The humble cucumber is the best way to bid goodbye to enlarged pores because the high silica content in the vegetable not only imparts a youthful look to the skin but also helps in tightening the large pores. Use lemon for better results as the astringent in lemon will reduce the appearance of the ugly pores.
Milk, butter, cheese and milk chocolate contain high levels of hormones which can lead to an increased production of oil and blocked pores. What to blocked pores leads to? Large pores! Dairy is also lined with acne and other skin conditions.
Pomegranate has the highest amount of antioxidants that prevent blocking of pores and give you clean skin. Eat a bowlful of pomegranate seeds or squeeze them into some refreshing juice that can open up those pores and let your skin breathe. Papaya contains enzymes that help rejuvenate your skin.
Eating foods rich in vitamin A (sweet potatoes, carrots, winter squashes, dried apricots, bell peppers, cantaloupe and tropical fruits) help reduce oil gland activity, thus reducing the appearance of large pores.
Cucumber is a natural astringent, and helps shrink pores. It also refreshes the skin because it is high in water content.
In a nutshell, sugar breaks down collagen and can weaken the immune system which prevents bacteria clogging pores. It also creates more testosterone which makes pores larger and skin more oily.
One idea that has been suggested is the hormones in cow's milk accelerate the production of sebum, the oily secretion from the glands in your skin. Sebum is perfectly normal and healthy (it helps to moisturise and protect your skin) but too much can clog your pores and lead to spots and blackheads.
Lemon juice contains citric acid that exfoliates skin and minimises the appearance of open pores. Astringents in it help close the pores.
It tightens pores
Those who have oily skin and large pores can benefit from apple cider vinegar. The substance contains alpha-hydroxy acids (organic acids that improve cell turnover and reduce the appearance of wrinkles), which can shrink and tighten pores.
But does ice really help in closing open skin pores? According to dermatologist Dr Jaishree Sharad, ice cannot affect the opening or closing of skin pores.
Smaller Pores
The more water you drink, the better balance of oil and water on the surface of your skin. This can help reduce your pore size, decrease acne breakouts, and reduce blemishes.
Benefits of cold water
Secondly, while hot water opens pores, cold water closes them. This is beneficial for skin for a number of reasons, namely reducing the appearance of pores and depuffing the face.
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.
While weighing the question, can drinking tea cause acne, consider its caffeine content. Caffeine is a great energiser, but the downside is that it boosts your adrenalin and leaves you in a state of high stress , hyper in other words. High stress of course, is linked to acne.
Eggs are full of progesterone, which is an acne-triggering hormone. Since your body creates its own progesterone, consuming extra hormones can obviously disrupt your body's natural hormone levels. Excessive progesterone levels may trigger acne, so it is better to keep a check on your consumption of eggs.
In addition to caffeine, how you enjoy your coffee may also have an effect on your skin. Key ingredients of a cup of coffee or tea include milk and sugar, two of the top four dietary acne triggers making skin more prone to breakouts (1).
It's high in fructose (up to 97%!), which causes the formation of AGEs, which causes wrinkles and other aging signs on your skin. According to Snyder, some studies show that fructose leads to up to 10 times more AGEs than other sugars, like glucose.
Sugars, from a process called glycation result in inflammation that affects skin proteins collagen and elastin cells of skin making it wrinkle prone and age early. This process can be slowed down by quitting sugar in your diet. Cut down your sugar, and get visibly clearer looking young skin.
Potatoes are also good to treat open pores. Potatoes contain starch which is extremely good to close pores and rid the skin of pigmentation. The anti oxidising properties of potato help in removing wrinkles and dead skin cells as well.
Honey's antioxidants, antiseptic and antibacterial properties make this ingredient a go-to for fighting acne. It'll open your pores and get rid of those pesky blackheads while keeping your skin hydrated all day long.
Apple's antioxidant property prevents cell and tissue damage. Studies by nutritionists have shown that apples contain abundant amounts of elastin and collagen that help keep the skin young. Applying a mixture of mashed apple, honey, rose water and oatmeal can act as a great exfoliating mask on your skin.