Use an oil-free moisturizer after cleansing to avoid dry skin. Using products that contain retinol or salicylic acid: Retinol and salicylic acid help clear out dirt, oil and other debris clogging your pores.
But, using a comedone extractor is not only safe and effective, it's also dermatologist recommended. "Comedone extractors are regularly used in extraction treatments at a dermatologists office, so they are good and safe tools to use when dealing with clogged pores," says Dr. Gohara.
Your pores can become clogged for a number of reasons – excess oil resulting from hormonal changes, dry skin, a buildup of dead skin cells, or dirt and oil becoming stuck beneath the surface. When the skin closes over the top of a clogged pore, you get a pimple – aka a closed comedone.
Get an Extraction from a Professional
"Manual extraction is a physical modality to remove debris from pores, decongesting them, and making them look smaller," says Libby. Austin says he recommends extractions for those prone to acne. "This is a great treatment," he says.
You will no longer have blackheads, and your skin will look smoother, especially if the blackheads were large and obvious. Done regularly, extractions can also help reduce breakouts. That's because removing small pore blockages prevents them from turning into larger, inflamed pimples.
While retinol and tretinoin unclog current problematic pores, they also keep skin cells from building up. If you still have some clogged pores after about a month of treatment, go back to the dermatologist for an extraction. A professional can use a small tool designed to remove clogs.
Do dermatologists recommend using pore vacuums? In short, yes. Since these vacuums make the process of unclogging pores and clearing skin a lot faster and easier, many experts have given at-home devices an official nod of approval.
First, the esthetician will cleanse your skin. Often a desencrustation fluid or enzyme is applied to the skin with steam for a few minutes, to soften the skin and prepare it for easier extractions. The esthetician may also use an ultrasonic device known as a skin scrubber, to loosen the impacted pores.
Bring It All Together. Retinol and salicylic acid are both big names in skincare right now. Retinol is known for smoothing skin and targeting blemishes, while salicylic acid is primarily used as an exfoliator that unclogs pores.
Retinol is just one ingredient that can help clear and plump your skin. It can take several weeks before you'll start to see results from retinol, and your skin may look worse before it gets better, so try not to get discouraged.
Hyaluronic acid has properties that prevent clogged pores, which in turn helps to achieve clear and smooth skin. Unclogging of pores also allows oxygen to travel through the skin effectively. A lack of moisture in the skin can lead to the overproduction of oil.
Dermatologists can administer laser therapy treatments to resurface your skin. This in-office procedure can help with a variety of skin woes, including reducing the appearance of large pores. The laser exfoliates the top layer of skin and encourages collagen to form below.
A plug can result from too much sebum production, or dead skin cells that block sebum from reaching the surface. A sebum plug can look like a tiny bump under the surface of the skin or it may stick out through the skin like a grain of sand.
Salicylic acid penetrates your skin and works to dissolve the dead skin cells clogging your pores. It can take several weeks of use for you to see its full effect. Check with your dermatologist if you aren't seeing results after 6 weeks .
If you have blackheads and whiteheads, salicylic acid alone should work well to clear out your pores. If your acne tends to be inflammatory, such as papules and pustules, opt for benzoyl peroxide to stop outbreaks at the source. For sensitive skin, start with salicylic acid, since it's less likely to cause irritation.
Another interesting thing is, that Salicylic acid for open pores is very effective as it helps in refining and clearing these pores. It is great to use salicylic acid for blackheads and whiteheads concern as well, as it reduces their occurrence and helps you have clearer skin.
There isn't anything out there that's going to shrink pores instantly, but you can cleanse your pores to remove any dirt that can be making them more noticeable. You can cover your face with makeup to get a temporary impact, but oftentimes this will only clog your pores even more.
Usually, clogged pores look like: Whiteheads—this is where the clogged pore closes and bulges out to make a white dot. Blackheads—where a clogged pore closes and looks like a small black dot. Red pimples—this is when bacteria also gets into the clogged pore.