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Skin Care Tips for Open Pores

Large or open pores on the face make skin appear rough or blemished. Pores may remain open temporarily after a hot shower or washing the face with hot water, or they may always appear larger in the T-zone and on the cheeks. Finding the correct skin care regimen with gentle products can reduce the appearance of large or open pores.

  1. Cool Water

    • Your skin reacts to heat and cold. Simply washing your face with cool water can reduce the appearance of your pores. The cool temperature helps the open pores on your face to close naturally. Try using cool water to wash your face twice a day and always use a clean towel to dry.

    Gentle Cleansers

    • Abrasive treatments and cleansers might irritate skin with large pores, causing swelling. Using gentle cleansers daily slowly helps open pores to close while cleaning the skin, which will help them stay closed. The face should be washed with the same product every morning and every night. The product should be gentle enough that this amount of use does not dry the skin.

    Gentle Toners

    • After cleaning your face, use a toner to close open pores. The toner must be gentler than an astringent if it is used twice a day unless you have very oily skin. Oily skin can contribute to the appearance of pores by clogging them. The use of a toner will help with this problem as well. Rose water is a common gentle toner that will help close pores on sensitive skin.

    Exfoliation

    • Regular exfoliation, every two weeks for example, aids in the reduction of open pores by removing dead skin cells from the surface of the skin. Once the skin is exfoliated, it will begin to heal and regenerate healthy cells on its own. The use of over-the-counter microdermabrasion products or products containing alpha hydroxy acid once every two weeks is a good way to begin reducing the visibility of pores. If undesirable changes in the skin occur such as sensitivity, scarring or redness, the frequency of treatments should be reduced to once a month or stopped. If there seems to be no effect, microdermabrasion treatments can be used as often as once a week.

    Keeping the Face Clean

    • Remember not to touch your face often. Be sure everything that touches the sensitive areas of your face is clean by wiping with antibacterial wipes (for example, the nose pads of sunglasses and the face of your cell phone).

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