You look in the mirror and, suddenly, it seems you can only see one thing: your pores.
You notice them more prominently on your nose, cheeks, or T-zone and do what most of us do when something worries us: you go to Google and search for “product to eliminate pores,” “how to close pores,” or “how to get rid of blackheads.”
But before buying another product, there is something important you should know: pores cannot be eliminated. They don't open and close either.
And this doesn't mean there's nothing you can do. On the contrary. Their appearance can improve significantly when you understand why they are more visible and treat your skin correctly.
Why are pores more visible?
Pores are a normal part of your skin’s structure. We all have pores, and their size is partly determined by genetics. However, certain factors can make them look larger or more noticeable.
Excess oil
When there is increased sebum production, the pore can become more evident, especially in areas like the nose, forehead, or cheeks near the nose.
Furthermore, when that sebum mixes with dead cells and accumulates inside the pore, blackheads, pimples, papules, pustules, and milia can appear.
Accumulation of dead cells
When cell renewal doesn't happen correctly, dead cells can accumulate on the surface and around the pore. This makes the texture look more irregular, feel rough to the touch, and makes the pores visually more obvious.
Exfoliation can help us here, but be careful: exfoliating more doesn't mean achieving smoother skin. Excessive exfoliation can disrupt the skin barrier, cause irritation, and end up achieving the exact opposite of what you’re looking for.
Loss of collagen and elasticity
Over the years, the structural support of the skin progressively decreases. And when skin loses firmness and elasticity, the tissue surrounding the pore also changes, which can make it appear larger or more elongated.
That is why, for certain skin types, I don't just work on the pore, but also on the quality, firmness, and structure of the skin.
Dehydration
Dehydrated skin can present a more irregular texture and make lines, small wrinkles, blemishes, and pores much more visible.
And here I encounter a fairly common mistake in the studio: having oily skin and thinking it doesn't need hydration. Skin can produce a lot of sebum and, at the same time, be dehydrated.
Inadequate cleansing
Using an improper cleanser can destabilize your skin's pH. A lack of cleansing can promote the accumulation of oil, sunscreen residues, makeup, and other impurities. And using cleansers that are too aggressive or trying to keep the skin constantly “oil-free” is not the solution either.
Cleansing should aim to remove what the skin doesn't need without unnecessarily altering its protective barrier.
Choosing the right cleanser is something we don't usually pay enough attention to, yet it is one of the first steps to keeping skin in good condition.
Genetics
There are people who simply have a greater predisposition to having visible pores. We can improve their appearance and achieve a much more uniform skin texture, but promising “poreless” skin is not realistic.
If you are genetically prone to having more visible pores, it doesn't mean you can't achieve a significant improvement. We simply need to keep that in mind when setting expectations and caring for the skin.
What can I do to improve the appearance of pores?
Instead of looking for the product that closes pores, you must first ask yourself why your pores are so visible.
An oily skin type prone to comedones will need something different from mature skin where pores have become more evident due to a loss of firmness.
In general terms, a good facial skincare routine should include:
- Proper cleansing, adapted to your skin type and without obsessing over degreasing it.
- Good hydration, even when there is an oily tendency.
- Daily sunscreen, especially if we want to preserve the collagen and quality of the skin.
- Suitable active ingredients: retinoids, niacinamide, AHAs, PHAs, certain exfoliants, or antioxidants can be interesting, but not all skin needs the same ones.
- Judicious exfoliation, choosing the type of exfoliation best suited for each skin type: physical or chemical.
- Professional facial treatments to treat texture, obstructions, or skin quality in a more controlled and deeper way.
- And, above all, consistency.
Beware of obsessing over blackheads
In online diagnoses, I often see: the more visible we perceive our pores to be, the more we want to clean them. Masks, blackhead strips, primers, exfoliants, acids, extractions…
And you can end up entering a cycle where you are continually trying to eliminate something that, in part, is part of your skin's normal functioning. Healthy skin is not poreless skin.
The goal should be to achieve balanced skin with a more uniform texture and less evident pores, not to chase completely smooth skin that doesn't exist in real life. That only happens with filters.
Is there excess oil? Accumulation of dead cells? Dehydration? Loss of firmness? Are you using too many exfoliants? Or do you simply have a pore structure that is more visible due to genetics?
Because two people can look in the mirror, think “my pores are huge,” and need completely different strategies. And that is precisely why I don't believe in recommending a product just because the label says “for pores.”
Pores do not close or disappear. But when we take proper care of our skin, we can indeed make them look smaller, cleaner, and less noticeable.
First, we understand the skin. Then we decide what it needs.
And that difference shows.
A hug,
Mercè 🖤
