How to Treat Enlarged Pores

The pores in your skin have a most important purpose. These tiny passageways allow oil to surface and moisturize your skin. Just think of how your skin would look if all your pores had plugs in them. Pretty wrinkled and old looking I would imagine.Having enlarged pores is the same as having pores with plugs in them. The plugs stretch the pores and make them larger than they should be, making for less than perfect skin. If you remove these plugs the pores will look less noticeable for a while. You must realize that although you can’t shrink enlarged pores to the point of them being invisible to the naked eye, you can make them appear smaller. The recommended treatment for enlarged pores is as follows.

Things You'll Need

• An appropriate cleanser (see step number one)
• An exfoliating scrub or AHA (alpha-hydroxy acid)
• A facial steamer or bowl of hot water
• Tissues
• A wet cotton pad
• Toner

Instructions

How to Treat Enlarged Pores, by Grace Covelli

1. CleanseWash your face twice a day. If enlarged pores are only in the T-zone area, use a cleanser designed for combination skin. Otherwise, use a cleanser made for oily skin.

2. ExfoliateBefore doing anything else, exfoliate your skin to remove any dead cell buildup that may be clogging your pores. You can use an alpha-hydroxy acid or a mildly abrasive scrub, whichever you prefer. If you choose to use the scrub, remember to rub your skin gently so as not to irritate it or stimulate the oil glands.

3. Steam, Squeeze and ToneEnlarged pores become enlarged when excess oil and debris accumulate inside the pores. Steam your face for approximately ten minutes so that the matter inside the pores will be easier to remove. After steaming, use forefingers wrapped in facial tissue to gently squeeze around each enlarged pore. When finished, wipe clean with toner. The alcohol in the toner will temporarily tighten the pores.

Tips & Warnings

• Exfoliate twice a week.

• Always keep face a good distance away from steam so you don't burn your skin.