How To Minimize Pores: A Science Backed Approach

Looking in the mirror and being able to visibly see your pores is not an enjoyable experience. But what if you could shrink your pores and achieve a smoother and clearer appearance?

While you cannot physically shrink the size of your pores, you can minimize their appearance through home remedies, cosmetic treatments, and a tailored skincare routine.

In most cases, enlarged pores occur as a result of your skin type. While everyone’s skin produces a natural oil called sebum, some people’s sebaceous glands are more active than others. As a result, they tend to experience oily and shiny skin on a regular basis. Those with oily skin are more likely to experience acne and enlarged pores as a result of excess oil.

While acne and enlarged pores are two separate issues, they are commonly experienced together. For instance, having large pores means you’re more likely to develop acne. On the flip side, the development of acne could also lead to enlarged pores. Since these two issues are inextricably linked, it makes sense to treat them both at the same time for the best possible outcome.

Acne and large pores are often the result of your genetics. In this case, there’s nothing you can do to prevent this issue and instead, you simply have to manage it. That being said, large pores could also be the result of sun damage to the collagen in your skin that keeps it tight, smooth, and healthy. Finally, enlarged pores could be the result of the natural aging process that causes your skin to lose collagen and elastin.

There’s no shortage of different remedies and treatments that you can try to minimize the appearance of your large pores. Depending on your situation and budget, you could try everything from home remedies to in-office skin treatments for enlarged pores.

Home remedies

• Clay masks to out dirt, oil, and sweat from your pores -- effectively cleaning them and allowing them to shrink as a result

• Apple cider vinegar mask to exfoliate the skin using acids -- effectively removing dead skin cells that can clog and enhance the appearance of pores

• Baking soda mask to gently exfoliate the skin using the grit of the baking soda -- effectively removing dead skin cells and sebum that have become trapped in closed pores

• Sugar and lemon juice mask to provide you with double exfoliation -- both chemical through the acid in the lemon juice and physical through the sugar particles to clear out pores and help them shrink in size

• Plain yogurt mask to soothe the skin and chemically exfoliate the skin to remove stubborn build up of dirt and oil

Clay masks to out dirt, oil, and sweat from your pores -- effectively cleaning them and allowing them to shrink as a result

Apple cider vinegar mask to exfoliate the skin using acids -- effectively removing dead skin cells that can clog and enhance the appearance of pores

Baking soda mask to gently exfoliate the skin using the grit of the baking soda -- effectively removing dead skin cells and sebum that have become trapped in closed pores

Sugar and lemon juice mask to provide you with double exfoliation -- both chemical through the acid in the lemon juice and physical through the sugar particles to clear out pores and help them shrink in size

Plain yogurt mask to soothe the skin and chemically exfoliate the skin to remove stubborn build up of dirt and oil

Skin treatments

• Chemical peels: Clearly, exfoliating is key to shrinking your pores. That being said, exfoliating at home can only do so much. If you really want to exfoliate your skin by removing multiple layers, then you should consider a chemical peel. This is a treatment done by a medical professional as the chemicals involved are quite strong and can cause damage if used incorrectly. However, with the proper procedure, you’re able to remove the upper layers of damaged skin to reveal healthier skin underneath with normal-sized pores.

• Microneedling: This procedure involves running tiny needles across your face in order to stimulate collagen production. While this procedure can technically be done at home, you’re definitely better off getting it done by a professional at a medical office. Using the needling device incorrectly could damage the skin and lead to infection.

• Laser resurfacing: This procedure involves using lasers with ultraviolet light to remove the top layers of the skin. Furthermore, some types of lasers can penetrate deep into the skin to stimulate the production of collagen. As a result, laser resurfacing can provide you with two benefits in just one procedure to improve the appearance of your pores.

• Intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy: This procedure is similar to laser resurfacing but is less intense and invasive to the skin. Instead of removing layers of skin, IPL therapy simply heats the skin -- encouraging it to turn over more quickly and diminish the appearance of unwanted skin concerts like large pores, age spots, wrinkles, and more.

Chemical peels: Clearly, exfoliating is key to shrinking your pores. That being said, exfoliating at home can only do so much. If you really want to exfoliate your skin by removing multiple layers, then you should consider a chemical peel. This is a treatment done by a medical professional as the chemicals involved are quite strong and can cause damage if used incorrectly. However, with the proper procedure, you’re able to remove the upper layers of damaged skin to reveal healthier skin underneath with normal-sized pores.

Microneedling: This procedure involves running tiny needles across your face in order to stimulate collagen production. While this procedure can technically be done at home, you’re definitely better off getting it done by a professional at a medical office. Using the needling device incorrectly could damage the skin and lead to infection.

Laser resurfacing: This procedure involves using lasers with ultraviolet light to remove the top layers of the skin. Furthermore, some types of lasers can penetrate deep into the skin to stimulate the production of collagen. As a result, laser resurfacing can provide you with two benefits in just one procedure to improve the appearance of your pores.

Intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy: This procedure is similar to laser resurfacing but is less intense and invasive to the skin. Instead of removing layers of skin, IPL therapy simply heats the skin -- encouraging it to turn over more quickly and diminish the appearance of unwanted skin concerts like large pores, age spots, wrinkles, and more.

While it’s not always possible to prevent enlarged pores that are caused by genetics or age, there are some steps you can take to help minimize their appearance before they actually become a problem, including things like:

Eating a healthy diet

The food you eat could be negatively affecting your pores. As a result, experts recommend eating a skin-healthy diet filled with beneficial nutrients such as vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, protein, healthy fats, and natural oils. Try to eliminate problematic food items that contain high amounts of unhealthy fats, oils, and sugars.

Hydrate

If your body is dehydrated, your skin could be, too! As a result, you may end up producing excess oils to combat dehydration that just end up clogging and enlarging your pores. While exact recommendations tend to vary depending on the source, most experts agree that you should try to drink between four to six glasses of water a day for proper hydration.

Protect your skin

As you now know, enlarged pores could be caused by sun damage. So in turn, protecting your skin from the sun could effectively prevent this from becoming an issue. Experts recommend applying a product with at least SPF 30 each and every day no matter the temperature or weather outside.

Remove your makeup

While it may be tempting to hit the hay before removing your makeup -- especially after a long day -- this could be harming your skin and affecting the appearance of your pores. Sleeping with your makeup on will clog your pores and stretch them out over time -- leading to large and noticeable pores all over your face.

Use the right ingredients

Some cosmetic ingredients are known to clog the pores and may lead to a whole host of skin issues as a result. Instead, look for natural and light non-comedogenic ingredients in your cosmetic products to help promote tight and small pores.

Before you stress over the size of your pores again, take action to shrink them! In some cases, improving the appearance of your pores could be as easy as using a homemade mask. In other cases, you may require in-office cosmetic treatments.

However, one simple thing you can do to improve the appearance of your pores and your skin as a whole is to develop and stick to a comprehensive skincare routine with beneficial ingredients that mesh well with your skin type.

So instead of using those irritating and ineffective skincare products from the drugstore, try out your custom PROVEN formula that has been specifically made to combat your enlarged pores.

The right skincare ingredients and products are key to preventing and treating large pores. But how can you determine what’s right for your unique skin concerns?

This is the mission of PROVEN Skincare. We had the same exact questions and were unable to find easy and accurate answers. As a result, we created the Skin Genome Project, which analyzes millions of different skincare data points about ingredients, products, reviews, and scientific research to provide you with highly personalized formulas that will benefit your unique skin.

All you have to do is take a few minutes to complete our skin quiz, which asks questions about your skin type, skin concerns, lifestyle, environment, and heritage. From there, you are expertly matched with safe and beneficial skincare ingredients within three personalized skincare products: a cleanser, moisturizer, and night cream.

For example, you could expect to see beneficial anti-acne ingredients in your PROVEN products if you’re experiencing large pores as a result of oily skin and acne. On the other hand, if your large pores are a result of damage from the sun or aging, you could expect to see beneficial anti-aging and revitalizing ingredients in your PROVEN products.

At PROVEN, we believe that you are unique -- so your skincare should be, too!

Once you have your products, you can move on to developing a comprehensive skincare routine that can do way more than just shrink your pores! You should cleanse twice a day with your cleanser. Apply your moisturizer with SPF in the morning and your night cream in the evening before you go to bed.

Thanks to PROVEN, your entire skincare regimen can consist of three simple products with two steps each and every day.