How to care for our pores
What we can do or should avoid to minimize pores and improve skin appearance
G-Club
March 13th, 2024
March 13th, 2024
What are the "imperfections" we would like to make disappear? Stretch marks, ingrown hairs, acne, dehydrated skin, discoloration, ... each of us has a different answer, but, according to over three billion visits on Google collected by the word "pores", the real question that obsesses us in terms of beauty is "how to eliminate pores?". Those small little holes that multiply on our skin, making it resemble the lunar soil full of craters, seem to mock us as we spend hours doing skincare with dozens of steps even in the evening, when all we want to do is faint under the duvet and re-emerge in spring. So, we stare at them carefully in the mirror, try to hide them with makeup, and try to banish them forever with creams, toners, and masks. Deep down, we know they're not a problem, that we all have them, and that, no matter how much we resist, they'll stay in place. Yet somehow they bother us, like an oil stain on a haute couture dress. But is there something we can really do to bid them farewell forever? Sorry, but no. Pores have their own specific function, but we can do our best to temporarily reduce their size when they are very dilated, producing a pockmarked skin effect that can make us feel uncomfortable.
What are pores and what are they for
Pores are tiny openings on the surface of the skin that allow sweat to reach the skin surface, helping to regulate body temperature, and release the body's natural oil, called sebum, which serves to moisturize the skin, keeping it soft and elastic. There are about 150 per square centimeter of skin and they are almost invisible. However, under certain conditions, pores become larger and objectively more noticeable, acquiring that unaesthetic appearance that we all know. Typically, the T-zone of the face is most affected by this blemish, including the nose, forehead, chin, and cheeks.
Enlarged pores: the causes
Pores are characteristic of any skin type and are genetically determined, but several factors can make them appear enlarged:
- Genetic predisposition: if one or both of our parents have large pores, it is likely that we also share a similar condition.
- Age: as the skin ages, it becomes more prone to clogging with sebum, impurities, and dead skin. Additionally, it produces less collagen and loses its elasticity. Due to this skin laxity and obstruction, pores tend to enlarge.
- Gender: on average, men tend to have larger pores than women. However, women can also be prone to the development of enlarged pores, especially on the nose and cheeks. The chances increase for those with very oily skin and those experiencing hormonal changes.
- Climate: a hot and humid climate can increase sebum and sweat production, causing clogged pores and acne.
- Damage from prolonged exposure to ultraviolet rays from the sun: UVA rays break down collagen in the skin, making it less elastic, and consequently, pores may appear more noticeable.
- Excessive sebum production: if the sebaceous gland produces a lot of sebum and combines with toxins, dirt, and makeup, pores become clogged, weighted down, and stretched, appearing larger than usual. Pores filled with impurities often turn into blackheads, pimples, and inflammations.
- Use of comedogenic products: some skincare or makeup products may contain ingredients that clog pores, causing or exacerbating the presence of comedones, i.e., blackheads.
Enlarged pores: remedies
Although it is not possible to eliminate pores or permanently modify their size, you can minimize their appearance with some products and treatments that make the skin texture more compact. Before discovering which ones, let's start by debunking a myth: pores cannot open and close when in contact with hot or cold water. They are not doors; they are simply openings in our skin that cannot contract. However, cold water can indeed constrict blood vessels, making pores appear smaller for the brief period they are cold, while hot water and steam can dissolve sebum and debris inside the pores, allowing them to exit more easily, thus giving the impression that they close temporarily with cold and open with heat. The first step to contain enlarged pores is a proper skincare routine that begins with thorough daily cleansing, using a specific cleanser morning and evening, to be chosen according to the skin type. It is generally better to opt for gentle and water-soluble facial cleansers and avoid products with drying or aggressive ingredients. Moreover, it is important to remember to wash your face before and after physical activity, so that makeup, dirt, and bacteria do not remain trapped in enlarged pores. Once a week, it is recommended to detoxify the skin with a astringent and purifying mask based on mud or clay. Thanks to the sebum-absorbing properties, these substances help temporarily minimize the appearance of enlarged pores, freeing them and preventing congestion and breakouts.
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Among the treatments performed by a dermatologist that give good results are fractional laser or IPL treatments (intense pulsed light); chemical peels capable of providing deeper exfoliation and improving skin texture; microneedling treatments useful for stimulating collagen production that can make pores appear smaller. Also, worth trying is Good Pore Day available at Benefit Brow Bars, an exclusive facial treatment that allows you to obtain clean pores and extremely smooth and luminous-looking skin thanks to the use of Porecare products and a special device that uses steam and ultrasound. It lasts 30 minutes, is suitable for all skin types, and costs €52. Otherwise, it's always a good idea to add to our kit a toner with exfoliating action containing in its formulation salicylic acid (also known as beta hydroxy acid or BHA) and Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA) such as Glycolic, Malic, and Lactic Acid, which by exfoliating can help bring pores back to their normal size and allow a more uniform sebum flow; niacinamide can help minimize pores and give the skin a healthier and more natural appearance; retinoids, which encourage collagen production, plump the skin, making pores less visible. After cleansing, it's time for hydration. It's better to choose light moisturizing products and avoid those with too rich textures like butters that could clog pores. Among the preferred ingredients are hyaluronic acid, collagen, elastin, and purifying actives like aloe. The last fundamental step? SPF because sunlight negatively impacts the appearance and health of the skin.
Enlarged pores: mistakes to avoid
While there are several skincare treatments and precautions to minimize pores, there are also some things to avoid. Let's see the mistakes not to make:
- Squeezing pores, blackheads, and pimples with your fingers: if you feel this urge, watch an episode of Dr. Pimple Popper. Nails and hands may not be hygienic; using them risks inflaming and disrupting the balance of the skin barrier, causing redness, infections, further appearance of comedones, and scars.
- Touching the face with hands that are not perfectly clean.
- Using aggressive, comedogenic skincare products that clog pores: it is better to avoid excessively emollient products, especially if we have oily skin.
- Going to bed without having carefully and gently removed makeup: pores become clogged, so they are more dilated and tend to become blackheads or comedones.
- Using abrasive scrubs, sponges, and brushes with stiff bristles: it is always better to use gentle products and gestures to not affect the skin barrier. Furthermore, too vigorous rubbing can make the skin dry and flaky, creating more dead cells that clog pores.
- Becoming obsessed with enlarged pores: they are normal. Some more, some less, everyone has them. Let's set realistic goals and respect a proper skincare routine.
Products to minimize enlarged pores
BENEFIT COSMETICS The POREfessional Deep Retreat
39€
FENTY SKIN Fat Water
13€
DERMALOGICA Dynamic Skin Retinol Serum
109€
RILASTIL SieroPore Minimizer
29,13€
DR.JART+ Pore·Remedy Purifying Mud Mask
7,90€
KORFF Purifying Sal Exfoliating Solution
34,90€
BIODERMA Sebium Pore Refiner Concentré Correcteur Pores Dilatés
17€
GLOW RECIPE Strawberry BHA Pore-Smooth Blur Drops
31,90€
PAULA'S CHOICE Skin Balancing Tonic
29€
SEPHORA COLLECTION Gentle Peeling Serum
22,99€
MASQMAI Purifying Skin Toner
40,50€
GOOVI I am so pure purifying face cream
21,90€
VICHY Cleansing Serum Peeling
