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What are the Different Types of Pore Treatments?
Diane Goettel
Diane Goettel
The most common kinds of pore treatments are intended to either minimize or shrink pores or to clear pores. The truth is, however, that most pore treatments do both of these things and are just marketed to emphasize one function or the other. By making sure that pores are clear from excess oil, dead skin cells, and dirt, the pores will also shrink in size. This is because when organic or foreign material builds up in the pores, the pores are stretched out. As such, clearing the pores cal also minimize or shrink the pores.
Pore treatments include a number of options that can be performed at home. Some of the most common pore treatments that can be performed at home include the use of an exfoliating product, the use of a pore-clearing mask, and the use of a pore-refining gel or moisturizer. Exfoliating products include exfoliating cleansers, exfoliating facial bars, and skin polish. All of these products help to lift dead skin cells away from the face and clear dirt and oil out of the pores.
Pore-refining masks are pore treatments that offer the same sort of skin benefits as the exfoliating treatments described above but may also help to firm the skin and hydrate the skin. A pore-refining mask may be a clay mask or a gel mask that is peeled away. Both kinds of masks are applied to the skin in an even layer, allowed to dry, and then removed. Clay masks are washed away with warm water and gel masks are peeled away in strips.
The kinds of pore treatments that are performed in spas include microdermabrasion and light chemical peels. Microdermabrasion is a kind of sandblasting for the skin and can be used to make the skin look younger and treat acne in addition to clearing and shrinking the pores. Light chemical peels remove a top layer of skin, which can include the dead skin cells that are most likely to clog the pores, leading to pimples and enlarged pores.
These sorts of spa pore treatments are often much more expensive than the kinds of pore treatments that can be performed at home. However, many people find them to be more effective. In order to allow people to have spa-quality pore treatments at home, there are now companies that make microdermabrasion machines that can be used at home. There are also people who formulate light chemical peels that can be applied at home.
Diane Goettel
In addition to her work as a freelance writer for WiseGEEK, Diane is the executive editor of Black Lawrence Press, an independent publishing company based in upstate New York. She has also edited several anthologies, the e-newsletter Sapling, and The Adirondack Review. Diane has a B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College and an M.A. from Brooklyn College.
Learn more...
Diane Goettel
In addition to her work as a freelance writer for WiseGEEK, Diane is the executive editor of Black Lawrence Press, an independent publishing company based in upstate New York. She has also edited several anthologies, the e-newsletter Sapling, and The Adirondack Review. Diane has a B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College and an M.A. from Brooklyn College.
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AS FEATURED ON:
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![Using an exfoliant can help clean out pores.]()
By: kubaisUsing an exfoliant can help clean out pores. -
![Microdermabrasion can be used to treat acne.]()
By: badmanproductionMicrodermabrasion can be used to treat acne.
Discussion Comments
I used a clay mask once, and it dried my skin out so much that I think it actually caused more acne to form. It stimulated oil production, and my pores became more clogged than they were before.
My nose is very oily, but my skin is sensitive. So, I can't use chemical peels or masks.
The only thing I can do, besides using a gentle cleanser twice a day, is use a light exfoliating scrub. It doesn't contain as many rough pieces as some scrubs, but it has enough exfoliating beads in it to scrape off some dirt.
I use it once a week, and it seems that my pores are responding well to it. They haven't been as clogged since I've been using the scrub.
I use an exfoliating scrub to keep my pores from getting clogged and to get rid of junk in the ones that have already become clogged. However, I only use it once every three weeks, because it is very intense.
The scrub is full of rough bits, yet it still goes on my skin easily. I dampen my face before spreading a small amount of scrub across it with my fingers. I rub it in a circular motion all over my face, being careful not to get any in my eyes.
I can actually feel it grinding away at rough spots and inevitably losing dirt from my pores. I rinse the bulk of it off, and I wipe away the rest with a damp cloth.
It dries my face out considerably, so I have to apply a moisturizer afterward. I love to use this scrub in winter, when dead, dry skin starts to flake off. If I didn't get rid of it, then it would surely clog my pores.
@kylee07drg – I think that chemical peels are the best pore treatment out there. There are some that really don't cost that much. I found one for only $25, and I can get about twenty uses out of it before it is gone.
It is a jar of exfoliating pads saturated with a chemical. One side of the pad is covered in little nubs, and the entire thing is wet. I rub one over my face and neck two or three times, and it starts to work.
I can feel my skin tingling as the chemical peel works to get rid of buildup. I rinse my face after an hour to get the residue off, and I am always astonished at how smooth my face feels.
In my search for enlarged pore treatment, I became a fan of at-home chemical peels. They are gentler than those you get from a professional, but they are still quite effective. If you leave them on too long, they could really irritate your skin, so you know that the ingredients are powerful.
My favorite peel comes in capsule form. I break it open and put it in a small container with a hinged lid. I fill it halfway with warm water and shake it for a whole minute.
It turns to gel, which I then paint on my face with a plastic spatula that came with it. I leave it on for three minutes, and then I use the spatula to scrape off the gel in sections. I rinse my face, and I can tell a big difference in the texture.
The fact that this peel makes my face so much smoother lets me know that it has successfully removed dirt and debris. I use it once every two weeks to keep my pores from becoming enlarged. It's a little expensive, but it is so worth the money.
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