Close Large Pores

Large pores can look unsightly, causing you to feel embarrassed by your skin. Luckily, there are several things you can do to close large pores and reduce their size - from practicing good skin care, to receiving laser treatment, to trying home remedies. Just start with Step 1 below to find out more.

Steps

Using Home Remedies

  1. Use ice. Rubbing an ice cube over your pores for 10 to 15 seconds can help to tighten the skin and close up the pores, making them appear smaller.
  2. Use baking soda. Make a paste from one tablespoon of baking soda and a little water.
    • Apply this paste to the problem areas and leave to dry for 5 to 10 minutes before rinsing with warm water.
    • This can help to minimize the appearance of pores, while also helping to fight acne.
  3. Make an egg white mask. Egg white masks are believed to tighten pores, making them appear smaller.
    • Mix 2 raw eggs whites with 1/4 cup of fresh orange juice. Apply this mask to the face and leave to sit for 15 minutes before rinsing with warm water.
    • The orange juice helps to brighten your complexion.[1]

Practicing Good Skin Care

  1. Keep your face clean. When pores become clogged with dirt and oil, they can appear larger and more noticeable. Therefore, it is important to keep your face clean in order to minimize the amount of dirt and oil on the surface of the skin.
    • Wash your face once in the morning and once in the evening. Washing more than this can dry out your skin and cause it to become irritated, making your pores appear larger.
    • Wash your face with a gentle cleanser (without sulfates) and use warm, rather than hot water. Gently dab (don't rub) your face dry with a clean, soft towel.
  2. Exfoliate. Exfoliating helps to remove dead skin cells, which would otherwise mix with dirt and oil on the surface of your skin, causing blocked pores.
    • You should exfoliate a couple of times a week, using a gentle exfoliating scrub with fine particles. Scrubs with larger exfoliating particles can be abrasive, causing micro tears and scratches on the skin.
    • Alternatively, you can use a clean washcloth to gently rub your face using small circular motions, or make a natural, homemade facial scrub from ingredients in your pantry.
    • If you can afford it, consider splurging on a motorized cleansing brush, such as Clarisonic, which exfoliates the skin as it cleans and is said to be twice as effective as washing your face by hand.[2]
  3. Use noncomedogenic moisturizer. Moisturizer is important for healthy skin. It also prevents the skin from drying out, which can make pores appear larger.
    • When buying a moisturizer, look for one labelled "noncomedogenic" as this means that it will not clog your pores.
    • If you tend to have sensitive skin, you should stay away from moisturizers containing colors or fragrances, as this can be irritating.
  4. Use steam treatments. Steam treatments are excellent for minimizing the appearance of pores. This is because the hot steam opens pores and allows any dirt or oil clogging them to drain away.
    • To make a steam treatment, boil some water and pour it into a heat-proof bowl. Add a couple of drops of tea tree oil if you have acne-prone skin.
    • Lower your face over the bowl and place a towel over your head. Allow the steam towards your face for about ten minutes.
    • When you're done, splash your face with cold water. This rinses away any oil and dirt and helps to close up your pores.
  5. Apply clay masks. Clay masks can help to minimize the appearance of pores by drawing out any clogged dirt, oil and dead skin cells.
    • Buy a clay mask at your local drug or beauty supply store, or make your own by mixing one tablespoon of bentonite clay, one tablespoon of oatmeal and one tablespoon of water.
    • Thoroughly cleanse your face, then apply the mask and leave it to sit for about 10 to 15 minutes until the clay has dried. Your face should feel tight beneath the mask.
    • Rinse off the clay using warm water, then pat your face dry. Repeat this once a week.
  6. Wear sunscreen everyday. Many people don't realize this, but UV light from the sun damages the collagen which supports the skin. Without this collagen pores can stretch, making them appear larger.
    • You can prevent this from happening by wearing sunscreen everyday. You can buy many daily facial moisturizers that contain SPF, so it shouldn't be difficult.
    • When you're spending a lot of time outdoors, you should also wear a hat and sunglasses ti provide extra protection from the harmful rays of sunlight.
  7. Don't pick or squeeze blackheads and pimples. Trying to remove blackheads by picking or squeezing is a bad idea. If you do it incorrectly, you can damage the pores and cause them to appear larger.
    • Picking at a blackhead can also transfer bacteria from your fingers and nails, causing your blackhead to transform into a nasty pimple.
    • If you must remove blackheads, you should do so with a sterilized comedone extractor, which you can buy online or at the drug store.
    • Be sure to invest in a quality toner, such as witch hazel. You can find toners at your local drug store. Toners really makes sure your pores are clean before sealing them closed. Daily use of toner, also benefits the size of your pores.

Using Skin Treatments

  1. Use products containing retinoids. Retinoids are derivatives of vitamin A which are used in many anti-aging and acne products.
    • Retinoids increase cell turnover, which helps to unclog the pores and makes them appear smaller.[3]
    • Retinol, a relatively gentle retinoid, is available in many anti-aging products sold at drug stores and beauty supply stores. Tretinoin is a stronger retinoid commonly used to treat acne and available only with a prescription; you would need to speak to your doctor or dermatologist before pursuing this treatment.
  2. Get laser treatment. Laser treatments provide a more permanent solution to large pores.
    • Non-ablative laser treatments like Medlite, Genesis and Fraxel increase collagen production which tightens pores, causing them to look smaller.
    • The major drawback to laser treatment is the cost. You will probably require two to three sessions, at $500 a pop.[2]
  3. Get a prescription for Accutane. Accutane is a prescription medication for severe acne.
    • It is one of the only treatments which will physically shrink pores, rather than making them appear smaller.
    • However, Accutane is a very strong medication which causes severe skin dryness. It is also likely that the pores will return to their original size when the treatment ends.[3]

Disguising Your Pores

  1. Wear make-up. Instead of trying to shrink your pores, you could just try to cover them up using concealer, foundation and powder. This is an effective temporary solution which can help you to feel more confident about the appearance of your skin.
    • Choose a concealer and foundation than perfectly matches your skin tone, as this will help the make-up to appear more natural. Go for mattifying make-up if your skin tends to be oily and moisturizing make-up if your skin tends to be dry.
    • Apply the make-up lightly and evenly using a sponge or brush. Don't cake it on, as this will simply draw more attention to the areas you are trying to conceal. Make sure to wash your brush or sponge frequently, to avoid a build-up of bacteria.
    • Make sure to thoroughly remove make-up at night. Leaving it on will clog your pores, causing them to look worse.
  2. Use a skin primer. Applying a primer under your make-up is a great way to make your skin appear flawless.
    • A good primer (preferably a silicone-based one) will temporarily fill in your pores, without clogging them.
    • This provides an even surface for your make-up, making your pores almost invisible.[4]

Tips

  • You can buy special blotting papers which absorb oil and help constrict pores. They are cheap and easily available.
  • Use a toner. Toning your skin after cleanser helps to further tighten pores. Make sure to use one formulated for oily skin, as again, they have special ingredients in them to help tighten pores.
  • Do not pick at your face! It creates holes that only become larger and quickly becomes a habit! My face is now covered in huge holes that I feel very self-conscious about. Please do not make the same mistakes as I have!
  • Make your own toner using tea tree oil and rosewater. Apply after exfoliating, let it set for 2-3 mins then apply a moisturizer.

Warnings

  • Be careful to avoid getting any products into your eyes. If it does get in your eyes, immediately rinse thoroughly with clean water.

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ http://www.webmd.com/beauty/skin/how-pamper-your-skin
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 http://www.realsimple.com/beauty-fashion/skincare/face/shrink-your-pores-00000000043221/
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/07/05/shrink-pore-size-face-dermatologist_n_1644018.html
  4. ↑ http://skincare.about.com/od/combinationskin/a/6-Tips-To-Shrink-Your-Pores.htm
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