Apart from your palms and feet, every part of your skin is covered in hair. In certain areas, the hairs are so small that they may not be visible at all. However, each follicle has a pore, as well as a sebaceous gland that produces oil.
Depending on various factors, such as the follicle volume, sebaceous gland activity, and skin elasticity, your pores can vary in size.
Are you wondering how to get rid of large pores? Even though changing the size of your pores isn’t possible, there are many ways to make them appear smaller, and so make your skin look much smoother.
1. Using Water-Based Skin Products
One of the main reasons why pores may appear larger is the buildup of sebum. Your skin gets too oily, which results in your pores getting clogged and appearing larger.
If you’re suffering from oily skin, oil-based products aren’t a good choice. They’re comedogenic, meaning that they tend to clog your pores and cause acne to appear. Even if the products’ aim is to clear the pores, they can only make things worse.
This is where water-based options can be a smart idea. They’ll help you get rid of excess oil and dirt from your pores without clogging them.
Of course, this doesn’t mean you should throw away all your oil-based masks and creams. If you’re gaining other benefits from these products, you can still use them, but keep the use to a minimum and combine them with water-based solutions.
2. Exfoliating Your Skin
Exfoliation shouldn’t be done more than twice a week, and it also needs to be done right if you want to reap all its benefits. It should help remove all the excess flakes that clog your pores and make your skin look rough.
To give your skin a deep cleanse and clear your pores in the best way, you should use alpha-hydroxy acids or beta-hydroxy acids, which are commonly referred to as salicylic acids. Both of these do a great job at penetrating your pores and cleaning them of all the impurities that can make them appear larger. BHAs are also very effective at removing acne.
There are many exfoliants out there that contain these acids, but make sure to avoid those with BHAs if you have aspirin allergies.
3. Maintaining a Healthy Diet
There’s pretty much no aspect of your health that isn’t impacted by your diet. Your skin might reflect your diet in many different ways, including your pores. Most of our diets rely heavily on inflammatory foods. If yours does as well, it might be one of the main reasons your pores appear large.
To make your skin appear smoother and more vibrant, try to avoid starch and processed sugar. Also, try to include foods rich in omega fatty acids, as well as foods rich in vitamin B2. These foods can help regulate sebum production and prevent clogging.
4. Protecting Your Skin from the Sun
UV rays have a myriad of negative effects on the skin. They can damage the skin cells’ DNA, causing all kinds of issues that impact the way the skin looks. One of the most common problems is dryness and the loss of elasticity.
When your skin is dry, your pores will become bigger. What adds to this is that the skin tends to flake, therefore clogging the pores and making your skin look even worse. Luckily, there are many things you can do to avoid this.
First of all, you’ll want to stay away from direct sunlight on hot days. Dry air in combination with UV rays can cause quite some damage to your skin. In addition, you can wear sunscreen with the SPF (Sun Protection Factor) that suits your skin type and sensitivity.
5. Keeping Your Skin Moisturized
Many people that have oily skin believe that moisturizing will only make things worse. This is a big mistake. Not only can moisturizing make your skin less oily, but can also provide a variety of benefits that will make it look much smoother and more vibrant.
Of course, you need to stick to water-based moisturizers for this to happen. These will help sebum go deeper into your skin instead of getting stuck at the top layer and clogging your pores.
6. Removing Makeup Before You Go to Sleep
Have you ever fallen asleep with makeup on because you were too tired to remove it? If this is something that happens to you frequently, you should make the conscious effort to change this habit.
If you leave it overnight, makeup gets combined with oil and dirt, therefore clogging your pores and making them appear very large. This can happen each time you sleep with makeup on, and it makes it pretty tough to get rid of large pores.
Invest in a high-quality makeup remover and make it a part of your evening ritual. Always wash your face before going to sleep, and as soon as you wake up.
7. Staying Hydrated
Proper hydration is essential for the health of your entire body, and skin is no exception. Plain water can help your skin look more youthful and healthy. It also helps remove toxins from your body, which translates to cleaner pores.
Around 8 glasses a day are enough to ensure proper hydration. If you make this a habit, you’ll likely notice positive changes to your complexion over time. For even more benefits, you can always add cucumber or lemon to your water. Not only does this make it taste better, it will also give your skin important nutrients that keep it healthy.
The Final Word
If you’re not satisfied with the way your skin looks, these tips might help you make it cleaner and smoother. Now that you have a better idea of how to get rid of large pores, go ahead and try them out.
Bear in mind that you’ll have to do this on a regular basis if you want to maintain the smoothness of your skin. This is especially true if your pores are large by nature. Luckily, by applying the above advice, you can make sure your pores aren’t an aesthetic concern anymore.
References:
https://medlineplus.gov/ency/imagepages/19666.htm
https://www.dermnetnz.org/topics/sebum/
https://www.aad.org/media/news-releases/saving-face-101-how-to-customize-your-skin-care-routine-with-your-skin-type
https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/productsingredients/ingredients/ucm107940.htm
https://www.fda.gov/Cosmetics/ProductsIngredients/Ingredients/ucm107943.htm
https://www.who.int/uv/health/uv_health2/en/
https://www.verywellhealth.com/spf-sun-protection-factor-and-sunscreen-2634104
https://www.utmedicalcenter.org/healthy-tips/103/the-importance-of-moisturizing/
https://www.uwhealth.org/madison-plastic-surgery/the-benefits-of-drinking-water-for-your-skin/26334
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