Associated symptoms
Constipated sebaceous glands usually do not lead to complaints at first. They are initially a cosmetic problem and therefore disturb many of those affected. However, the constipation of the sebaceous glands can promote infections and inflammations.
In this case the surrounding skin may be reddened. The inflamed sebaceous gland itself is painful and overheated. Especially the pressure on the affected area can be painful.
In some cases, pus is released from the gland when pressure is applied. One should refrain from expressing such an inflammatory gland, as this can promote abscessing infections. This is an infection that progresses deep into the skin and, in the worst case, can lead to blood poisoning.
At the edge of the eyelid, clogged sebaceous glands, also called barley glands, lead to a painful closure of the eyelid. The pain has a throbbing quality. A barleycorn can spontaneously discharge pus.
The treatment of a blocked sebaceous gland
Clogged sebaceous glands can be treated with various methods. Everyone suffers from a blocked sebaceous gland at some time or another, and often you don’t even notice it. Within the scope of normal personal hygiene, the problem usually resolves itself again.
An inflamed or bacterially infected sebaceous gland, however, should be treated. Infected sebaceous gland cysts in particular should be removed surgically to prevent complications such as blood poisoning. They are first treated with antibiotics taken in the form of tablets.
A common antibiotic is ciprofloxacin.The sebaceous cyst should then be completely removed under local anesthesia in a minor surgical procedure to prevent recurrence. If several sebaceous cysts are present on the body, they can be removed with laser treatment. Clogged sebaceous glands can be professionally cleaned by a dermatologist using fruit acid peelings.
Anyone with a tendency to impure skin benefits from regular peelings. In the case of acne, special therapeutic measures with cleansing creams are possible. Ingredients such as azelaic acid, vitamin A acid or benzoyl peroxide are used to cleanse the skin.
They have an anti-inflammatory effect and eliminate the excess horny lambs, which are significantly involved in the congestion of the sebaceous glands. Antibiotic ointments are also used. For women there is still the possibility of using an anti-androgenic pill as a contraceptive.
This reduces the sebum production of the skin and therefore has positive effects on the skin’s appearance. In very severe cases, vitamin A acid can be taken in tablet form. There are some home remedies that are well suited to treat congested sebaceous glands.
A very effective and good household remedy for congested sebaceous glands is a homemade skin peeling. There are many different recipes for this. A simple and quick peeling is the sea salt peeling.
For this you need coarse sea salt and a little honey. The salt and honey paste is applied to the affected areas and massaged into the skin with washed hands or a small sponge. Then wash the peeling well with clear water.
The sea salt can severely dry out the skin, which is why you should apply a moisturizing day cream after the treatment. Oily skin creams or ointments are not recommended, as they can clog the sebaceous glands again. The peeling can be repeated several times a week.
Another very promising household remedy is the camomile steam bath. It opens the pores and then facilitates skin cleansing. The steam bath can be used alone or before an exfoliation.
Fruit acid has also proven to be a household remedy to combat clogged sebaceous glands. To do this, simply rub the sebaceous glands with a lemon peel or orange peel for a few minutes. The procedure can be repeated several times a week.
There is also the danger of drying out the skin too much, so moisturizing care should be used. Finally, healing earth from the health food shop is a good way to treat congested sebaceous glands. Mixed with water, it forms a thick paste that can be applied to the affected areas.
The healing earth can be applied for up to 30 minutes. Then wash it off with clear water. However, if a sebaceous gland is inflamed or bacterially infected, household remedies are not suitable for treatment.
They can worsen the inflammation and even promote complications. Cysts of the sebaceous glands should not be treated with household remedies either. It is difficult to provide information on homeopathic remedies for congested sebaceous glands, as homeopathy does not issue clear recommendations.
Nor are they conventional medicines that follow clear indications. Therefore, no binding recommendations can be issued at this point. Frequently, in connection with congested sebaceous glands, one finds information on the homeopathic remedies petroleum and Thuja occidentalis. The information on the recommended potencies varies greatly. It is best to consult a pharmacist or alternative practitioner of homeopathy regarding individual complaints if you are interested in homeopathic treatment.