Sun protection, exfoliation, cleansing every night, and retinol will keep them looking healthy and small.
What are pores?
The word “pore” literally means “a minute opening in a surface.” So, if your skin is the surface, your pores are those small openings in the very top layer that release sebum (your body’s natural oils) to keep the skin barrier healthy and moisturized. Each pore contains its own tiny sebaceous oil gland and is also connected to a hair follicle, though it may or may not visibly grow hair.
What causes big pores?
Certain pores may be more noticeable where the sebaceous glands are naturally a bit bigger, but generally genetics determine our pore size and appearance. People who experience increased production of sebum (those with oily skin) may notice larger pores simply because their oil glands are naturally bigger. The accumulation of sebum, dead skin cells, and oils may also temporarily cause pores to appear enlarged.
As we age our cellular turnover slows, cellular debris collects more easily, and pore openings enlarge.
Can you shrink your pores?
It’s not possible to permanently shrink pores. We also now know that pore size is genetic, so your current healthy pore size is something you’re born with.
What are some ways you can diminish the look of pores?
You can do a lot to reduce the size of their appearance. You can keep your pores clean, improve skin cell turnover, and camouflage the look of them, by choosing good exfoliating products that contain acids (such as salicylic, glycolic, and mandelic) as these will loosen any dead skin cells that can clog or block pores.
Products with clay or charcoal bases can work to absorb some of the oils within pores, which can help make them appear smaller. A pore-minimizing primer, that usually contain silicone, will temporarily fill in the pores without clogging them.
Sun protection, exfoliation, cleansing every night, and retinol will keep them looking healthy and small.
