Pores Don't Open and Close — But They Do Look Bigger with Age

You look in the mirror and notice the pores around your nose and cheeks look bigger than they used to.

So you try masks, products that promise to shrink pores, or products that claim they'll give you completely smooth skin.

But before you try to make them smaller, it's worth understanding what pores actually are — and why they're there.

What are pores?

The pores you see on your face are mostly the openings of hair follicles — the same openings the natural oil from your sebaceous glands drains through.

That oil, called sebum, helps lubricate the surface of your skin and keep it functioning properly.

We all have pores, and their size depends on several things, including genetics, how active your sebaceous glands are, and your skin's structure.

Why do they look larger?

One reason is that your skin is producing more oil.

When there's more sebum, plus a buildup of skin cells inside the follicle, the opening can look more noticeable.

Another reason is that your skin's structure changes over time.

As we get older, collagen and elastin change, and the skin gradually loses some of its support and elasticity.

Years of sun exposure can add to the process.

The result: pores can look wider and more prominent.

Can pores be closed?

No.

Pores aren't doors you can open and close with hot or cold water.

Cold water may make your skin feel tighter for a little while, but it doesn't change the actual, anatomical size of your pores.

And products that promise to make pores disappear completely can't do that, either.

What you can do is make them less noticeable.

What ingredients can help?

Salicylic acid may help cut down on the oil and skin cells that build up inside the pores.

Retinoids can improve cell turnover and help with comedones and overall skin texture.

Niacinamide may improve how your skin looks and help regulate oiliness to some degree in some people.

But it's important to use these ingredients in a way that suits your skin type and sensitivity — and not to pile on too many active ingredients at once.

And what about a peel?

A gentle peel can improve skin texture and reduce the buildup of cells on the surface.

But an aggressive peel won't shrink pores permanently, and it can irritate your skin and damage the skin barrier.

My daily recommendation

I think a lot of our expectations about how skin should look come from retouched photos and filters that show faces with almost no texture at all.

But real skin has pores.

Young skin has them. Healthy skin has them. Well-cared-for skin has them, too.

Our goal shouldn't be to make every pore disappear, but to keep our skin healthy, clean, and protected.

Sometimes, once we understand how skin is actually built, we stop trying to fix things that are simply a natural part of it.

Nurit Rozenblat

With love,
Nurit Rozenblat
OrOrgani

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