10 Ways to Minimize and Reduce Appearance Pores (Dermatologist Recommended) 

Just like your body hair, pores are also naturally present in every human’s body but not everyone likes their appearance. The function of these pores is to get rid of all the dirt, dust, and waste materials from your body through sweating. They also have sebaceous glands that secrete oil and keep your skin moist. 

But, when you are not taking care of your skin the right way, it can backfire and the pores can be clogged leading to their enlargement, acne, and breakouts. The enlarged pores make your skin look rough so do you want some tricks to reduce their appearance? Let’s begin. 

Table of Contents:

• Part 1: Why Do You Have Enlarged Pores?
• Part 2: Can You Get Rid of Pores Completely?
• Part 3: 10 Ways to Minimize Appearance of Pores
• Part 4: Conclusion

  Part 1: Why Do You Have Enlarged Pores?

There can be several reasons for the enlargement of your pores. All these reasons are related to your skincare and hygiene. Let’s get to know a few of them to determine the root cause and think of the right solution

• • 1. Makeup: Comedogenic makeup products can increase the size of your pores. These makeup products get entrapped in your skin pores and increase their size. It happens especially when you do not remove your makeup before sleeping.
    2. Excessive Sweating: Sweating is good for cleaning your pores but not washing up after sweating can clog the pores instead of cleaning them.
    3. Dust and Dirt: We are highly exposed to dust and dirt during our daily lives whenever we go out. The dirt particles get entrapped in your pores, clog them, and cause acne on your skin
    4. Sun Damage: The free radical damage and continuous exposure to UV rays can cause your skin to lose elasticity and increase the size of your pores 

Part 2: Can You Get Rid of Pores Completely?

You can never get rid of your pores completely or shrink their size as the size is determined by your genetics. Then all the articles you have read till now are a lie? No, they are not. Although there are no ways to minimize the physical size of pores you can prevent them from enlarging and also reduce their appearance by various methods.

Some of the ways to reduce their visibility are described below. 

Part 3: 10 Ways to Minimize Appearance of Pores

Here are 10 ways to minimize the appearance of pores for healthy glowing skin,

Cleanse Your Skin 

When your pores are clogged with excess dirt, dead cells, and oil, they look bigger than their normal size. Therefore, the very first step you can take is to get rid of all the microbes and dead cells from your pores. 

Dermatologists recommend the use of cleansers twice a day and prefer a gel-based product while buying the cleanser. It will be even better if it contains glycolic acid as glycolic able is capable of getting rid of excess dirt and dead cells by breaking down the peidermis. 

What to do: Apply the cleanser twice a day, morning and evening. If you cannot apply it twice, use it once at night

Side Effects: Using cleanser more than two times in a single day can irritate and burn your skin 

Exfoliate Gently  

Exfoliation is another easy yet effective way to open your clogged pores and minimize their appearance. It not only helps you get rid of dead skin layers, dust, and bacteria but also helps your skin look smooth, soft, and fresh. 

You can either use exfoliating scrubs, gels, creams, or even gloves. Using exfoliating gloves is the easiest and you can find them from The 10 Best Exfoliating Gloves for Bodyof 2023. 

What to Do: You can exfoliate twice a week but those with sensitive or dry skin should only do it once a week. Moreover, use gentle exfoliators that have the least amount of harsh chemicals. 

Side Effects: Excess exfoliation can cause skin irritation, redness, and even inflammation of the skin

Apply Moisturizer 

When your skin is dry, there is more sebum production than usual to compensate for the dryness of the skin. As more oil is released, your pores can appear to be enlarged. To avoid the skin from releasing excess oil, you should keep moisturizing it. 

Hydrating it regularly can also help your skin look shiny and smooth

What to Do: Prefer using oil-free moisturizers and after applying them, pat them dry so that they can absorb deeper in your skin

Side effects: Using too much moisturizer on your skin can lead to acne breakouts and even dryness. 

Also Read: 12 Best Face Moisturizers to Buy in 2023 

Use Sunscreen

Continued exposure to sun rays can cause sunburns which further leads to dead skin that causes enlargement of your pores. Moreover, the sun also your skin’s collagen and elastin which sags your skin and makes your pores visible. So, another useful way to minimize their appearance and keep them from enlarging is the use of sunscreen. 

What to do: Putting one ounce of sunscreen on the whole body and face is enough. A sunscreen with an SPF above 30 should be used and applied every two hours when you are staying outdoors

Side Effects: If you are not buying sunscreen according to your skin type, it can cause skin irritation, acne, and stinging. 

 Try Chemical Peels

You must have guessed now that the best way to minimize the appearance of pores and shrink their size is to keep your face and body clean. Exfoliation, cleansing, and sunscreen are a must for your daily routine but using the chemical peels now and then and further help you with your problem. 

Peels having hyaluronic acid in them can help in the regulation of sebum production while salicylic acid is good for skin repair.

What to do: Use chemical peels once every two weeks. Before using peels, make sure you know your skin type and do a patch test before applying the peel

Side Effects:  Chemical peels can cause skin infection, scarring, irritation, and redness. 

Use Clay Mask 

Clay masks are effective against excess sebum production. On application, they absorb this excess sebum and pull out all the impurities from underneath your skin when you remove it. This prevents your pores from enlarging and reduces their visibility. 

However, keep in mind that this option is more suitable for those with normal or oily skin. Those with dry skin should only use a mild clay mask. 

What to do: Do not exfoliate skin and use a clay mask on the same day as over-treatment can make skin more sensitive. Also, avoid keeping the mask on the skin for more than 10 minutes. 

Side Effects: Those with sensitive and dry skin can expect irritation, skin dryness, and rashes on their skin 

Use Retinol-based Products 

Retinol is the derivative of Vitamin A  that can help unclog your pores, fight acne and breakouts, and make your skin firm. It also improves collagen production which is essential for preventing wrinkles and skin repair. 

So, products that contain retinol as their main ingredient can be your solution to enlarged skin pores. 

What to do: Retinol is sensitive to light and causes skin damage once you are exposed to the sun. So, make retinol a part of your nighttime skincare regimen instead of applying it in the morning. 

Side effects: On initial application, retinol can irritate your skin and cause dryness. But, this will settle down once your skin gets accustomed to retinol. 

Avoid Frequently Touching the Face

It is a common habit of ours to keep touching the face without a reason especially if we are suffering from acne. Your hands have bacteria all the time and frequently touching your face with those hands means you are getting bacteria on your face. Once your face is exposed to bacteria, it will lead to pores enlargement, and acne. 

Therefore, do not touch your face unnecessarily, and avoid picking on acne to minimize the appearance of pores. 

Consider Microneedling

Microneedling is a dermatologist-recommended procedure to shrink your pores and reduce their appearance. This procedure involves the use of thin and small needles that create micro-injuries to your skin.

As a result, your skin stimulates wound healing response and increases the production of collagen. All these events lead to shrinkage of your pores. 

Side Effects: Skin inflammation, redness, and skin flaking are short-term side effects of the procedure that last for a few days.  A little bruising and scarring can also occur. 

Avoid Glittery Makeup 

Who does not love glitter and shimmer? But unfortunately, this can make your pores appear larger. Therefore, you should apply such makeup only on areas with smaller pores including the eyelids, the top area of your cheekbones, and your forehead areas that are by your hairline. 

For areas with larger pores, you apply matte makeup products. 

Conclusion

Dirt, makeup, sweating, and exposure to harmful rays of the sun can be the reason for clogging your pores and their enlarged appearance. There are no ways to decrease their size but you can minimize their appearance by improving your skincare routine. 

Regular cleansing and exfoliating of skin with occasional chemical peeling can be the first step towards healthy skin care. The application of sunscreen and moisturizer is also a must. You can also use a clay mask and retinol to clean the pores and unclog them.