The pores are of the micro-openings of the skin through which sebum is released, which plays an important protective barrier action. It allows the skin to breathe and gives the epidermis a hydrated and soft tone.
However, when the release of sebum is excessive, the pores become clogged and dilate, causing one of the most common skin imperfections: the skin has a shiny and greasy effect, the texture is irregular and the pores are annoyingly visible to the naked eye.
All problems related to the presence of dilated pores can be summarized under the name “porexia”.
Generally the affected area is the T-zone of the face which includes forehead, nose And chin, but in some cases you may have dilated pores even on the cheeks. If not treated properly, enlarged pores can pave the way for blackheads, pimples and, in the worst cases, acne.
Cause
The main cause to which enlarged pores are linked is theoverproduction of sebum: it is no coincidence that porexia affects mainly individuals who have a tendency towards oily skin. But excess sebum is only the epidermal response to other more hidden causes. Some of these can be:
- Unbalanced diet
- Poor care in daily skin cleansing
- Action of sex hormones (in women, progesterone during ovulation)
But not only that. Genetic predisposition factors must also be taken into account.
Just as skin aging, combined with damage caused by excessive exposure to the sun, can be a cause of this blemish. In fact, as the years go by, the skin loses its elasticity and this can predispose to dilation of the pores. In this case, the key word is prevention: taking care of your skin from a young age and supporting it with anti-aging treatments can certainly reduce the appearance of the dreaded dilated pores.
Applying cosmetics that are too aggressive or not suitable for your skin type can also make the situation worse.
Another bad habit of many women is not removing make-up before going to sleep: if not properly cleansed, the skin can retain make-up residues that end up clogging and dilating the pores. It is therefore essential to focus on a good facial cleansing to free pores from accumulated dirt and allow our skin to breathe again.
How do dilated pores narrow?
As we have seen, there are several causes related to the appearance of dilated pores. Fortunately, however, there are just as many solutions to close them or at least significantly narrow them. Let's see what they are:
Cleaning your face with the right products
If the main cause of enlarged pores is excess sebum and dirt that clogs them, the key to combating the problem is: cleansing!
A good daily skincare is essential to deeply clean the skin of the face, rid the pores of sebum and accumulated makeup residues and eliminate dead cells from the sebaceous follicle.
But before you start you need to choose the right products: avoid those containing aggressive surfactants (SLS and SLES) and parabens, which occlude the skin and stimulate the production of the sebaceous glands.
Prefer cleansers and masks with natural extracts such as chamomile, mallow and calendula, with well-known soothing and astringent properties.
Other essential ingredients are thesalicylic acid, a powerful keratolytic that helps inhibit sebum production, and thehyaluronic acid, which rebalances the skin's hydration, restoring its elasticity.
From the fgm04 catalogue we point out these among the best products to tighten large pores:
- DMAE Cleansing Gel, a product for daily cleansing based on salicylic acid which, thanks to its exfoliating and sebum-regulating power, helps to close pores and improve skin texture. The natural extracts have a hydrating and soothing action.
- Sugar Scrub, is a delicate scrub based on sugar, argan oil and beeswax that cleanses and smoothes the skin, restructures the skin base and gives a brighter appearance.
It is essential to make the daily cleansing a pleasant routine: cut out 15 minutes of time in the evening, you will not need more for a thorough cleaning of the face!
- To start, use the cleanser to thoroughly clean the skin and rid the pores occluded from smog, sebum and dirt accumulated during the day
- Then apply a good tonic astringent to complete cleansing and prepare the skin for subsequent treatments
- If you want to add an anti-aging action to your treatment, you can apply the ACE Multivitamin Serum, whose vitaminizing and antioxidant formulation combats skin aging by stimulating skin regeneration.
Diet
If you suffer from dilated pores or have fat-prone skin, it is important to avoid a too elaborate diet which, among other physical damage, can also affect the hyper-production of sebum of the epidermis.
- What to avoid?
Certainly too fatty and salty foods such as fried food and cured meats.
Also keep an eye on the consumption of dairy products such as cheeses and those with a high glycemic index: sweets, biscuits, refined cereals such as pasta and white bread.
These are foods that cause a rapid increase in glucose (sugar) in the blood, which triggers a series of hormonal signals that can cause inflammation and overproduction of sebum on the skin. The best thing to do is to try eliminating (or reducing) these foods from your diet for a while and see how the situation changes.
- What to enter in the diet?
It is recommended to increase the consumption of fruit and vegetables to fill up on vitamins and fiber that can detoxify the body, along with legumes and whole grains.
Lemon is also a powerful natural antibacterial that helps purify the skin and reduce inflammation. Chia seeds and other oil seeds such as flax and sesame seeds are also excellent, to be consumed as a snack or in combination with vegetables: rich in antioxidants and good fats such as omega 3, they are a real panacea for the skin!
Natural remedies for dilated pores
There are several natural DIY remedies to solve the problem of enlarged pores. Let's see some of them:
Honey and lemon mask: honey is a natural moisturizer and lemon is rich in vitamin C, which can help reduce the appearance of large pores. To make the mask, mix together a tablespoon of honey and the juice of half a lemon. After 15-20 minutes of action, rinse with warm water, this last procedure remains the same for all types of masks to follow.
Tomato mask: Tomato is rich in vitamin C and salicylic acid, which help reduce the appearance of large pores and prevent acne. To make the mask, mash a ripe tomato and apply it to your skin.
Baking soda scrub: Baking soda is a great natural skin scrub, as it helps remove dead skin cells and cleanse deep pores. To make the scrub, mix a tablespoon of baking soda with water until it becomes a paste-like consistency. Apply it to your skin in small circular motions, then rinse with warm water.
Egg white mask: egg whites are rich in proteins that help tighten pores and reduce the appearance of large pores. To make the mask, beat an egg white and apply it to your skin. These are all natural remedies that you can easily make at home with ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen.
Witch Hazel Hydrolate: Witch Hazel Hydrolate It is an extract obtained from the witch hazel plant and contains a high quantity of active ingredients beneficial for the skin. Witch hazel has antiseptic and antibacterial properties that make it a precious ally for oily skin, reducing blackheads, enlarged pores and acne. Furthermore, its soothing properties make it suitable even for the most sensitive skin and for dry skin.
We recommend using it as a tonic: you can get an excellent result astringent tonic do it yourself (What is facial toner for?) combining witch hazel hydrolate with lemon and rosemary essential oil, natural ingredients known for their purifying properties. Use the toner every evening, after applying the cleansing gel and before applying the face mask.
Lemon: Even the lemon It is an excellent ally in our beauty routine to fight oily skin and close dilated pores DIY. Its antiseptic and astringent properties make it a perfect natural remedy. Try making a DIY mask with honey and lemon: mix a spoonful of lemon, one of honey and one of yogurt until you obtain a smooth paste, apply for 10 minutes and rinse.
Green clay mask: Another natural ingredient that is truly effective against enlarged pores is green clay, rich in minerals and trace elements with astringent and purifying properties.
There are ready-made ones on the market, but if you want you can also try one green clay mask at home: just combine 2 tablespoons of clay powder with warm water in a bowl, mix well to smooth the mixture and apply it. Be careful not to keep it too long: as soon as it hardens it must be rinsed off.
And the talcum powder?
Even though it is part of one of the “grandmother's remedies” for dilated pores, we do not recommend it: it is too aggressive a product and you could get the opposite effect, that is, clog the pores even more, or dry the skin too much. Just think that today the best face powders for the skin are those that do not contain talc!
If you really want to try a floury-textured ingredient for oily skin, you could use cornstarch or oatmeal to make a face mask out of it.
Hot steams: Another grandma's remedy that works: every now and then you can do hot steam to free the pores. How?
Put some water to boil in a fairly large pot, then add a few drops of essential oil (we recommend lemon, rosemary or tea tree) and cover the pot with a tea towel for 5 minutes.
At this point, with the help of a towel, do a steam inhalation for about 10-15 minutes: it will help soften the skin and open the pores, preparing the face for a deeper cleansing.
Drug and laser treatment
If the enlarged pores lead to acne, it would be a good idea to see a dermatologist who will be able to prescribe the most suitable drugs to solve the problem.
A common drug is theichthyol, a natural ointment with antiseptic properties that helps dry the area on which it is applied to eliminate pimples more easily. Even if it is an over-the-counter drug, it is always best to consult a dermatologist for advice before purchasing and only in the presence of more serious problems than enlarged pores, such as acne.
Another treatment used today to close dilated pores is the diode laser, which aims to selectively kill the sebaceous glands in order to reduce the overproduction of sebum.
Final Tips
Although enlarged pores can be a nuisance, remember that they are nothing more than an unsightly problem that can be easily solved with a good routine. daily cleansing performed regularly, along with the other natural remedies recommended in this article.
There are no miracle products that make enlarged pores disappear overnight: the secret is simply select the right products and apply them consistently in your skincare.
Image credits donuts: Image of Racool_studio on Freepik
