“SOOO many different things can cause our pores to become clogged,” says Jared Bailey,
Prolonged exposure to the air causes the blockage to oxidize and darken. Because the pore gets stretched out of shape, it will fill back up again even after it is emptied. These stubborn pores are most likely to occur on the face, chest and back.
How do you deep clean your pores? Use an exfoliating scrub or chemical exfoliant 2-3 times a week to give the skin a deep clean and clear out the pores without stripping it of any natural oils. Clay masks are ideal for clearing out the pores, they can remove oil, dirt and dead skin that is found deep inside the pores.
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.
Use a soft brush or a mild scrub in a circular motion. Follow up with warm compresses—a warm, damp cloth pressed gently against the skin can coax those stubborn glands open, soothing the inflamed area and encouraging a natural flow. Hydration is another key player in maintaining happy sweat glands.
"At-home pore vacuuming devices have only shown to help with blackheads that are already loosened in the skin,” says Dana Rice, master esthetician in the Department of Dermatology at University of Utah Health. “They can cause damage to the skin with excessive exfoliation and suction."
Your pores always create sebum, and some areas like the T-zone tend to be oilier. All this sebum combined with dirt and dead skin can lead to blackheads, whiteheads, clogged pores and cysts. Regular exfoliation can help prevent repeated breakouts and clear out the pores.
A comedo can be open (blackhead) or closed by skin (whitehead) and occur with or without acne. The word comedo comes from Latin comedere 'to eat up' and was historically used to describe parasitic worms; in modern medical terminology, it is used to suggest the worm-like appearance of the expressed material.
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.
A build-up of dead skin cells, oil, and/ or dirt can clog the pores. Additional factors which may cause clogged pores include: Dry skin – Dry skin can cause an excess build-up of skin cells, which in turn can clog pores. Excess oil production – Oily skin is perfectly normal.
Exfoliate: Use chemical exfoliants, such as glycolic acid or salicylic acid rather than physical exfoliants, to gently dissolve dead skin cells.
Earning perfect scores in all categories, our top choice is Hero Cosmetics Mighty Patch Nose, an effective, nonirritating, single-ingredient solution to clogged pores. If you're looking for something more affordable or just want to give pore strips a try, go with TonyMoly's Tako Pore One Shot Nose Pack.
If that's the case, a pore vacuum shouldn't be used more than once or twice a week, especially if you have sensitive skin.
Paula's Choice CLEAR Pore Normalizing Cleanser, Salicylic Acid Acne Face Wash for Large Pores, Redness & Blackheads. This product has sustainability features recognized by trusted certifications. Reduced air and/or water in the product or packaging for more efficient transportation.
Use Clay or Charcoal Masks
Another effective way to unclog pores is to use a clay or charcoal mask. Clay absorbs excess sebum to clear the skin and reduce breakouts, while charcoal actively draws out impurities, dirt, and debris for perfectly clean, bright skin.
A keratin plug is a small, often hardened mass that forms when the protein accumulates and blocks a hair follicle or pore. Keratin plugs are associated with skin conditions like keratosis pilaris or 'chicken skin'.
It's not possible to close up pores completely but there are ways to reduce their size or make them less visible. This includes: washing the face twice a day to wash away oil and dirt from the pores. using an oil-free moisturizer to prevent the pores from becoming clogged with oil.
Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a painful, long-term skin condition that causes skin abscesses and scarring on the skin. The exact cause of hidradenitis suppurativa is unknown, but it occurs near hair follicles where there are sweat glands, usually around the groin, bottom, breasts and armpits.
Two tried-and-true ingredients for targeting plugged-up pores are salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide. Salicylic acid, an ingredient derived from willow bark, helps break down excess oil to decongest the skin. Benzoyl peroxide also helps unclog pores, doing so by sloughing away dead skin.
It most commonly appears as multiple large nodules (solid, raised bumps), abscesses (red, swollen, warm, tender bumps or lumps with pus inside), and tunnels (holes in the skin that may contain fluid such as pus) in these areas. The nodules and abscesses gradually get larger and drain pus.