If you’re one of the many people who are bothered by large pores on your face, there are a few things you can do to minimize their appearance. These tips will make your enlarged pores less obvious and help you maintain healthy skin.
Cleansing your face regularly is key to minimizing the appearance of pores. This means washing your face at least twice a day with warm water and gentle cleanser. You can also use a toner before moisturizing, which will help remove extra oil and impurities from your face that may cause your pores to appear larger.
Using products that are designed for your skin type can also reduce the appearance of pores. This includes choosing light foams and gels for combination and oily complexions and creams and balms for dry skin.
Exfoliating your skin can also help to reduce the appearance of pores by removing dead skin cells. However, it is important to only exfoliate your skin with a product that’s safe for your particular skin type. Attempting to exfoliate too hard or with a product that’s not right for your skin can cause microtears in the surface of your skin, which can make your pores look more prominent.
Moisturizing your skin can help to reduce the appearance of large pores by allowing the oil from your sebaceous glands to penetrate more deeply into the skin, rather than staying in your pores on the surface of the skin. This is especially important if you have oily skin, which can make pores look larger because they can get clogged with excess oil.
Wearing sunscreen every day can help to keep your pores from becoming clogged with oil, which can also lead to the appearance of pores. You can find sunscreens specifically for oily skin that don’t clog your pores, and you can also choose moisturizers that contain ingredients such as zinc and magnesium, which help restore your skin’s oil balance and make your pores less noticeable.
Avoiding harsh scrubbing and picking at your skin can also help to reduce the appearance and size of your pores, as can avoiding any makeup that has a high level of shine. This is because shiny makeup will only accentuate your pores, so it’s best to avoid shimmery products and opt for matte or pore-minimizing formulas instead.
Getting a professional peel or laser treatment can be another option to reduce the size of your pores, as can using a pore strip. While these methods can temporarily make pores look smaller, they’re not as effective as other pore-minimizing treatments, such as retinol or acids.
It’s also best to check with a board-certified dermatologist before trying any of these procedures. They can help you determine if any other skin issues are causing your enlarged pores and can suggest other treatments that may be more appropriate for you.
Pores can become enlarged for several reasons, including hormonal changes and sun damage, as well as ageing skin. This is why it’s important to keep in mind that you can’t “eradicate” or “eliminate” pores, because they are a structural layer of the skin. This isn’t something you can change, but it is a factor that can be addressed to help minimize their appearance.