Focus & Fixes – Visible pores
Enlarged pores can happen in both the adolescent and the aged.
Causes of enlarged pores
Pore size is genetic, usually increasing with extent of skin oiliness. It also becomes more visible with age due to deterioration of collagen/elastin in our dermis.
When pores are filled with sebum, they stretch out, making them appear bigger than they originally are.
Daily routine focus
- Robust cleanser
- Twice daily
- Salicylic acid
- Glycolic acid
Foaming cleansers remove oil better than non-foaming ones. But, it’s important that they do not take away too much oil.
Cleanse twice daily to prevent oil accumulation in pores.
An oil-soluble chemical exfoliant that can dissolve and clear sebum trapped within pores, thus minimising pore size.
Moderate strength AHAs (particularly glycolic acid) encourage collagen production, strengthening underlying dermis structure. This in turn decreases pore size.
Other tips
Pore visibility can be heavily diminished with silicone-based* products. These products are often labelled as pore-minimising primers/moisturisers/powders. Although they are not true fixes, they can give a temporary illusion.
Though we cannot control pore size as it is hereditary, we can minimise its dilation by keeping pores clean.
*Not all silicones will work the same; only those with high in molecular weight can ‘fill’ in the pores, thus blurring/eliminating them.
