Goodbye Large Pores – Hello Tight Skin!

So, lately I’ve been noticing my pores are the size of craters (OK, I’m exaggerating… maybe the size of dimes… or so it seems). My cheeks and nose area are plagued with enlarged pores. What gives? A girl can’t settle for anything less than smooth, soft skin. So, I embarked on a quest to understand what causes large pores…and how the heck to reduce them.

What the heck makes pores enlarge?

Large pores tend to exist in the facial area (such as the nose and cheek area) and are caused by aggressively squeezing blackheads or having large oil production, which causes the pore to become larger. expand and enlarge. Causes include:

– Genetics (thanks mom and dad)

– Improper skin care.

– Excess oil production.

– Sun damage (sun damage can cause the skin to thicken and skin cells to build up around the pores, making the pores appear larger)

Is it possible to shrink them?

While there’s no way to physically shrink large pores, the good news is that you can definitely minimize them. Through proper cleansing and exfoliation, you’ll have perfectly smooth skin in no time!

How to kick them to the curb (or at least Minimize Them)

There are several effective ways to minimize pores. Let’s start with the DIY home remedies:

– Exfoliate regularly (a scrub I love is the Clean & Clear Daily Pore Scrub (exfoliate at least 3 times a week)

– Mix the lemon and pineapple juice. Apply on the face. Let act 5 min. Rinse out.

– Steam your face (lean over a bowl of HOT water and cover your head with a towel for 3-5 minutes).

OK… onto the over-the-counter products. There are pore refining masks, clarifying lotions, pore minimizing creams, and pore strips to name a few options. Here are several products geared towards minimizing those pesky enlarged pores:

– Pore Refining Solutions Clinic

– Pore No More by Dr. Brandt

– Neutrogena Pore Refining Toner

– L’Oreal Magic Base Primer (this stuff is the most amazing invention of the decade)

– Clearskin blackhead remover mask

OK, now let’s talk about cosmetic options. The two gold standard options are microdermabrasion and chemical peels.

To chemical peels. There are several different types of chemical peels… AHA Peel, BHA Peel, TCA Peel, Obagi Peel. I recently tried the Peel BHA (aka Beta) and was amazed at the results. BHA stands for beta hydroxy acid and they are simply organic fruit acids and can be natural or synthesized. Another name for BHA is salicylic acid (this is pretty common in face washes, scrubs, etc.). The Beta Peel is one of the most effective ways to reduce pore size (I can attest to this. After I had the Peel, my pores did NOT exist. My skin was soft and smooth). The cost can range from $175 to $350, depending on your area.

Microdermabrasion (also known as Microderm) is another cosmetic option. It has been a treatment option for years and is one of the easiest and most effective methods to soften lines and wrinkles, smooth skin, and reduce pore size. Microderm is essentially a mechanical exfoliation (it feels like a cat’s tongue licking your face). Removes the top layer of dead skin cells. The cost per treatment may vary, depending on your area. Of the two (Microderm vs. Beta Peel), I have to say that the Beta Peel was the most effective at shrinking pores… hands down.

So, whether it’s a home remedy… an over-the-counter product… or a visit to a cosmetic dermatologist, you can minimize those enlarged pores and focus on the important things… like which lipstick color to choose today!