Ditch those open pores: Your dermatologist’s guide to clear skin

Ditch those open pores: Your dermatologist's guide to clear skin
by Dr Kiran Lohia

Open pores can be tricky to handle. They are easily visible on the face and even if you cover them with make-up, it is a temporary solution which may worsen the condition due to the chemicals in your cosmetics. With so many products in the market that claim to do everything from shrinking the pore size to making pores disappear, one wonders what can really be done. Can you actually shrink pores? And why do they happen in the first place? 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.

Pores are not bad, they are necessary!

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.

Why do pores increase in size?

Certain factors like the ones mentioned below are responsible in increasing the pre size.

Oily skin

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: How to manage sensitive 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. (Read:How to choose the best sunscreen)

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: 3 secret anti-ageing potions revealed!)

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.
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.
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.
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.

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