What a PUNderful dilemma we have here. I’m sure you’ve heard everything under the sun when it comes to pores, but unfortunately so many of the things we’ve been taught, even the ones your Grandma swears by, are actually myths! No worries though, because we’re here to rescue you from those sneaky untruths so buckle up buttercup because you’re in for a ride.
Myths that aren’t as interesting as Ancient Greek’s but totally relevant and important:
You can change your pore size
Yeah, as much as we want this one to be true, unfortunately your pore size is mostly genetic. You can blame your ancestors for that one, but there are other factors that can be attributed to pore size as well. Increased sebum production for one, which is the cause for oily skin. Age is another factor as skin elasticity decreases as we age and our body’s natural ability to produce collagen decreases. Sun damage can also be attributed to the size of pores as its effects are similar to aging in that it causes a decrease in collagen production.
You might not be able to actually shrink your pore size, but there are ways to minimize the appearance of them. Skincare routines that include exfoliation and retinol can help the pores seem smaller. Procedures such as laser, microneedling, and microchanneling can also reduce the appearance of pores by stimulating collagen (see collagen is important) to make the skin appear younger and healthier.
Wearing makeup clogs pores
Not gonna lie, this one surprised me a bit! Anyone that’s ever had acne has been concerned that trying to cover up the problem areas just makes everything worse, BUT as long as you’re cognizant of the types of products you use, wearing makeup won’t make things worse. The type of makeup to look for is non-comedogenic meaning the product doesn’t contain ingredients that trigger acne and blackheads.
Pores open and close
If you do this and this it’ll really open up your pores! I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard that heat opens your pores and cold closes them, but pores don’t actually open or close. They can dilate which happens when the pores become clogged.
Skincare products such as face masks, nose strips, serums, etc. can shrink pores
This goes back to the “you can change your pore size” myth which we’ve already debunked (just call me a Myth Buster. Is that tv show still a thing?). You can’t actually shrink your pores! Products can help make it look as if your pores are smaller, but all of these things are temporary. That’s not to say there aren’t amazing products out there because I’m all for a little houdini vanishing trick when it comes to my pores.
Frequent washing prevents pore blockage
I’m going to start sounding like a broken record in these blogs because I know I’ve talked about that sweet spot when it comes to skincare. Too much of a good thing can ultimately make things way worse. Over washing your skin is a great example of this. It can cause dryness and redness and irritate the skin to the point where it is having the opposite effect of what you are trying to achieve. Face washing=good. Too much face washing=bad.
Blackheads are dirt stuck in our pores.
I’m not sure what I thought blackheads were before writing this, but now I know! So blackheads aren’t dirt and whiteheads aren’t pus. There’s a lot of science involved in explaining exactly what causes blackheads, but as always, we’ll simplify it a bit. Blackheads occur when dead skin cells block the opening to the pore and make it so the oil from the sebaceous glands can’t exit.. The oil being trapped causes the pore to dilate and force the oil to the surface. When this reaches the surface of the pore it becomes oxidized, turning black which is… you guessed it, a blackhead. Funny when names are a little too literal.
Sun exposure reduces pore size.
But like you’ve already told us like 12,938 times that pores can’t actually increase or decrease in size. Yeah, yeah well I’m not done yet. I feel like this one should be a bit obvious as we all know the damaging effects sun can have on our skin, but just to reiterate, sun damage is kind of irreversible and actually does similar things to our skin that aging does! Both aging and sun damage decrease our body’s natural ability to produce collagen so NO sun exposure does not reduce your pore size.
Cold water will close your pores.
A nice cool splash of water before getting out of the shower can help with alleviating some of the pink and puffy skin, but it doesn’t do anything for your pore size.
Estheticians can steam open your pores for more effective treatments.
First heat and no cold, this is starting to sound repetitive. This is the last one I promise! Any of us who have had facials might have heard that steaming the face before products are applied opens up the pores so the products can absorb into the skin better. What really happens though is the heat causes the superficial blood vessels in the skin to become enlarged and cause temporary swelling. This makes it seem as if the pore diameter is smaller, but only until the skin cools back down. When the pores are warmed up though, your skin will feel moisturized which is the real reason for the steam. It’s important to find an esthetician that knows their stuff though because heat can also cause problems by disrupting the skin barrier and making the skin more sensitive to trauma.
Okay! So we may have had some overlap in there, but we successfully debunked the myths. Were there any that surprised you or are you just an expert at pores? Are you totally done with me droning on? Yeah me too. K Bye.
If you’re interested in microchanneling or facials with 614 Beauty, you can check out our website for more information.