Congestion has many different ways of presenting on our skin. The bottom line to accessing overall skin wellness is understanding the link between skin congestion and skin health. There are three major types of congestion: Active, inactive, and simple sebaceous filaments. All of these types cause uneven texture with little lumps, bumps, and things of all sizes just underneath our skin. Learn more about how to maintain a soft and healthy skin texture because you might be surprised at how you are unknowingly causing skin congestion. Achieving gorgeous skin texture takes a unique combination of home care and skilled skin extractions.
Active congestion is acne. Some acne can be extra inflamed and sore due to more intense microbiome issues and/or topical dehydration. As a reminder, topical dehydration will exacerbate any skin issue. Sometimes this type of acne is called wet acne. Active congestion can also just mean intense but random isolated breakouts with less density than full-blown acne.
Inactive congestion is blackheads, compacted blackheads, milia, and milia clusters as these are things that are not actively erupting. Inactive congestion is not trying to come out and skin will store these types of things for almost unbelievable amounts of time. To be more precise though, this type is not completely “inactive” as this stuff slowly builds on itself quietly over the years with only random signs of inflammation but mostly goes unnoticed. The only way to have these more complicated compacted blackheads, milia, and milia clusters removed is to find a master extractor who can do so without causing skin damage. Simple blackheads can be much easier to remove.
There are many misunderstandings that cause people to encourage congestion rather than prevent it. A good place to start relearning the best ways to care for your skin is to read about the myth of comedogenic ingredients.
I once removed a milia cluster from a client’s chin that her dermatologist told her with absolute certainty was a mole 18 years prior.
Sebaceous filaments are slightly hardened sebaceous oil from our sebaceous glands that have been thickened by topical dehydration, and so much so, that they cannot stay more liquid, exit the pore opening, and spread across our faces in the way that is fully possible with hydrated skin. Instead, the oil thickens and gets lodged in our pores. Realistically, all skin will have this to a degree but often some skin struggles with this more than is necessary.
None of the above types of congestion should be confused with the random and quick passing of simple, no drama whiteheads or zits. These ephemeral blemishes are the happy gift of harmonized skin; they can be released before they have the chance to become complicated and hard. The occasional zit that comes and goes quickly is a good sign your skin is healthy. “Perfect skin” is not skin that never gets a zit as this is unrealistic. Perfect skin is skin that has recovered its native release function capacity and can move all new congestion through quickly so that it never has a chance to get lodged and become complicated.
Support your skin’s inborn release capacity by abstaining from conventional acne and anti-aging products as these products will ironically sabotage your skin’s ability to release congestion.
Supported skin is equipped with the resources it takes to release larger bits of older congestion as a pimple, no problem. If your skin takes longer than three days to recover from a zit then your skin might be “constipated” and could benefit greatly from establishing the foundation of health provided by learning the new basics of holistic skin health.