Enlarged Pores

A question I often get asked, ‘Why have I got enlarged pores?’
Did you know in just one square inch of skin we have 20 million cells, 20 blood vessels, 60 hairs, 650 sweat glands, 100 sebaceous glands and 1000 nerve endings?
Therefore, we have around 300 000 pores on the face alone.

So what is a pore?
Simply put, where we have a hair, we have a corresponding pore. So as we gaze upon our children’s fresh, young skin and notice they don’t seem to have any visible pores, don’t be too hard on yourself as you didn’t either at their age 😀
The activity in childhood sebaceous glands is very low making the pores seem almost invisible and they remain this way until mid-childhood. At this point, the sebum production starts to increase up until late teens when the activity level remains mostly stable for the majority of our adult life. Our pore size is genetically determined, so sadly it is not true that we can actually change the size of our pores. However, pores can stretch if they get a build up of congestion with material such as excess oil and dead skin cells so this makes them look bigger. Sun exposure (including sunbeds) can also make them appear larger.

So why does age seem to enlarge them?
Well, unfortunately, pores can get larger and more visible with age because with the degradation of collagen and elastin over time, the skin slackens and stretches and as a consequence the pores do too.

So what can we do about it?
Well we can make the pores appear smaller. We have a number of solutions, after a thorough skin consultation we can devise a plan of action! I will create a bespoke skin plan to get your skin working in a more effective way to avoid the build up of skin congestion. I am a big fan of chemical peels as they are a natural and exceptionally effective way to safely and deeply exfoliate the skin. Although they are suitable and beneficial to most skin types, in this case specifically for oiler skin, they can really help control your excess sebum and get your skin cells signalling to one another to increase cell turnover and desquamation (natural exfoliation sequence) and therefore reduce congestion. Micro-needling treatments are also incredibly effective in the appearance of pore reduction as they stimulate the body to produce more collagen and elastin which makes the skin firmer and appear fresher.

I find that the Dermatude Pigment Equaliser range is perfect to keep your skin nourished and appropriately hydrated and is wonderful for oiler skin types. Of course a thorough cleansing and toning routine done twice a day will greatly help as well. This will keep the pores clear of any material build up, it will help your skin to breathe and regenerate and accept the active ingredients of your creams . A thorough skin cleansing regime is crucial for your skin health.

Get in touch if you’d like to discuss any skin concern, there’s nearly always an answer for most common skin issues. I’m a phone call or a couple of clicks away 📲