If you’ve ever looked at yourself really closely in the mirror (which I’m sure you all have), whisometimes the pores on your face seem bigger and can make you feel self-conscious and shy.

Pores are the openings of hair follicles, sweat glands and oil glands. These provide a way for your body to flush out toxins, regulate temperature and moisturize dry skin. It’s important to realize that you can’t actually “shrink” your pores. Pores are not muscles and therefore do not have the capability to “open and close”.

There are three main factors that cause pores to become enlarged: oily skin, age and sex. Our skin produces sebum, an oily substance that makes it waterproof and prevents it from drying out. People who have oily skin tend to have enlarged pores. Unfortunately, as you get older your skin loses its elasticity which can cause your pores to look bigger. Sun damage also thickens your skin and causes skin cells to collect around the edge of the pores, stretching them out and making them appear larger. Finally, in general men have larger pores than females, although women may experience larger pores during hormonal changes such as menstruation.

What can you do?

• Don’t listen to what anyone tells you… you cannot shrink large pores! This doesn’t mean there is nothing you can do however, and there are steps you can do to make pores appear as if they have been temporarily reduced.
• Keep those pores clean! Wash your face twice a day, and also after you sweat, to avoid oil from building up.
• Exfoliate once a week.
• Pore-minimizing creams contain ingredients that boost the skin’s production of glyco-aminoglycans, which firm the skin around the pores.
• Applying a topical retinoid cream can reduce the appearance of large pores, as well as treat acne or sun-damaged skin. This treatment should be prescribed by a dermatologist.
• Use suncreen!
• Use an oil-free noncomedogenic moisturizer (i.e. designed to not clog up pores)
• Use a primer, and oil-free noncomedogenic makeup.

A product that can help you minimise the appearance of large pores over a long period is The Body Shop Seaweed Pore Perfector.

Article by Claire Jowell.