How do I get rid of these pore issues?
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Tue Jun 09, 2009 11:46 am

I have combination skin (slightly oily T-zone, normal everywhere else).
No acne, only minor monthly hormonal breakouts around the chin area.

But, I do have these annoying visible pores on my cheeks and clogged oil producing pores on my nose. I can't seem to get rid of them. When I exfoliate, the skin on my nose feels smooth, but the next day it's back to being bumpy. They're not blackheads, they're just clogged. In the crevices of my nose there are these white plugs that can be pulled out. Also, under my eyes I have these visible little bumps(milia?) probably from using concealer for dark circles.

Anyone know how I can get rid of these things? I'll post a pic once I'm able to.

My skincare routine in fairly basic.

Morning

Cleanser - Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser (I'm starting to think the sodium lauryl sulfate may be causing bumps under my skin?)

Moisturizer - Olay complete spf 15

Evening

Cleanser - Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser

Moisturizer - Neutrogena Healthy Skin Anti-Wrinkle Cream (I've been using the Neutrogena Healthy Skin for over a month now, and my skin seems to like the retinol. I've had fewer breakouts, my skin seems to be more hydrated, no irritation, and this horizontal wrinkle on my forehead is starting to look more diminished).

Exfoliation - (every three or so days) Aspirin honey mask, fine sugar and honey mask

Mask - (every week) St. Ives Mineral Clay Firming Masque

Otherwise, I take a daily multivitamin. My diet is good, could be better. I only drink water. I exercise some. Sleep 8+ hours. I don't wear much makeup, only concealer when going out.

Could my skin issues be due to diet? I haven't tried cutting out dairy, sugar, or red meat.

I'd really appreciate any suggestions you all might have.

Thanks for reading this all! Laughing

free skin care · Tue Jun 09, 2009 12:36 pm

my clarisonic and dermaroller worked wonders for my pored skin!!

plus peeling once a month would be good !!

of course retin-a at night Very Happy

u cant go wrongg with this!

free skin care · Wed Jun 10, 2009 12:10 am

The pores cannot be reduced by any products. You should use silicone base for makeup and exfloliate it. It helps keeping your pores not enlarge.

free skin care · Wed Jun 10, 2009 5:27 am

Retin-A and/or Renova have shrunk my large pores and now they are a non issue for me. I never even notice them anymore. It does take months using Retin-A or Renova before you will see real noticable results.

Nothing else I've ever used has made such a difference.

free skin care · Wed Jun 10, 2009 5:36 am

yup yup high 5 keli

free skin care · Wed Jun 10, 2009 6:13 am

Moomomolly, I wholeheartedly sympathise with you as I have similar skin issues and resolving them is very difficult you don't say how old you are but I think that if you are into your 20's or older then the issue is likely to be a hormonal imbalance of some type as it is your hormones that lead you to produce too much sebum which is what is causing your issues such as clogged pores and bumps. The best way to improve your skin long term would be to try resolve any hormonal imbalance either through conventional methods e.g. the pill, spironolactone etc or holistically with the use of herbal medicine, diet etc. Diet can play a part in how your skin behaves and generally a diet which balances your blood sugar levels such as a low GI way of eating will help. This is because insulin release after a high GI meal can have an effect on the amount of androgen's your body makes which in turn can make your skin more oily so making changes to your diet may be useful. Some people say that milk and gluten containing foods can be an issue but I have not found that to be the case for myself but you could try eliminating them temporarily to see if it helps. I find it really hard to cut right back on sugar and eat only wholefoods ( I love sweets!) but I do see my skin improve when I avoid sugar, cakes and sweets etc.

I have both the clarisonic and the dermaroller. The clarisonic I use a couple of times a week and the dermaroller I prefer not to use at present while my skin is still breaking out, but I hope to use it later.

Retin A may be the best topical solution to try while you try to find the underlying cause of your skin issues. It's good to use for many reasons such as anti-aging and many people get good results with it.

I do have to disagree with Nickiegirl on using Silicone based products as these are really bad for making any clogging much worse. I think it's okay once in a while are long as you fully cleanse it all off your skin after.

A really good book I recommend is Balancing Your Hormones - Naturally by Marilyn Glenville as it explains all about how what your eat and other lifestyle factors affect your hormones.

Good Luck!

free skin care · Wed Jun 10, 2009 7:17 am

I think the Clarisonic shrunk my pores quite a bit. I also use the BRTC jasmin water BB cream as a tinted moisturiser that keeps my pores small during the day.

I actually had a friend ask me what I have been using cause it seems like my pores have shrunk and my face is flawless... I had to tell her its the BB cream illusion doing its work =p

Wed Jun 10, 2009 7:57 am

Thanks everyone!

I think the over-production of oil could be from a hormonal imbalance. I've read some good things about spearmint tea regulating androgens. I might give that a go.

Also, the skin on my cheeks is slightly rough/weathered looking with visible pores. Could this be due to over-exfoliation? Or maybe I'm using too many products?

free skin care · Wed Jun 10, 2009 8:49 am

I think that over over-exfoliation could be the cause of why your skin is looking rough in some places. I know that I have had that problem at times. The clarisonic is quite could because it clears the pores with only very gentle exfoliation especially if you use the delicate brush, it's a bit pricey though.

Here is a very interesting thread on taking a non acid approach to skin care: http://www.essentialdayspa.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=28855

Definitely give the mint tea a go. I read that about it as well. I'm going to try drink more of that myself!

Wed Jun 10, 2009 3:20 pm

Last week I switched to using water-only in the mornings with a Wonder Cloth to wash my face, and at night I do a quick wash with my Aubrey Organics herbal everyday soap to remove makeup and then use the Wonder Cloth to go over my face with water only.

I can't believe the difference it has made in my skin and pores! My skin has never been this smooth and calm, and my chronically large pores are nearly invisible. I never would have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes.

I bought the Wonder Cloth from Bed Bath & Beyond for $9.99 locally. I figured if I didn't like it, I could always return it, but as it turned out it was sooo worth it. And I was a total skeptic when I first read about water only washing. I thought there was no way that would get my skin clean. I was so wrong about that.

Skin Vac also makes facial cleansing cloths that have received very positive reviews. They have a daily cloth made of microfiber, one specifically for microdermabrasion, and one that I think is called the Pore Grabber which is the one I ordered that is supposed to be great at removing whiteheads. (I haven't received it yet.)

I wet my face in the shower, wet the Wonder Cloth, wring it out and then use it to gently massage my skin. After my shower, I spritz with Rosewater and apply a tiny bit of Emu Oil.

My skin has never been happier, and even the acne scars on my cheeks have diminished noticeably.

EDS sells a microfiber cloth for face cleansing also, which has received positive reviews.

free skin care · Sun Jul 05, 2009 8:57 am

best mask for this ole henriksen pore-refining mask
best i've tried

rinsing with cold cold water after cleansing works a treat

free skin care · Sun Jul 05, 2009 6:31 pm

the major reason for pore problems is dehydrated

just let your skin have enough water

free skin care · Sun Jul 05, 2009 10:52 pm

starxiao wrote:

the major reason for pore problems is dehydrated

just let your skin have enough water

Exactly, I do hydrating mask everyday to keep pore don't get large.

free skin care · Mon Jul 06, 2009 1:47 am

it's ture

my own experience can also prove it

my pores are very obvious before under the eye

but when i get my skin hydrated, the pores gets smaller and smaller, not obvious anymore

Mon Jul 06, 2009 3:31 am

pore issue is my nightmare. I haven't found a effective way to shrink it yet. you can use bb cream to cover it ,which can make your pores seem invisibal.

free skin care · Mon Jul 06, 2009 8:35 am

I have used all kinds of things to no avail Sad

I'm currently using:

- Clarisonic
- Glycolic acid 5% as a "toner"
- Dr.Haushka clay mask ocassionaly
- Epidermx II ocassionally
- RetinA nightly

And my pores are still there laughing at me! Sad

free skin care · Mon Jul 06, 2009 9:02 am

calor, could u please tell me where did you get the dermaroller? TIA Smile

calorblind wrote:

my clarisonic and dermaroller worked wonders for my pored skin!!

plus peeling once a month would be good !!

of course retin-a at night Very Happy

u cant go wrongg with this!

free skin care · Mon Jul 06, 2009 2:58 pm

You might want to check out the Oil Cleansing/control method in the DIY section. The use of castor oil will cause your pores to expel their contents. It's really cool.

free skin care · Tue Jul 07, 2009 2:02 am

Give up the mask, only a month, so your skin to relax

Mon Jul 13, 2009 12:41 am

If you want to refine or shrink your pores and yes you can with products I use and swear by Jan Marini Bioglycolic Facial Cleanser!! It really shrunk my pores and I had large ones on my forehead/cheeks/under my mouth, and it is very gentle too!!

If you want to really clean your skin get the Clarisonic to super clean your pores as well!!! I have better looking skin now than I did 15 years ago and I'm 50 now!!

Mon Jul 13, 2009 12:01 pm

Hi there,

With regard to your nose try 'Biore'ultra deep cleansing strips. I've not used them but they claim to 'remove stubborn pore-clogging..... and purify pores'.[biore.co.uk]

Then to reduce the appearance of enlarged pores, soak a cotton pad in a diluted mixture of cider vinegar and water: one tablespoon of vinegar to a cup of water. You can keep it in the fridge for 2-3 days.

To cleanse inside, as it were, try some vegetables juices. If you don't have time to make your own, seek them out in your health-store. While you're there, if you have inflamed skin, you could try a facial wash made from an infusion of the herb Golden Seal - available loose or in tea bags.

Hope this helps,

pinkrose

Mon Jul 13, 2009 12:58 pm

The apple cider vinegar suggestion is a good one, witch hazel can also be a good toner to use to minimize the appearance of your pores if you're looking for a non-chemical means of doing so.
Honey is another great natural skin treatment, it's a humectant and an antiseptic and it absorbs impurities from your skin, so you can look for a homemade mask recipe that uses honey if you need it.

Avoid products with mineral oil, they'll clog your pores right up.

I have a friend who have has luck using Biore's Pore Unclogging Scrub once a week (no more blackheads!)

I have had the same problem with Cetaphil causing bumps occasionally but it comes in short phases and I sort of attribute it to hormones or a poor diet for a week.

free skin care · Mon Jul 13, 2009 1:19 pm

InkyProse wrote:

You might want to check out the Oil Cleansing/control method in the DIY section. The use of castor oil will cause your pores to expel their contents. It's really cool.

I second that Oil Cleansing Method is a great way to clear the pores. (I use the combination of Castor and Jojoba oil) It also helps to get rid of the black heads on the nose. Together with aspirin masks, it works wonders for my pores!!!

free skin care · Mon Jul 13, 2009 2:23 pm

Sun damage and heredity cause large pores, so wear sunscreen faithfully and pick your parents well.

Aspirin/honey masks are nice.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rmv6oEnOJcI

Agree about the silicone primer. Clinique Pore Corrector is nice and light and hides them well. It's tinted so you can use it on its own.

free skin care · Mon Jul 13, 2009 3:24 pm

I starting using a cocoction that i read about on this forum The apple cider vinegar toner; a mixture of apple cider vingear, green tea and ylang ylang oil.
You use this cocotion on your face in replace of your normal toner, applying with a cotton wool pad.

I've been using for the past two weeks and have seen a dramatic improvement in my skin. My pores are much smaller, my face is less oilier during the day and my skin looks amazing smooth and dewy.

It a cheap cocoction to make and lasts for ages, so give it a try.

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