The Skin Nerd: Pop quiz on pores - what you need to know about your skin's openings

You cannot get rid of pores completely, but you can do plenty to disguise their appearance.

Is there such a thing as pore-fection? No, The Skin Nerd argues.

PORES — everyone has them! In fact, the average adult has around five million pores on their body and 20,000 on their face.

However, despite being as infiltrated into society as a four-leaf clover on St Patrick’s Day, you’d be forgiven for thinking these tiny dots were unusual thanks to the pore-eradicating photo filters that are now commonplace on social media.

Whilst we all love a fun filter, the truth is texture is normal and ‘poreless’ doesn’t exist in real life — and that’s the way it should be according to Mother Nature. 

Pores have an important function to play when it comes to skin health. Put simply, our pores are small openings in the skin connected to glands below.

There are two types of pores — one releases sweat to the surface of the skin, and the other releases oil, and both function to keep our complexion healthy.

Despite excelling at their nerdie duty of (skin) care, enlarged pores are one of the biggest bug bears in skincare. 

The word ‘pores’ recently racked up over 3bn hits on Google, with the most common query being ‘How do I get rid of my pores?’*

This time of the year doesn’t help either, and if you have noticed that your pores look a little larger than usual, you are not imagining things — pores get bigger in hot weather. 

This is because heat increases perspiration and revs up your skin’s oil-making machinery. But fear not, there are things you can do to address enlarged pores.

Pore size can be genetically determined, but there are other factors which can affect the visibility of them. 

For example, an overproduction of sebum can make pores appear larger, and when our skin ages our pores widen due to loss of elastin.

This loosens over time and is worsened when we don’t wear SPF to protect ourselves from UV rays and when we smoke. 

Statistically, 60% of our pores and skin ageing is down to our lifestyle, whereas 40% is down to genetics.

Whilst we have limited control over the shape and size of our pores, you can disguise your pores with the right products. 

This week, I will explore how you can positively address your pores as the weather heats up, and carry out some pore-themed myth debunking to set the record straight.

Just remember that at the end of the day, we all have pores. So don’t stress too much — they are completely natural!

True or false: Pore misconceptions

Pores can shrink — FALSE.

You cannot permanently change your pore size, however, there are things you can try to lessen their appearance.

Once stretched, pores can’t go back to their original size — TRUE.

Large pores can continue enlarging if you allow them to stretch out and become clogged, or if the collagen in your skin becomes weak and damaged, meaning the pore doesn’t have the same bounce back, so it stays stretched.

Pores open and close — FALSE.

A common misconception is that warm water can ‘open up’ your pores and specific products such as toners can close them. 

As pores don’t have muscles, they cannot open and close like doors — they do, however, dilate and constrict. 

Cold water can make blood vessels constrict, so pores will appear smaller for the brief time they’re cool, while hot water and steam can loosen the sebum and any debris inside your pore, meaning it can be squeezed out more easily (although I don’t advise this).

Blackheads mean clogged pores — FALSE.

Many people think that black dots on their nose are clogged pores or blackheads but these are actually sebaceous glands. 

Sebaceous glands line the inside of the pore and help sebum travel to the skin’s surface. Unlike blemishes, they are not filled with dirt and dead cell debris, and therefore shouldn’t be squeezed.

Open pores are caused by popping spots — PARTLY TRUE.

Open or enlarged pores can be caused by trauma to the skin, such as popping spots that shouldn’t have been popped in the first place. 

Another cause of large, open pores is cystic acne, which presents as spots that never actually come to a head but are often swollen and sore.

So, what can we do to make them appear smaller and prevent them from becoming clogged?

Adopt a consistent cleansing routine.

Decongesting your skin will make your pores appear smaller, but don’t forget to be gentle and avoid over cleansing / exfoliating as this can lead to inflammation and redness.

Instead, cleanse your skin twice a day and exfoliate once to twice a week to remove oil, dirt, sebum and debris. Exfoliating acids, Alpha Hydroxyl Acids (AHAs), and Beta Hydroxyl Acids (BHAs) are great for gentle exfoliation. 

Salicylic acid is one such BHA and works to slough away debris in the pores. 

Try Murad AHA/BHA Exfoliating Cleanser (€32.83, theskinnerd.com) which contains a blend of salicylic acid, lactic acid, and glycolic acid and jojoba to polish away impurities.

Minimise with Vitamin A.

If the pore is large due to the skin becoming less elasticated, look for ingredients that help to stimulate collagen and elastin production in our skin. These include vitamin A, vitamin C, and peptides, which work to help our skin to look plumper, and can help to repair any damage that underlies the elastic degradation. Topical vitamin A, such as that within Skingredients’ Skin Protein Anti-Ageing Retinoid Serum (€55, skingredients.com) is a powerful ingredient praised for its anti-aging properties and helps to stimulate collagen production, which then strengthens the walls of the pores and makes them appear smaller.

Protect with SPF.

UV exposure can break down elastin in the skin, including that which surrounds the walls of pores, making them appear enlarged. This gives you another reason why the use of a broad-spectrum SPF should be a non-negotiable step in your skincare routine every single day.

Avoid makeup when working out.

Some people find that they break out post workout and this is often caused by a mix of sweat and excess heat. This is especially common in the hot summer months, so avoid wearing makeup when working out to minimise any congestion.

Try a makeup primer.

Specialist cosmetic products such as primers can help to smooth and fill the surface of the skin, reducing the appearance of large pores. Benefit The POREfessional Face Primer (€36, boots.ie) is loved for its pore blurring properties. Simply pat on top of moisturised skin with fingertips. Wait a few seconds, then apply makeup as usual for a silky-smooth finish.

Treat your skin to a facial.

Regular facials that work to clean out your pores can be a really effective form of eliminating congestion and reducing the appearance of pores. More advanced treatments, such as microneedling can stimulate collagen and elastin production in the skin and help pores appear smaller.

• *Maia Campos PMBG, Melo MO and Mercurio DG (2019) Use of Advanced Imaging Techniques for the Characterization of Oily Skin. Front. Physiol. 10:254.

Nerdie Knowledge: What does 'non-comedogenic' mean?

Products labelled as “non-comedogenic” have been tested to prove that they don’t clog pores. 

If you are prone to breakouts, it is worthwhile avoiding anything considered highly-comedogenic, such as cocoa butter and coconut oil. 

If you don’t have oily skin, it is not something to worry about unless you are suddenly getting a lot of blemishes.