I’m going to keep this nice and short. I’ve been seeing a lot of articles lately debunking what is perhaps the greatest misconception in the skincare world. It’s something that I’ve asked myself too in the past as I hang my head over a bowl of hot water, steaming my face. “Do pores open and close?”
Here’s the answer: No.
The last thing you want to see when you look in the mirror are black, clogged pores. You may see it as an enemy now (especially if you have an oily face), but sebum is actually the skin’s natural moisturizer. However, due to the overproduction of sebum (most likely caused by stress, pollution, and an unhealthy diet), our pores get blocked and blackheads are formed instead.
Pores are nothing more than small openings in the skin. They don’t ‘open and close’ because they don’t have muscles. I hate to break it to you but your pore size mainly depends on your genes. But before you abandon all hope, steaming your face actually has some benefits to it. Steam can loosen up sebum that builds up inside your pores. Once your pores get cleared up, they will appear smaller. (Keyword: smaller)
Another sad fact is that your pores get larger as you age. Our skin loses collagen as we age (thanks to UV rays—so don’t forget SPF!), and without collagen to keep them tight, our pores begin to stretch.
On the bright side, there are many ways to make your pores less visible. Silicone-based primers work wonders in addition to regular deep-cleansing. You can’t zap your pores like you do your zits, but you can definitely get rid of the icky sebum inside them through masks, chemical exfoliants, and a healthier lifestyle overall.
Header courtesy of Huda Beauty
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Writer: BEA LLAGAS
