Logout 
Do you find it difficult to conceal open pores on your skin? They are mostly around the nose, cheeks on the face. Though you can cover them up temporarily with make-up, there are also ways to get rid of them permanently. Read below to get the real deal from New York Dermatologist Dr Kiran Lohia, who has brought the latest American dermatological therapies to New Delhi.
Why we need pores in the skin?
A pore is essentially the pathway for oil to reach the skin. At the bottom of the pore is a sebaceous gland, or oil gland, which makes sebum to help keep the skin moisturised and protected. Once made, this sebum or oil travels up through the canal and exits through the pore. This is in fact, essential to keep our skin naturally soft and supple. Read about theseeight fruit face packs you can make at home for soft skin.
Why do pores increase in size?
Certain factors like the ones mentioned below are responsible in increasing the pore size.
Now that you know what a pore is, it is easy to understand why pores can increase in size. In fact, you will notice that people with overactive oil glands (or oily skin) tend to have larger pores. Essentially, with so much oil production, the pores get blocked, which can result in inflammation within the pores. This inflammation and extra sebum causes build-up and stretches the walls of the pore canal. Ultimately, with this constant stretching, the elasticity of the pores reduces, and the opening becomes larger. Read about these face packs to manage oily skin.
Excess exposure to sunlight
Sunlight damages the collagen in the skin ultimately reducing elasticity as well, which in turn leads to increased pore size. Here are DIY tips to heal sunburn at home.
Ageing
Due to the degradation of natural proteins which maintain the skin s texture and complexion, the skin loses its elasticity and has pores which are bigger. Read about the new anti-ageing treatment for sagging skin.
What daily routine should I follow to improve this condition?
First of all, don t overwash your skin. When you wash your face more than twice a day, your skin thinks that there is too little oil in it. This makes the glands overproduce oil ultimately making you greasier and your pores look even worse.
Second, use a salicylic acid based cleanser like Sali-Q Active Cleanser that helps reduce oil production by the sebaceous glands.
Third, don t overexfoliate your skin. When you do aggressive scrubbing, your skin gets dry and inflamed. This causes your oil glands to secrete more protective substances while your pores get clogged with inflammatory byproducts. Read about 10 natural, home-made scrubs to get rid of dead skin cells.
Next, use a retinol-based product every night. Retinol is derived by vitamin A and works by gently exfoliating the skin from within. This reduces oil secretion and also unblocks those pores, making them appear smaller and clearer.
Also, don t pop your pimples. When you try to extract your pimples yourself, you damage the pore, making it unable to go to its original size. Get it extracted by a certified dermatologist who will do the procedure in sterile conditions, ensuring your pores remain unharmed. Here's why popping pimples is bad.
Finally, wear sunscreen. It will help protect your skin from the collagen degradation caused by UVA rays, ultimately keeping your skin fresh and clear for the years to come. Here's how to choose the best sunscreen.
What are the latest advancements in pore reduction technology?
Now, there are a multitude of options to make your pores smaller. For example, AFT Technology is a light-based device that focuses on rejuvenation. Natural light penetrates deep in the skin to stimulate new skin and collagen formation, ultimately making your skin look brighter, clearer and fresher, almost instantly! And, it has minimal to no side-effects with a zero downtime.
Next, there is Clearlift which has been US FDA proven to penetrate deep into the dermis to cause collagen stimulation. This collagen will then make the skin more elastic, making it appear younger and pore-free. It also works to improve pigmentation making it an all-inclusive therap. And, it has zero recovery time so in 20 minutes, you walk out looking like a brighter version of yourself.
Finally, you can try resurfacing which will use Pixel Perfect Technology to essentially force the skin to self-exfoliate, making new skin form within seven days. However, this has a downtime of nearly a week.
The last word...
Go to your dermatologist to get your prescription for treating your pores. You can treat this at any age, and now with all the latest technology available, you too can get the skin you want. Here are some tips to shrink large, open pores.
Image Source: Getty Images
For more articles on skincare, check out our skincare section. For daily free health tips, sign up for our newsletter.
Follow us on