Cleanse With Baking Soda Before heading to the pharmacy, check your kitchen for ingredients that may unblock clogged pores, such as baking soda. It turns out that the standard household ingredient makes for an easy deep pore cleanser meant to gently exfoliate, too.
Try a facial scrub with salicylic acid in it. This helps exfoliate skin and remove the dead skin that's causing the build-up. A physical scrub, such as a bead, helps the natural shedding of dead skin. These small, non-plastic beads exfoliate the skin to lift away trapped oil and dirt, which can clog pores.
While it is safe to use daily, use it less often if your skin feels too dry or extra sensitive. If you want to know how to clean pores more naturally, a baking soda cleanser is a gentle, natural alternative. Baking soda is effective at unclogging pores of dirt and oil while also exfoliating and conditioning your skin.
One of the most effective and safest ways to unclog pores is to use beta hydroxy acid. BHA or salicylic acid, as it is also known, is a chemical exfoliant. It is unique in that it has the ability to actually penetrate your pores, and clear out any dirt, impurities from the skin.
Deep blackheads should be removed by a medical professional — usually a dermatologist or medical aesthetician. They use a small tool with rigid metal loops on the ends (blackhead or comedo extractor) to apply even pressure to your blackheads.
Salicylic Acid 2% Solution
Applying a topical salicylic acid prior to manual extraction is a smart move, notes Dr. Young, as it will help dislodge material from the pores, making them easier to clear. The formula contains 2% salicylic acid.
Clogged pores can look enlarged, bumpy, or, in the case of blackheads, dark in color. The more oil that a person's skin produces, the more likely it is that their pores will become blocked. A person can use skin care techniques and products to manage or clear clogged pores.
Baking soda isn't just effective for removing dead skin cells and buildup in the pores, but it also works to neutralize the pH level of your skin.
Exfoliate: Use chemical exfoliants, such as glycolic acid or salicylic acid rather than physical exfoliants, to gently dissolve dead skin cells.
“For extractions, you can use either your fingers or an extractor tool. For extractor tools, follow the manufacturer's directions. As for your fingers, wrap them in facial tissue. To avoid creating squeeze marks, go easy and be sure to relocate the position of your fingers.
Hard bumps on your face that won't pop can be caused by many things. White bumps called milia are the most common cause, but bumps on the face can also be from closed pores, cysts, keratoses, skin cancer, and more.
Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) Toner
ACV is a natural astringent that helps tighten the skin and reduce the appearance of pores. Mix equal parts of ACV and water, and apply it to your face using a cotton ball. Leave it on for 5-10 minutes before rinsing with cool water.
If a person squeezes or 'extracts' a sebaceous filament, a white or yellow worm-like structure may ooze out. Or, the filament may not produce anything. Trying to extract sebaceous filaments can injure the skin and cause scarring. It can also damage and stretch the pore, making it appear bigger.
Exfoliate. A deep exfoliation of the skin helps to unclog pores. For the best results use an exfoliating scrub combined with an electric cleansing device. This will deeply penetrate the pores and help remove any blockages.
Home Remedies for Open Pores
Ice Cubes: Applying ice cubes to your open pores on face can temporarily shrink open pores by causing them to contract. Simply wrap an ice cube in a clean cloth and press it against your face gently for 15-30 seconds. You can repeat this daily for best results.
If you have a large dilated pore of Winer, don't try to remove it at home! Your healthcare provider will remove your large, dilated pore of Winer by injecting a small amount of anesthetic near the pore and cutting the skin to remove the contents of the pore.
Do pore strips actually work? Essentially, yes. "They work and you can visibly see that they do work in terms of taking the clogged pores out," Tzu said. "But they work to a limited extent." They likely won't remove all of the blackheads that you're seeing (especially if you're not applying the strip correctly).