chin. Ingredients like benzoyl peroxide and salisylic acid may help you, and remember to be very consistent when on a treatment! For me, it took several months before I saw progress. Maybe you could give the acne.org regimen a go?
Unfortunately if I'm on Differin, my gp and derm both told me to stay away from anything that has BP or salicylic acid, literally all I can wash with and use on my skin skin Cetaphil 
I would get those sometimes when I used too many different products on my face or had an allergic reaction to something I was using. It's possible that something you are using now is causing them or they may just be part of your skin issue, we all have different things. Honestly though you can only see them when you are a foot from your face, I would just focus on keeping your face clear of regular pimples/cysts and maybe they will eventually go way
Looks like one of 3 possible causes. Each has a completely different treatment. A good dermatologist should be able to run tests to determine the exact problem.
1. Folliculitis - Fungal - needs antifungal treatment. Topical and stronger oral treatments are available. Aussie Scientist has many knowledgeable posts on the topic on this forum.
2. Demodex Follicullorum - Caused by an over population ofthe common demodex skin mite. Treatment with Ivermectin topical or Oral Ivermectin + Oral Metronidazole can be very effective. Tea tree oil based products may help.
3. Bacterial infection. - This is possible but may be less likely since these all appear as whiteheads and not blackheads.
On 4/17/2017 at 2:40 PM, dankaglacial said:Unfortunately if I'm on Differin, my gp and derm both told me to stay away from anything that has BP or salicylic acid, literally all I can wash with and use on my skin skin Cetaphil
You can use BP and salicylic acid with retinol, just at different times of day. For example, use BP or salicylic acid treatments during the day, and retinol at night. Combining them on your skin at the same time cancels them out and can cause irritation. I™m also on Differin as well as Benzyclin, and I use Differin in the day and Benzyclin at night; have been for years (both my GP and Dermatologist have told me this) . Just make sure that if you™re using retinol during the day you also wear sunscreen (you should wear it anyway, but especially with retinol™s as they make you more sensitive to sun). However, if you have dry skin or very sensitive skin, I would say to take your time incorporating anything like that into your routine. Start with once or twice a week and work up from there if your skin is okay with it. Also make sure you hydrate your skin with a good moisturizer or serum that contains hyaluronic acid or other ingredients that attract and keep water in your skin 🙂
For anyone still wondering what these are, they are sebaceous glands and are perfectly normal. As the picture also shows, these glands are mostly only visible when you stretch your skin. They can also appear under your eyes andaround your nose, but this does not mean there is anything wrong with your skin. Although they can be visibly off-putting, it is not a sign that you have some sort of infection orinflammation or clogged pores. Very prominent and visible sebaceous glands are pretty common, and lots of people have them. Some ways to help reduced the appearance of these glands is to use a BHA/retinoid, but even these methods (as many of you have mentioned) tend to have very little effect.
Its helpful to keep in mind that skin is never completelytextureless/poreless. Many of these bumps are hard to see unless youre stretching your skin and youre only inches away from your face, so dont let these imperfections weigh too heavy on your mind.
I used to have them as well but they mostly disappeared within a month of using the acne.org regimen (after the addition of the AHA lotion).
I think it's a really common thing to have. I see people posting about, especially on Reddit.
Also! No one really looks at our face that up close like we do with our little mirrors, so don't feel insecure about it!
On 4/17/2017 at 11:30 AM, dankaglacial said:I've had these on my chin for years now, and I've tried everything to make them disappear - exfoliators, over the counter acne medication, two types of antibiotics and Differin gel. But they're still there! I've tried popping them, but there's too many and some won't pop either. My skin isn't like that anywhere else!
i one to my dermatologist but she was very dismissive of it, focussing more on my red spots.
any help/advice would be greatly appreciated!
Those small bumps are called sebaceous filaments. People squeeze them, but they will only return a month later. It™s your hair follicle filling with oil like it™s supposed to do, but just a tiny bit too much. No big deal. A dermatologist has processes to strip them. I™m not sure what that is or how costly. It™s not a big deal. I have them on my chin and now since menopause, they are on my left cheek. I™m half tempted to see how the doctor strips them and the cost. They are slightly annoying to look at even though nobody else sees them. I™m 55 so I feel your frustrations.