Reviews Large Pores: What Causes Large Pores and How to Get Rid of Large Pores

Large Pores: What Causes Large Pores and How to Get Rid of Large Pores

Reviewed by Dori on April 13, 2014

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What Are Large Pores?

Pores are hair follicle openings and serve as the escape route for perspiration and other body toxins. Large or enlarged pores are more visible. They tend to be found on oily or aging skin and can get clogged with debris and oils, like sebum, that should flow out of pores. Those with large pores can be more prone to breakouts.

What Causes Large Pores?

Most often, genetics determine who will have large pores. Other causes for large pores can be oily skin, since excess oil sits around the skin’s pores, making them appear enlarged.

Oily and unclean skin can also cause oils to settle around the pores, making them appear larger as the skin around them thickens. Skin thickens, too, from sun damage and aging as cells build up around pore openings.

Ironically, rather than hiding skin imperfections, makeup can actually cause pores to appear enlarged, especially when it’s not properly washed off. It can also settle in and around pores to highlight instead of hide them. But mostly, cosmetics can be a magnet for dirt and oils, causing large pores to, quite literally, shine.

Blackheads may not cause large pores, but they are an undesirable result of them, a result of dirt settling into large pores and — given their dark color — being especially easy to spot on the skin.

And as skin ages, sebaceous gland, cell renewal activity and collagen and elastin production decreases, thereby increasing the appearance of visible pores.

How to Prevent Large Pores

While you can’t avoid genetics and actually change the size of large pores, you can minimize the appearance of enlarged pores.

Be sure to remove cosmetics thoroughly each night. Cleanse skin — without aggravating it by overwashing — and keep pores tight by using a gentle cleanser appropriate for your skin type.

Toners can tighten skin and are effective at preventing large pores from appearing obvious. Exfoliators are effective at activating and sloughing off dead skin cells, which can tighten skin and prevent the appearance of large pores. Masks and peels, too, tighten and shrink the skin, minimizing the appearance of large pores.

Skin brushing further activates cells and enlivens the skin, cleaning deeply into the pores and preventing large pores from being noticeable to the eye.

Moisturizing skin is essential to nourishing skin creating a barrier between large pores and unwanted oils and debris. Use a moisturizer suited for your particular skin type.

Effective Ingredients to Combat Large Pores

Clary is an herb that can help prevent the oil production that leads to the appearance of large pores. Clay peels tighten and alpha hydroxy acid (AHA) exfoliators and lotions can reduce the look of large pores. For clogged pores, nordihydroguaiaretic acid is an ingredient that corrects the abnormal shedding, or hyperkeratinization, of skin cells. Large sagging pores may be prevented or improved by P-Refinyl, a lentil-based treatment for large pores developed by Silab. Relistase, a peptide that boosts collagen, and human growth factors (HGF), may also help shrink sagging, enlarged pores.

Solutions for Large Pores

As with prevention, a regimen of proper cleansing, exfoliation and moisturizing is the best solution for large pores. Regular facial brushing is a great large pores solution to keep skin taut and pores minimized. Using a smart blend of natural anti-aging products meant to unclog, tighten and shrink is the best way to help large pores.