Struggling with unsightly enlarged skin pores is a common cosmetic concern for many. These pores tend to get clogged with dirt, oil, and bacteria. Moreover, they make your blemishes appear worse.
They are usually caused by a genetic predisposition and increasing age. More often than not, this problem runs in families.
Skin pores are generally not visible to the naked eye but large pores, especially the ones that develop after severe acne breakouts, are more noticeable and hence, unattractive.
Apart from greasy skin and acne, factors like improper skin care, sun damage, and smoking contribute in promoting large pores.
Particularly, excess oil, when combined with other substances and impurities on skin, tends to clog and enlarge the skin pores.
Similarly, sun damage promotes thickening of the outer layers of the skin and shrinks the tissues underneath the skin due to loss of water, collagen, and elastin.
Thus, it makes the skin appear enlarged. The most common area on skin that manifests this problem is the T-zone area, especially around the nose as it contains more sebaceous glands.
How to Get Rid of Large Pores
Large pores cannot be reduced completely. Nevertheless, you can follow certain suggestions to minimize their appearance and get a flawless, smooth look.
- Steaming
- Ice Therapy
- Clay Cleansing Mask
- Homemade Almond Mask
- Natural Astringents
- Cucumber Face Toner
- Egg White
Pore Treatment through Heat Mask
- Boil a pot of water and add herbal tea such as green tea, peppermint tea, rosemary tea, chamomile tea, or a few drops of an essential oil like tea tree oil, in it. For instance, you can add a quarter cup of dried chamomile flowers or two chamomile teabags in one to two quarts of boiling water. Remove it from heat and place it on a table. As taking steam directly from the pot would be uncomfortable, you may pour the solution in a bowl. Next, drape a towel over your head and place your face above the pot/bowl and expose your face to the steam for 5-10 minutes. Finally, splash cold water on your face or spray rose water. Make sure you wash your face thoroughly and pat it dry before performing the stream treatment.
- Application of ice cubes or ice cold water on your skin is highly beneficial in shrinking skin pores and reducing sebum production. Hence, you can simply run an ice cube all over your face a few times in a day or rinse your face with cold water.
- Mix together three-fourth cup of bentonite clay, half a cup of aloe vera gel, two tablespoons of chamomile infusion, one teaspoon of baking soda, a quarter teaspoon of vitamin E oil, and 10 drops of tea tree oil. Spread this smooth, creamy clay mask on your face. Rinse it off after 20-30 minutes.
- Soak eight almonds in water overnight. Next morning, peel and grind the almonds. Add some plain yogurt in the mixture, sufficient to form a paste. Apply this homemade almond mask on your face and neck for 15-20 minutes and then, rinse it off. Apart from reducing the pores, it shall help improve your complexion as well.
- Use natural astringents such as witch hazel, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, pineapple juice, rose water, orange flower water, etc. to tighten the pores and reduce their appearance. Moreover, they reduce pigmentation and lighten the skin tone. Thus, they help eliminate blemishes, too. Besides, you can exfoliate your skin with a lemon juice and sugar scrub. When using powerful astringents like witch hazel and apple cider vinegar, do dilute tem in water before applying on skin.
- Blend a cucumber. Add a cup of rose water and a tablespoon of benzoin in it. Refrigerate for about half an hour and then apply it on your face with the help of a cotton ball. Wash it off after 20 minutes.
- Egg white is also considered good for treating enlarged skin pores. So, whisk an egg white and massage your face with the foamy mixture. Finally, wash it off with lukewarm water when it dries. Follow this remedy once or twice weekly.
- Taking a facial and pore treatment at a spa can be effective in shrinking enlarged pores. Besides, if all else fails, you may go for cosmetic treatments like chemical peels, microdermabrasion, laser resurfacing, and so on.
Tips to Prevent Large Pores
It is recommended to exfoliate your with a gentle exfoliant containing BHA as it exfoliates the skin surface as well as pores where clogs form. In addition, you can combine BHA products (beta hydroxy acid) with prescription retinoids to increase cell turnover and shrink large pores.
Avoid sun damage and follow a proper skin care routine to eliminate excess oil and dead skin cells from the skin.
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