As you grow older, your skin loses it elasticity, which causes your skin to stretch and sag, making pores appear larger. Your skin also thickens as you age, which causes miniscule skin cells to gather around your pores, making pores look bigger.
The bad news is that pore size is genetically determined, so you can't actually shrink pores. However, some products and treatments can minimize the appearance of pores, but none of them are permanent solutions. Pore-minimizing products work by stimulating and plumping the collagen that surrounds pores.
There are many factors that can exaggerate pore size and make them appear larger than they actually are, but nothing will truly “shrink" them permanently. Each month our skin gradually goes through a natural shedding process known as desquamation - which remains consistent until we reach our 30s.
As it happens, pores aren't exactly changing in size at all—but the illusion happens for a biological reason. "Pores don't actually physically change size, but they may look bigger as they accumulate oil throughout the day," says Purvisha Patel, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and founder of Visha Skincare.
Myth 4: Pores get larger with age.
The surprising truth: Pores actually enlarge in most people when they reach puberty! As Dr. Swengel explains, pore size is genetic and declares itself over time. “Pore size starts out quite small when we are children, but enlarge on most of us when we reach puberty.
"Your pore size is largely determined by genetics, but pores don't usually become visible until adolescence, as it's often hormones that drive the skin to produce more oil and in turn, clog the pores," confirmed Dr Hextall. "Dead skin and oil build-up can make the pores far more apparent by stretching them somewhat."
As you grow older, your skin loses it elasticity, which causes your skin to stretch and sag, making pores appear larger. Your skin also thickens as you age, which causes miniscule skin cells to gather around your pores, making pores look bigger.
Apply a facial pore cleanser with salicylic acid nightly. "It's a beta hydroxy acid that has increased solubility in oil and can travel deep within pores," Dr. Feely says. You can also talk to your dermatologist about a stronger in-office chemical peel to further clear out pores.
Large pores in your early 20s
Pores often enlarge due to acne, prolonged sun exposure and excessive sweating. It is one of the most common skin problems for women at this age. Tip: Make sure you use a toner to minimize the appearance of the pores, right after your cleanse your skin.
“Since cold water tightens your pores, bacteria and debris can get trapped and won't clear out as easily as using warm water,” explains Knapp. She recommends washing your face with lukewarm water first as a way to remove any makeup and pollutants from the day.
Your skin care specialist can recommend certain procedures to help with enlarged pores, such as microneedling and laser treatments. If severe acne is a contributor to your large pores, your skin care specialist may prescribe antibiotics or retinoids to help clear your skin.
The answer to this question is yes. Microneedling with PRP can help shrink pore size and promote a smoother complexion. The procedure combined with the regenerative powers of PRP causes faster skin cell turnover and new collagen to form. Over time, this can reduce the size of your pores.
Antioxidants like vitamin C, retinols, and exfoliating acids are all key ingredients in pore-minimizing serums because they can unclog congested pores, clear dead skin, and reduce excess sebum.
Using aloe vera gel can help to deal with open pores and also reduce the large sized pores on face, nose and cheeks. Aloe vera gel helps to deep cleanse your skin and also closes the pores. Take some fresh aloe vera gel and apply on the face. Massage your face with fresh aloe vera gel and leave it for some time.
Retinol promotes skin cell turnover and unclogs pores.
Retinol helps with blackheads and whiteheads and evens skin tones. Studies show that applying retinol cream reduces pore size and keeps them cleaner, emptying the impurities that otherwise give an oversized appearance.
If you use it every two or three days, you may start seeing results after about ten weeks. If used weekly, it could take up to three months. Every person's skin is unique though, and results may vary.
Hyaluronic acid serum tightens skin and minimizes pores so they shrink and become invisible over time. Smaller pores mean fewer clogs and breakouts.
As we age and our skin loses its elasticity, it will often stretch or sag. This can cause pores to expand over time, making them more visible as we age. During hormonal periods, the overproduction of oil can make pores appear larger, when excess sebum collects on the skin's surface, magnifying these small openings.
Laser Treatments
Several treatments are available at Dermatology and Laser Centre. Fractional ablative laser skin resurfacing decreases the appearance of pores and acne scars. For enlarged pores, Dr. Gallacher uses the Vbeam laser as well as fractionated CO2 lasers.