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PORES: Ways to Manage and Minimize Them for Good

13 April, 2014 - 09:28pm by - First Lady | 21 Comments

Article by BR Georgiana

It’s official. Everyone hates enlarged pores.

While to some they may be just a 5-letter word with dermatological connotation, to others (the ones “blessed” with really noticeable pores) they are a constant source of grief every time they look in the mirror and see the size of them.

If you happen to fall in the second category, you should probably read on to find out what can make a dramatic change. But first, let’s start at the beginning, shall we?

What exactly is a pore?
Pores are actually tiny openings in our skin. We have thousands of them on our face and actually millions all over our body, except for our palms, soles and eyelids where no hair grows. The hair follicles that grow from these openings are extremely important because they allow the oil produced by sebaceous glands to reach and lubricate the skin surface. If this process never happened, healthy and supple skin would be a utopia. Without pores our skin would not breathe, our body would overheat and our capacity to sweat would be zero. Pores help skin expel debris, oil and dirt. Case in point, they are more important than you ever thought.

Why are pores more noticeable on some people than others?
Try to spot one single enlarged pore on a baby’s skin! You will grow old looking for it. But as we inevitably age, pores become quite noticeable in some of us, and here are the main reasons:

Sun exposure: excessive exposure to sunrays weakens mercilessly the structure of our skin and causes pore walls to sag, hence look visibly enlarged.

Genetics: if sun can be somehow avoided, you can’t escape genes. If your close family members had large pores, you are very likely to inherit them. Gasp.

Oily Skin: this skin type is normally more prone to having larger pores because excess oil collects around them making skin swell.

Aging: the more candles we blow on our birthday cakes, the more our elastin and collagen levels decrease. These guys are responsible for keeping skin look tight and youthful, and once they start breaking down our pores tend to appear larger. How sad.

Faulty skin care: if people loved their skin more, this bullet point would not exist. Unfortunately we sometimes sleep with our makeup on, or don’t even bother to exfoliate our skin. Such bad habits tend to clog our pores. And you already know the outcome.

What can you do about enlarged pores?
Changing your skin care routine will surely improve the appearance of your pores. Are you willing to change your beauty habits? Start with:

Regular Exfoliation: by shedding dead skin cells you will help your skin improve its texture, reveal the fresh layer underneath and prevent pore clogging. And your best bet is Neutrogena’s Pore Refining Exfoliating Cleanser. International enlarged pore owners are raving about this gentle formula with exfoliating micro beads that sweeps away dead skin and is great for smoothing over uneven patches. The secret of this successful product is the combination of alpha and beta-hydroxy acids which penetrate into pores removing oil, dirt and makeup – the main elements that clog and enlarge pores. If you want my advice, don’t waste your time testing and splurging on other products. Pores will appear twice less visible after just one week thanks to this cleanser.

Sun Protection: If your pores are already enlarged, protect your face every time you go out. Use protection regularly, a hat, sunglasses, but try to stay indoors during peak hours.
Boosting your collagen and elastin production: your skin needs some extra help in producing these two proteins for firm, elastic skin.

Hydration: drinking plenty of water is crucial for flushing out toxins. Help your skin look great from the inside!

What are Alpha and Beta-Hydroxy acids and how can they help?

Alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) are organic compounds frequently used in cosmetics for decreasing enlarged pores. They improve irregular pigmentation and correct fine lines. The five major types of AHAs found in skin care products are: glycolic acid (derived from sugar cane), malic acid (from apples and pears), lactic acid (from milk), citric acid (from citrus fruits) and tartaric acid (from grapes).

Beta-hydroxy acid (salicylic acid) is a great skin exfoliator that improves skin aged prematurely due to excessive sun exposure. A fantastic ingredient for fighting acne, this acid is oil soluble which makes it easy to penetrate oil-clogged pores and shed dead skin cells.

How do toning and exfoliation help?
Exfoliation is key for treating enlarged pores, and unfortunately people tend to ignore this important beauty step. Toning your skin after exfoliation is a great way to help pores close and tighten the skin tissue around them. Toner refines the skin and make pores less visible, restoring skin’s natural balance. Don’t skip it!
If you have been struggling for a long time with visible pores it is time for a change. Try some of these tips for the next month and report back on the difference you see.

Ready to experience new skin? 

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Comments

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19th August, 2014

I never do any of these. Maybe its time I started.

24th April, 2014

I thought there was nothing I could do for the enlarged pores around my nose area, until I was blessed with a facial as a Xmas prez from my other half (didn't he do well!) the facial included a microdermabrasion and a vitamin A treatment - I immediately noticed a massive difference with the size of my pores and I will continue to get these treatments ever 4-6 weeks, well while I can afford it! :)

19th April, 2014

I use a face scrub about once a week, but I sometimes find that it's too harsh on my skin as I have quite sensitive skin. I also have large pores, especially on my nose and cheeks. My parents have taught me to be us safe and I drink plenty of water. I also have oily skin. I blame my dad because he has oily skin and large pores too, I think I'll have to look into the Neutrogena exfoliator, it sounds pretty good.

16th April, 2014

Some great information and tips. I have been missing the toning step and will be altering my skin care regime. Thanks for the tips, I look forward to better skin.

16th April, 2014

Great article! I have recently started using a mixture of products. Cetaphil cleanser in the morning, followed by Oasis Beauty Berry Brightening Tonic (Toner) and then followed by Oasis Beauty Knock Out Moisturiser - this keeps my oily skin feeling cleansed and looking matt throughout the day. At night I use Cetaphil Cleanser, followed by Oasis Beauty Tropical Smoothie exfoliating scrub, then my berry brightening tonic, then I rub in some Rosehip Oil, then after it has sunk in I put on Oasis Beauty Beauty Sleep! Easy regime to fall in to, the products smell great and most importantly, after about a month my boyfriend (who never notices anything by the way!) looks at me one morning and goes "wow your skin is changing! it looks great". My huge pores have diminished in a major way and breakouts are reduced. Looking in to minimising pores has done my skin wonders.

16th April, 2014

Thanks for the huge pores Dad :( Might have to try out the cleanser!!

16th April, 2014

thanks for this BR! Good read!

15th April, 2014

Oh my gosh I want to try this stuff!! Im at the point where I need to sort my skin care out & im sold on this write up

15th April, 2014

I'm a big fan of exfoliating my face - I love the feeling of fresh and clean skin! I haven't toned afterwards though, and wasn't even aware that I should be. Thanks BR, I will now be on the way to even better skin! xx

14th April, 2014

I know I skimp out on the hydration aspect. Four week water challenge maybe? I always have good intentions but just get so busy at work that I tend to forget to drink more!

14th April, 2014

Great article! Will be giving all these options a go!

14th April, 2014

Great read. I haven't used alpha and beta-hydroxy acids in concentration, although I have gone for microdermabrasion and the therapist put a mixture with glycolic acid on after using the diamond head. My skin did look exceptionally smoother for a couple days after that. I have really big pores all over my t-zone so I do what I can to take care of my skin and I could probably count on one hand the number of times I went to sleep with my makeup on. I'm going to test out the glycolic acid treatment that the therapist gave me and see if it helps.

14th April, 2014

I was told by a beauty therapist that some scrubs actually enlarge pores (too big a granules) so I use a really gentle exfoliant cause I don't want them to get any bigger!

14th April, 2014

I probably exfoliate too much! Its just I have tried so many and my face just felt so unexfoliated with them, then I found one that I love and can't get over the lovely clean feeling!!

I normally do an exfoliate, then tone and moisturise. At the moment I am using the Body Shop Seaweed toner and moisturiser (its more of a night time deep treatment). It seems to be working pretty well for me! I have definitely had some yucky skin before and its not the case a the moment so its a win! The Pore refining exfoliating cleanser sounds very interesting! I would love to have my pores twice less visible after one week! Mine are worst on my nose and chin - one of the major downsides of having combination skin...T-Zone Trauma!!

14th April, 2014

My skin is dry and flaky so I exfoliate every day. St Ives is gentle enough. Witch Hazel is a great toner for closing pores.

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