How to shrink pores [reduce] on the face at home

There are two types of pores on the human body at once – the ducts of the sebaceous and sweat glands. They provide skin breathing and perform excretory and thermoregulatory functions of the body. It is through them that sweat and sebum are produced on the surface of the skin. Therefore, it is impossible to get rid of pores forever.

Enlarged clogged pores are an aesthetic disadvantage most often encountered by owners of oily and / or combination skin in the T-zone of the face. In owners of normal and / or dry skin, the pores are almost invisible to the eye. Why do the pores on the face expand? Several factors influence the activity and size of pores:

1. The active work of the sebaceous glands is the main cause of enlarged pores. The more sebum (sebum) they produce, the wider and more visible the pores will be. Enlarged pores are the main harbinger of oily skin imperfections – blackheads and acne. Sebum stagnates at the mouth of the sebaceous glands, thickens and mixes with particles of external contaminants and horny cells of the skin, creating a dense sebaceous plug. These plugs clog pores and form closed and open comedones.
2. Another reason for enlarged pores is hormonal changes in the body. For example, during puberty in children, the synthesis of sex hormones increases, due to which the activity of the sebaceous glands increases and the size of the pores increases. A similar situation occurs with the skin of women during pregnancy or in the premenstrual period.
3. Deep pores on the background of oily facial skin can also be genetic in nature. Skin type is often inherited from parents. If the older generation had problematic skin (enlarged pores, oily face, rashes), it is likely that children will have similar problems.
4. The pores on the face can expand and become dirty due to improperly selected or insufficient care (cleansing, moisturizing, controlling sebum production).
5. The intensity of the sebaceous glands is also influenced by stress and lack of sleep, bad habits, unbalanced nutrition, exposure to ultraviolet rays.

1. Cleansing is always the first step in any skincare routine. It is necessary to wash your face 2 times a day, in the morning and in the evening, to remove excess sebum and remnants of external impurities from the skin surface. Get into the habit of washing your face with room temperature water. Hot water expands the pores and increases the activity of the sebaceous glands. As a cleansing, choose special foams, gels or mousses for oily skin. Eliminate soap-based products – it dries out the skin, which can also provoke increased sebum secretion in order to self-moisturize.
2. For oily skin, deep cleansing can be done 1-2 times a week with clay masks or delicate peels. This will help cleanse the skin of the stratum corneum of cells, draw out impurities from the pores and significantly narrow them. It is important to remember that if inflammation is present on the face, then peeling should be avoided so as not to further injure the epidermis and provoke irritation and new rashes.
3. After cleansing, tone your skin with lotions or toners. They will help to further cleanse the skin and remove the remnants of the cleanser from its surface, have a disinfectant, drying, mattifying and narrowing effect, and prepare it for corrective care.
4. The final stage is the use of a base product with sebum-regulating and matting properties. If there are elements of inflammation on the skin, then the basic care formula must contain anti-inflammatory components.
5. Do not forget about the need to protect oily skin from ultraviolet radiation, since ultraviolet destroys the collagen and elastin fibers of the skin, which causes skin tissues to stretch and pores to enlarge. Use sunscreen according to your skin type. It is important that the base does not contain mineral (and natural) oils, which can clog pores and sebaceous ducts. It is good if, in addition to a light texture, the formula will be based on matting agents: perlite, micropowder, microcrystalline cellulose or silicon.

• Cryotherapy is suitable for slowing down the production of sebum. During the procedure, the skin is exposed to cold, which allows you to even out the complexion and significantly narrow the pores.
• Facial cleansing (hardware, mechanical) allows you to effectively remove their pore pollution. After cleansing, the beautician applies specialized cosmetics to the face, which narrows open and cleansed pores, preventing their re-contamination.
• Peelings are another effective way to minimize facial oiliness, deeply cleanse, shrink pores and prevent their re-contamination. Fruit peels or carbon laser peels are suitable.
• Photorejuvenation (laser rejuvenation) is another effective technique to combat enlarged pores. Under the influence of the laser, the pores are tightened, the complexion becomes uniform, the skin condition improves. 
• Darsonvalization or the procedure of ultrasonic exposure to the skin is recommended to get rid of rashes, narrow pores and reduce sebum secretion. 

The products used for care should be suitable for your skin type. Cosmetic formulas that contain sebum-regulating and matting ingredients will help narrow the pores. Substances with a sebum-regulating effect include: zinc salts, vitamin A derivatives (retinoids), linoleic acid, niacinamide, azelaic acid, salicylic and lipohydroxy acids. A mattifying effect can be achieved thanks to sebum-absorbing components in the composition, for example, kaolin, talc, zinc oxide.

Also, dermatologists do not recommend owners of oily skin to abuse decorative cosmetics. A thick layer of foundation or powder interferes with the respiratory function of the skin, due to which the pores can increase in size. It is also recommended to reduce the use of alcohol-based products, which can dry out the skin. At the same time, the sebaceous glands are activated and produce even more sebum to moisturize the epidermis, thereby expanding the pores.

Look for “non-comedogenic,” “doesn’t clog pores” on the packaging, and even better if it says “dermatologically tested” and “hypoallergenic.” Such products have clinically proven effectiveness and are completely safe for oily skin: they do not cause irritation, do not dry the skin, prevent clogging of pores and the appearance of imperfections.