Be it the skincare ads, or dedicated pore care lines by various skincare brands or dermatologists or skincare bloggers or the labels on skincare products they all mention one thing very common,”Pores”.. and yes everyone wants pores so tiny they can’t be seen, as well as pores that aren’t blocked or clogged. Often we do wonder how we can reduce the size of pores and whether we can simply eliminate them.But truth is pores keep our skin and body healthy—and if blocked, can contribute to acne.
So what actually the Pores Are ?
Pores are actually glorified hair follicles.
Pores are simply the opening of hair follicles, which extend down further through several layers of skin. Each follicle/pore contains or has the ability to grow one shaft of hair, whether that hair is visible or not. The average adult has five million pores on their body with approximately 20,000 on their face alone.
We actually have two different types of pores: oil pores and sweat pores.
- Oil pores: This type of pore is connected to oil gland and these are present over the entire surface of entire skin, except for the skin on the palms of hands and the soles of feet. It’s the oil pores that capture most of our attention because they can be large enough to be seen. When people talk about having large pores or blocked pores, they are typically referring to the oil pores.
- Sweat pores: We also have sweat pores all over the entire skin. Sweat pores are really tiny. Typically can’t see these pores with the naked eye. When overactive, these pores can cause hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating).
How healthy pores work?
Pores have a very important job. The hair follicle allows the oil generated by the sebacious glands (oil glands) to reach the surface and lubricate the skin. The skin’s natural oil, called sebum helps keep the skin supple, moisturized, and healthy. You don’t want to stop production of sebum or shrink away pores, but rather to keep them functioning normally to have healthy skin.
2.Sweat pores work in much the same way. These pores allow for sweat to travel from the sudoriferous glands (sweat glands) to the surface of the skin. Sweat helps you maintain your body temperature by evaporative cooling i.e. sweat evaporates from surface of skin and along with some body heat is used in process of evaporation thereby bringing down body temperature a little.Sweat glands come in two varieties. The eccrine glands produce most of your sweat. The apocrine glands in your armpits and groin produce a thicker and oilier type of sweat that is prone to causing body odor.
Some common skin concerns associated with pores are:
A) Enlarged pores:1.) Your Genetic design is mainly responsible for your enlarged pores. You can either blame your ancestors or thank for the state of your pores, because pore size is largely determined by your family tree.
Also People who have inherited naturally oily skin are likely to have larger pores because they are more actively releasing oil through wider openings.
But good news is,This isn’t all bad—in fact large pores (and the oil that comes with them) can counteract the physical toll of aging and wrinkling. It’s why people of Asian descent, for example, tend to have large pores and show less extreme signs of aging.
2.) Time Spent in Sun is major factor that determines the size of your pores. Sun damage leads to inflammation, thickening of skin cells. Scorched cells pool around a pore’s edges, making them appear even larger.
3.) Ageing skin Speaking of age,years alive correlate with pore size too. As we age, our collagen breaks down, causing skin to lose its elasticity As the skin relaxes, pores dilate; we lose the firmness of youth and our pores get more visible. The sagging of the skin stretches pores open into “tear” shapes.
4.) Bad Habits lead to Bad pores . Consuming alcohol uncontrollably and Smoking are big contributing factors to enlarged pores. Since consuming excessive alcohol and inhaling nicotine on the regular dries out your skin, shrinking the blood vessels that deliver oxygen and nourishment. This deprives your skin of important nutrients and speeds the aging process.
5.) A bad diet, lack of proper hydration (not drinking enough water), affinity for tanning beds, and face-washing neglect also qualify as not-so-great, pore-expanding habits you might want to consider kicking, pronto.
B.) Clogged,Congested Pores. This one concern is very common that prevails from teenage to adulthood. As you know now that pores are the channel through which oil and sweat from their respective glands reaches the surface of skin, so you can expect they are almost all the time filled with oil and sweat. Also we know skin regenerates and new skin cells are continuously produced and dead cells keep accumulating on the surface of skin. Also we know that we and our skin both are exposed to the dust,bacteria and pollutants present in the environment we live. pores are the connection between inside of body and outer world and if we don’t do cleansing and exfoliation in routine, cocktail of the residues of oil & sweat present in pores mixed with dead skin cells and bacteria & dust & pollution together keep on accumulating in pores. This further hinders the natural phenomenon of smooth flow of oil and sweat to the surface. Skin cannot breathe and it only wrecks havoc on the skin . Ah ! That you experience as acne , breakouts , white heads, black heads, uneven texture and what not.
Using the wrong beauty products. Sad as it is to say, some of your very favorite beauty products may be to blame for your clogged pores. How to deal: Look for non comedogenic formulas —these products are formulated with ingredients that don’t clog pores. In addition to using products that are non-comedogenic, for people specially with oily skin It is recommended sticking with face products (makeup and skin care) that specify they are oil free.
Even though they’re small, your pores are an important part of your skin. You don’t want to close your pores as that would prevent their proper functioning that contributes to overall health of our skin and body. Minimising their appearance is the best practice.
HOW CAN YOU ADDRESS DIFFERENT PORE RELATED CONCERNS?
1. Keep yourself hydrated. Drink plenty of water every day.
2. Use of good gentle cleanser to clean skin atleast twice a day. In between throughout the day keep splashing clean water on face to keep skin clean and clear of dust and pollutants that might be sitting on the skin surface, before they enter into pores.
3. Exfoliation is the key. Dead skin cells if keep accumulating on skin surface they clog pores. Hence regular exfoliation using mild scrub or a chemical peel is necessary to avoid pore congestion.
4. Quit smoking and limit the intake of alcohol.
5. Apply a good high value non comedogenic SPF daily to prevent the damage done by sun exposure. Also use umbrella and cover skin while stepping out into Sun during the day.
6. Add fibre rich foods in your diet. Increase intake of vitamin and mineral rich diet.
7. Avoid eating foods containing white sugar,fried & processed foods like cheese, bread etc as these are also said to be doing harm to pore health.
8. Add double cleansing routine to your PM skincare routine . Micelles water or cleansing oil/balm are super effective deeply cleansing pores and hence prevent congestion of pores.
9. Avoid covering skin unnecessary by makeup, whenever you can. Let the skin breathe free often.
10. Add retinol and niacinamide serums in your consistent skincare routine.These both are known to cater pore related skin concerns.Products containing AHAs , BHAs also does mildly exfoliate skin and prevent skin clogging.
11. Sleep on a silk pillow case. If you’re thinking your pillowcase has nothing to do with your pores—think again. Silk pillowcases are better for your skin than the cotton alternative—not to mention, they feel seriously luxurious!
12. Wear a silk scarf to sleep.No matter what material your pillowcase is, hair products can build-up on it over time, leading to breakouts and clogged pores. To prevent this, before bed, wrap your hair in a silk scarf that will help keep your hair products from getting on your skin.
Some Home remedies for congested enlarged Pores.
1. Just pick up a banana peel and rub it against your skin in a circular motion. Continue to rub for fifteen minutes and then wash your face with cold water. Trying this remedy twice a week will shrink your large pores to a great extent.
2. The best breakfast and the best exfoliator for the skin, oats can be used to absorb the dirt and oil that blocks the pores and increases their size. To reduce the enlarged pore, mix two tablespoon oats with one tablespoon of milk. Now, apply the mixture to your skin and let it dry. Once it starts to dry, start scrubbing your face for a few minutes. Wash the leftover pack with cold water thereafter.
3. Mixture of Fuller’s Earth or Multani Mitti and turmeric powder not only reduces pimples but is also helpful in reducing pores as it’s very good at absorbing oil and dirt from open pores. Also, it helps in exfoliating dead skin cells. Using it once a week can tighten your pores. All you need is two teaspoon of Fuller’s Earth a teaspoon of turmeric powder and some water to make a thick paste. Apply this paste to your face and leave it to dry. Once it dries up, wash your face with cold water.
4. Freshly made Mixture of tomato juice and cucumber juice can be applied on to skin and is very effective solution to cure enlarged pores.
Now Let’s check some common myths about pores that you need to stop believing
1.MYTH: Your pores open and close. FACT : Pores do not open and close like a mouth, but they can dilate (or stretch)
2. MYTH: Having clogged pores means your face is dirty. FACT : some people believe pores are clogged by blackheads that are formed just by materials from our environment, like pollutants and dirt, get inside them. In reality,those dark specks you see in your pores aren’t actually only dirt but is actually the buildup of dead skin cells and sebum (oil) underneath the skin. Different factors such as hormones, genetics, and skin type can cause this to occur.
3. MYTH: People with dry skin don’t have problems with blackheads or large pores. FACT : Generally, it seems like oily skin types & large pores go hand-in-hand. But this doesn’t mean people with dry skin can’t have noticeable pores, too.Pore size is determined by a variety of factors,like genetics or hormones. Plus,sun damage and aging can also cause anyone’s pores to appear larger over time.
4. MYTH: Sunlight can help clear your pores. FACT: It’s possible this myth comes from thinking that heat from sun exposure would dry excess oil in your pores, causing them to shrink. But, in reality, prolonged sun exposure can actually cause your pore size to increase.
Now you know almost every detail about these Scandalous appearing tiny entities termed as pores present on your skin and what they say about the health of your skin. Taking good care of them will ultimately help you with maintaining good, healthy beautiful skin.
A great PoreCast is on the cards….Wish you happy & consistent skincare. Stay focused…..Good skin days are coming….:)
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