We’ve all heard of ugly pore stories, and it’s passed from generation to generation, friend to friend because people who have invisible pores are actually rare. The truth is, pores exist for a pretty valid reason – they are found in every single millimeter of skin and they are actually channels that allow oil and sweat to reach the surface of the skin from beneath.
The awful thing is, pores have stuff in them. Each pore contains a sebaceous gland, and pores are openings of hair follicles. Pores are more noticeable where sebaceous glands are bigger (so if you have oily skin, you are likely to have more noticeable pores).
Can you eliminate pores? Legendary pore stories have you believing that it is entirely possible. The simple answer is, nope. But there are ways you can reduce the size of your pores, here’s how.
USE PORE-CLEARING SKINCARE
First things first, avoid getting your pores clogged. Cleanse your face twice a day with a salicylic acid facial wash such as Skin Laundry III and use a mild glycolic acid toner or serum such as Sleep Mode which works to keep skin clear overnight with its sustained release formula.
GET PORE-FECTIONAL HELP
Those with large, noticeable pores and greasy skin can also try a carbon laser peel, in particular, the Pore Perfection Program. A salicylic acid peel is first applied to dissolve oily debris trapped within the pores, and then a fine layer of carbon liquid is applied and allowed to dry for a few minutes. A picosecond laser is applied over the skin and this results in thousands of mini explosions of carbon particles on the skin and within the pores, emptying them. Dead skin cells on the surface of the skin are removed in the same process, resulting instantly in a healthy-looking sheen.
Pico Smooth is a skin smoothening laser treatment that goes deep to treat acne scars. The fractionated treatment results in a controlled, laser-induced damage deeper within the dermis and leads to a productive wound-healing response. The increase in collagen and elastin results in skin firming which results in a natural pore-tightening effect.
And don’t be surprised, there is a use for Botox for oily skin too. Micro-refine Botox is a super targeted technique of injecting baby doses of Botox directly into the superficial layer of the skin to reduce oil production, improve pore size and fine lines, giving an “air-brushed” look. These injections are not deep enough to affect muscle movement.