How to get rid of pores for silky smooth skin
If you're wondering ‘how to get rid of pores’, then you're probably reading this while zooming in on your skin texture with a magnifying mirror. The hard truth is that nothing will ever erase your pores, nor should you feel you need to. Not only is completely pore-less, airbrushed skin an unrealistic beauty goal, but pores exist for a very good reason: they help your skin to release sebum – the body's natural oil – leaving it supple and moisturised.
But if that's not enough to convince you, and enlarged pores are affecting your confidence, we’ve got plenty of expert-approved tips ahead that can help minimise their appearance.
What are pores?
They may appear to be tiny dots on the surface of our skin, but pores are actually the small openings to our hair follicles.
“There are two different types of pore,” says Dr Nina Bal, facial aesthetics doctor and founder of Facial Sculpting. “One releases sebum (the body’s natural oil) and the other releases sweat. Pores enable the oil, sweat and sebum to go from our glands to the surface of our skin, which is essential for healthy skin.”
The average adult will have around five million pores on their body and 20,000 on their face. But, “generally we can’t see pores in the skin,” says Dr Bal. It’s only when enlarged that they become visible.
Are pores permanent?
While it might not be the answer you want to the question ‘how to get rid of pores’, yes, pores are indeed permanent. “Because they are hair follicle openings in the skin, you can't remove them, and you can't ‘close’ them as they are necessary components of the skin,” says aesthetic doctor Dr Paris Acharya.
What causes large pores?
Genetics and skin type both affect pore size. But, despite what you might have heard, pores don’t ‘open’ or ‘close’ like doors. “Pores don't have muscles, so they can’t contract or expand at will,” explains celebrity facialist Sarah Chapman.
What can happen, however, is they appear larger when clogged with dirt or stretched due to sun damage, ageing, or a dip in collagen and elastin levels. Sunlight and even thick makeup can make pores show up more and make them seem bigger than they actually are. “Powders and foundation can settle into those tiny holes over the course of the day, making them appear larger,” says Dr Bal.
If you have large pores, they have likely been passed down from your parents.
If you have naturally oily skin, you will also tend to have larger pores. “If oil, dirt and makeup collect in the pore, this can weigh it down and stretch it, making our pores appear much bigger than they are on the surface of the skin,” explains Dr Bal.
Reduced skin elasticity and loss of collagen “makes the underlying skin less firm and the structure support sag," Dr Acharya explains.
In warmer weather, the skin surrounding the pores has a tendency to swell and dilate, and with perspiration, more sebum is produced, again contributing to larger-looking pores.
Getting to the bottom of it.
7 ways to minimise the appearance of pores
“Unfortunately, once pores have stretched, they cannot go back to their original size,” says Dr Bal. So while we can't alter their physical size, we can make pores appear smaller.
“Large pores can continue enlarging if you allow them to stretch out and become clogged with whiteheads, blackheads, sebum, and dirt,” Dr Bal warns. That's where our skincare routine can make a big difference:
Double cleanse at night using a cleansing oil or balm first to break down oil-based sunscreen and makeup (oil attracts oil), followed by a gel face wash to lift away any residual grime.
Better still, for the second step, invest in a salicylic acid-laced face wash such as The Inkey List Salicylic Acid Cleanser, as this powerhouse ingredient dissolves plugs of oil, leftover makeup and dead skin cells that can make pores look more prominent.
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Regular exfoliation will help to remove the dead skin cells and leftover grime that your cleanser can't shift. “Exfoliate twice a week in order to remove oil, dirt, sebum and dead cells,” says Dr Bal, as these would otherwise cause blockages and dark plugs inside pores.
Daily AHA (alpha hydroxy acid) exfoliating liquids also improve skin texture. Medik8 Press & Clear Exfoliating 2% BHA Tonic is a salicylic acid solution that has been clinically proven to decongest skin within seven days.
The Dr Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta Extra Strength Daily Peel is a two-step system powered by salicylic acid and AHAs, followed by a neutraliser to keep skin feeling comfortable.
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“UV radiation breaks down collagen and elastin, which in turn expands the pore size,” adds Dr Bal, “so using an SPF of 40+ every day is vital.”
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Retinol crucially does three things to help clear pores: it helps to minimise oil production; it speeds up cell turnover to reduce blockages, and it stimulates collagen production, which is important if your pores have started to stretch.
For an introduction to retinol, look no further than The Ordinary Retinol 1% in Squalane. If your skin skews sensitive, try one of the newest retinoids on the market. Elizabeth Arden Retinol + HPR Ceramide Capsules Rapid Skin Renewing Serum comes in pre-measured capsules that deliver a precise dose of retinol and HPR, a next-generation retinoid that is 10 times more potent than pure retinol and yet less aggressive.
And Medik8 Crystal Retinal is powered by retinaldehyde, a form of vitamin A that works up to 11 times faster than regular retinol but without the irritation.
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- Clay masks: Clay masks can help absorb excess oil and temporarily tighten pores.
- Ice globes: Rinsing your face with cold water or using ice globes that you store in the freezer can make blood vessels constrict, ensuring pores appear smaller for the short time they’re cool before they go back to their normal size.
- Primer: “A makeup primer not only helps your makeup stay in place, but it smooths and fills the surface of the skin, which can help reduce the appearance of enlarged pores.”
If you want to add some professional treatments to your pore eliminating at-home routine, a facial tailored for oily skin that includes a steam can loosen up the sebum and debris inside the pore, enabling them to be removed more easily (this should always be left to a professional to do via extractions).
“Chemical peels performed by a dermatologist can provide deeper exfoliation and improve skin texture; microneedling treatments can stimulate collagen production, which can make pores look smaller, and some laser treatments, such as fractional laser therapy or IPL (intense pulsed light) can also improve the texture and how large pores look,” explains Dr Bhavjit Kaur, aesthetic medical practitioner.
Dr Acharya also recommends regular Hydracids and Microtox: “This is when Botox is injected superficially into the skin to help minimise pore size and combat oily skin by shrinking the glands that produce sweat and oil. Like Botox, it isn't permanent, so you will need to be repeated to maintain the benefits.”
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