How to Deal with Enlarged Pores

Technically speaking, the pore is little more than the opening of the hair follicle onto the surface of the skin. The source of the hair follicle lies deep within the dermis. Midway up the dermal layer, the sebaceous oil gland empties into the hair follicle. Both skin oil (sebum) and the hair breach the surface through this tiny aperture. Wherever there is a hair, there will be a pore.

Enlarged pores are caused by these factors:
*Genetics may certainly be to blame. Barely visible on those prone to drier skin, individuals with oily, thicker skin tend to have larger looking, more noticeable pores.
*Sun damage is another cause. As we age, one of the ways sun damage affects the skin is through the enlargement of the pores. Sun damage and aging cause the epidermis to thicken and a rim of cells are more likely to collect around individual pores.
*Pores may be more visible simply due to lack of good skin grooming and poor exfoliation. Too much surface oil and remnant naturally shed skin cells can collect around the edges of pores, creating the illusion of the pores being larger than they really are.
*Blackheads and enlarged pores often go hand-in-hand. Blackheads can either expand pores or simply focus attention on them.

Here are some pore minimizing performers:

Topical Treatments
Exfoliant cleansers are a good place to start in the war against enlarged pores. These products will slough off the outer layer of dry skin cells on your face, leaving you with a smoother, more radiant complexion. Be careful not to use these types of cleansers too often, since irritation can result. Once or twice a day should do the trick to get clearer, cleaner and smoother skin.

Spa Treatments
Spas will also offer a variety of treatments to get rid of the appearance of enlarged pores. The focus at the spa is to unclog the pore, which will allow the sebum inside to drain out. The next step will be to eliminate bacteria, black heads and oil from the area. The edges of the pore will then be smoothed to diminish the appearance and an increase in collagen production will help to heal the area from the inside out.

Microdermabrasion
Microdermabrasion significantly lessens the appearance of pores by "roughening up" skin, therefore loosening the dead skin that clogs pores. It also stimulates collagen so skin looks really smooth.

Topical Vitamin A Treatments
There are a myriad of prescription medications in this category: Retin A, Retin-A Micro Gel, Tazorac, Avita and Differin. Renova and Avage are their skin rejuvenating counterparts and also work to help as potent pore minimizers. Topical Vitamin A treatments work by normalizing the keratinization process. They help prevent the cells lining the gland from sticking together, promoting more effective exfoliation.

Retinol
Retinol is an OTC form of Vitamin A. It still offers help in reducing pore visibility and improving skin texture.

Alpha and Beta Acids
Both alpha hydroxy and beta hydroxy acids exfoliate skin to prevent dead skin cells from building up and clogging pores, but while alpha hydroxy acid is water soluble only, beta hydroxy acid (salicylic acid) is oil soluble, so it's able to really seep into the sebum-packed pore, exfoliating the dead skin cells built up inside.

Oil Reduction
Granted not everyone looking to minimize the appearance of their pores has an issue with oiliness. But if so, or if blackheads are an issue, reducing excessive surface skin oils helps reduce build-up and pore plugging which contributes to pore visibility.

Makeup Tricks
* Skip Foundation: Avoid applying foundation to any areas where pores are enlarged. Foundation just seems to magnify their look.
* Use Blotting Powder: Apply a neutral blotting powder directly to any areas where pores appear larger. The powder will serve to diffuse the look of the pores so all you'll see is a smooth, more matted surface.

Link to full story