Is it hopeless to remove open pores caused by age?
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Wed Jul 04, 2012 6:50 am

Hi, I'm a 29 year old man and I've recently overnight noticed that open pores have developed over my cheeks. Getting towards 30 I have been prepared for wrinkles, grey hair and balding but NOT open pores and I am despairing at the reality I find myself in.

I have withdrawn from social activity a lot and have started a course of anti depressance to deal with my depression.

None of my friends of the same age or slightly older have the same problem and after months of trying methods I still have found nothing to properly improve the problem.

I was recommended to join this forum by a friend and from the topics I've read I see that there are heaps of people here who know what they're talking about.

Are there any methods that can eliminate or virtually eliminate open pores?

What will work best in eradicating them? Botox?

I appreciate any positive responses you can give me on this. Thank you in advance.

free skin care · Wed Jul 04, 2012 7:21 am

A pore is part of your skin, so you can't really remove it.

However, you can reduce its appearance by using AHAs, such as glycolic acid.

free skin care · Wed Jul 04, 2012 7:23 am

Welcome!

Visible pores are not caused simply by age and certainly not in your late twenties. They are caused by either dehydration or clogging or both. Are you consistently meeting or exceeding all your government's recommendations for healthy eating and lifestyle? A nutritious diet and regular physical activity is scientifically proven to positively impact your mental wellbeing as well as your physical health, including the skin. Very Happy

What is your current routine, from cleansers to sunscreen to shaving products?

Wed Jul 04, 2012 7:53 am

Firefox7275 wrote:

Welcome!

Visible pores are not caused simply by age and certainly not in your late twenties. They are caused by either dehydration or clogging or both. Are you consistently meeting or exceeding all your government's recommendations for healthy eating and lifestyle? A nutritious diet and regular physical activity is scientifically proven to positively impact your mental wellbeing as well as your physical health, including the skin. Very Happy

What is your current routine, from cleansers to sunscreen to shaving products?

Thanks for the reply.

I do make sure I eat vegetables and fruit every day, I drink 1-2 litres of water a day, walk my dog for an hour every day. I use cleansers every other day, exfoliate once a week, moisturise twice a week etc. I use soap to shave my face, although the soap only goes on my lower cheek and jaw where I don't have any open pores. I keep out of the sun as UV rays break down more collagen in your face.

I'd like to believe there are lifestyle changes that will help but I suffered from Acne for 2 years when I was a teenager and I regularly used sunbeds through this period to help my unsightly skin look less repugnant so I'm pretty certain that's the reason why.

What depresses me so much is that it is so hopeless in fixing. Even the surgical methods that cost $$$$$ don't close the pores up, they merely shrink them slightly which is what putting lemon juice on them does.

Do you think anymore lifestyle changes could help?

free skin care · Wed Jul 04, 2012 8:31 am

jonboy340 wrote:

Thanks for the reply.

I do make sure I eat vegetables and fruit every day, I drink 1-2 litres of water a day, walk my dog for an hour every day. I use cleansers every other day, exfoliate once a week, moisturise twice a week etc. I use soap to shave my face, although the soap only goes on my lower cheek and jaw where I don't have any open pores. I keep out of the sun as UV rays break down more collagen in your face.

I'd like to believe there are lifestyle changes that will help but I suffered from Acne for 2 years when I was a teenager and I regularly used sunbeds through this period to help my unsightly skin look less repugnant so I'm pretty certain that's the reason why.

What depresses me so much is that it is so hopeless in fixing. Even the surgical methods that cost $$$$$ don't close the pores up, they merely shrink them slightly which is what putting lemon juice on them does.

Do you think anymore lifestyle changes could help?

Your depression is speaking, I recognise the thought processes well, don't let those negative words into your post or pass your lips. Wink

There is a huge amount that can be done for mental wellbeing and skin ageing with lifestyle and proven topicals. Plenty of EDSers with UV damage, plenty of research because it's such a major issue in the field of ageing. Nothing hopeless about it, you just need time and commitment! Pores are simply holes in the skin, plump up and hydrate the surrounding skin, clean them out if needs be, and they will diminish significantly.

Lifestyle healthcare is what I do for a living so ... Which of your government's recommendations for healthy eating and lifestyle don't you meet? How many portions of fruit and veggies? Exactly which products are you using and why are you only cleansing every other day? Products don't stay exactly where you apply them and even residues can cause dehydration - my atopic eczema was triggered by shampoo bubbles running down my arm. Shock

free skin care · Wed Jul 04, 2012 8:33 am

I don't mean to make light of or disregard your issue so please don't take any of what I write that way.

Please be aware that you're in a state of mind where you're fixating on one thing and viewing things in more black and white ways than they actually are. A lot of us have been there!
You are more than your skin and pores.

Once you come out of this (and you will) you'll be surprised to find out that others never noticed your pores and only recognize and are attracted to you by your stature, your mannerisms, or your eyes, etc. You might start by drawing your attention to what some of these things may be and acknowledging them.

Many use invisible primer (which works much like spackle), and/or powder which can then be applied on top, or be buffed directly in with a very soft brush to conceal the look of large pores. Many men use these products, they just don't talk about them as much as women.

Wed Jul 04, 2012 10:29 am

Firefox7275 wrote:

jonboy340 wrote:

Thanks for the reply.

I do make sure I eat vegetables and fruit every day, I drink 1-2 litres of water a day, walk my dog for an hour every day. I use cleansers every other day, exfoliate once a week, moisturise twice a week etc. I use soap to shave my face, although the soap only goes on my lower cheek and jaw where I don't have any open pores. I keep out of the sun as UV rays break down more collagen in your face.

I'd like to believe there are lifestyle changes that will help but I suffered from Acne for 2 years when I was a teenager and I regularly used sunbeds through this period to help my unsightly skin look less repugnant so I'm pretty certain that's the reason why.

What depresses me so much is that it is so hopeless in fixing. Even the surgical methods that cost $$$$$ don't close the pores up, they merely shrink them slightly which is what putting lemon juice on them does.

Do you think anymore lifestyle changes could help?

Your depression is speaking, I recognise the thought processes well, don't let those negative words into your post or pass your lips. Wink

There is a huge amount that can be done for mental wellbeing and skin ageing with lifestyle and proven topicals. Plenty of EDSers with UV damage, plenty of research because it's such a major issue in the field of ageing. Nothing hopeless about it, you just need time and commitment! Pores are simply holes in the skin, plump up and hydrate the surrounding skin, clean them out if needs be, and they will diminish significantly.

Lifestyle healthcare is what I do for a living so ... Which of your government's recommendations for healthy eating and lifestyle don't you meet? How many portions of fruit and veggies? Exactly which products are you using and why are you only cleansing every other day? Products don't stay exactly where you apply them and even residues can cause dehydration - my atopic eczema was triggered by shampoo bubbles running down my arm. Shock

Haha, glad you can relate to my "the glass isn't half empty, the glass is horrible and so is the water" mentality I have.

I do feel blessed to have a forum like this, especially from the last 2 replies in this thread I've received Smile

I cleanse every other day because I tend to think I'm dehydrating my skin washing it every day, I usually have 1 fruit a day and 2 portions of vegetables. I guess I need to make sure I'm meeting the government standards properly.

I have also tried OCM for a couple of months to plump up my skin and no difference.

I've based my "hopeless" outlook on the fact many places on the net where there are people asking for solutions to the open pores debate, many of the replies are "you can't do anything about enlarged pores, you can only reduce their appearance"

It has depressed me to the point that I just don't look at myself in the mirror anymore as when I do I just feel crushed Crying or Very sad

I'm fully willing to try whatever it takes and appreciate your advice

free skin care · Wed Jul 04, 2012 11:06 am

I can relate, from personal experience and from many clients. (((hugs))) You still haven't told us exactly what products you are using! Which oils did you try for OCM and what percentages?

IMO the first thing to do is work towards: nine portions of fruit and veggies per day, three portions of dairy a day, one portion of oily fish or a supplement (3g of DHA/ EPA) daily, other healthy fats every day (avocado, coconut, olives, nuts, seeds), no sugar or white/ refined carbs, whole carbs little and often (wholegrains, beans, lentils). This will help your skin hold water, supply all the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants you need for healthy skin and balanced brain chemistry. For your mental wellbeing you especially need long chain omega-3s, B vitamins and minerals.

People on some forums know more about the skin than those on other forums: different ages and backgrounds, willing to read up on the science or willing to DIY to get proven actives in beneficial concentrations. Hydrating the skin is not that complicated, you just use a combination of the humectants (water holding) and occlusives/ emollients (barriers/ softeners, often fats) found naturally in the skin and try not to use anything that dries it out or irritates it. Gently cleansing and gently exfoliating are important because you want to remove sebum, pollution, old sunscreen and dead cells that might block your twice daily moisturiser from penetrating the skin.

Wed Jul 04, 2012 1:31 pm

Firefox7275 wrote:

I can relate, from personal experience and from many clients. (((hugs))) You still haven't told us exactly what products you are using! Which oils did you try for OCM and what percentages?

IMO the first thing to do is work towards: nine portions of fruit and veggies per day, three portions of dairy a day, one portion of oily fish or a supplement (3g of DHA/ EPA) daily, other healthy fats every day (avocado, coconut, olives, nuts, seeds), no sugar or white/ refined carbs, whole carbs little and often (wholegrains, beans, lentils). This will help your skin hold water, supply all the vitamins, minerals and antioxidants you need for healthy skin and balanced brain chemistry. For your mental wellbeing you especially need long chain omega-3s, B vitamins and minerals.

People on some forums know more about the skin than those on other forums: different ages and backgrounds, willing to read up on the science or willing to DIY to get proven actives in beneficial concentrations. Hydrating the skin is not that complicated, you just use a combination of the humectants (water holding) and occlusives/ emollients (barriers/ softeners, often fats) found naturally in the skin and try not to use anything that dries it out or irritates it. Gently cleansing and gently exfoliating are important because you want to remove sebum, pollution, old sunscreen and dead cells that might block your twice daily moisturiser from penetrating the skin.

I will definitely look into dietary factors first, as it is the easiest to check.

I use olay gentle cleanser to cleanse, monu micro exfoliant to exfoliate and e45 cream to moisturise. I used a mix of 2/3 grapeseed and 1/3 castor for ocm.

What do you think regarding these products?

free skin care · Wed Jul 04, 2012 1:50 pm

jonboy340 wrote:

I use olay gentle cleanser to cleanse, monu micro exfoliant to exfoliate and e45 cream to moisturise. I used a mix of 2/3 grapeseed and 1/3 castor for ocm.

What do you think regarding these products?

What about your shaving products and sunscreen?

Wed Jul 04, 2012 2:21 pm

Firefox7275 wrote:

jonboy340 wrote:

I use olay gentle cleanser to cleanse, monu micro exfoliant to exfoliate and e45 cream to moisturise. I used a mix of 2/3 grapeseed and 1/3 castor for ocm.

What do you think regarding these products?

What about your shaving products and sunscreen?

I just use soap lather to shave and don't use aftershave. I don't tend to use sunscreen. If it's sunny I will be in the shade or indoors.

Thu Jul 05, 2012 8:30 am

Have you tried any vitamin A derivatives? Retinol, Retin-A, etc., have been the best things I've used to keep my pores looking best.

Since my teens, large pores have been the bane of my existence (49 now). 10 years ago they started to appear especially prominent, mostly on the centers of my cheeks. They looked like they were gaping open. I think at this point, the years of sun abuse I subjected my skin to -- and age -- was finally catching up. The AHAs I had religiously used through my 30s didn't seem to help keep my skin smooth anymore.

I gave retiniods a try and haven't looked back. They have made a huge difference in making my skin appear smoother. I still have visible pores, but it seems the surrounding skin is more plump and vibrant where it crowds out the pore openings.

Getting started can be rough, with the flakies and redness, but from your routine, sounds like you are naturally cautious and can go slow at first.

The 2 other things that I've seen success with have been peptides and zinc/td sunscreens. Both seem to help keep my skintone "calm" and even looking. Vitamin C helps here too, but sometimes it has caused a bit of irritation.

So I would suggest doing some reading on vitamin A and trying a good OTC product to see how your skin reacts.

:0)

Thu Jul 05, 2012 9:35 am

Hi Dee, no I've never tried any Vit A derivatives but I'm fully willing to jump in with both feet with them.

I will be noting down every product you've mentioned and giving it a whirl. It's a sight for sore eyes to read that there are things that really work.

free skin care · Fri Jul 06, 2012 8:03 am

Olay Gentle wash: contains sulphate surfactants which are known irritants. IMO switch to a product gentle enough for daily use.
Castor/ grapeseed: this is considered a good combination for oily skin because it is astringent. The You might try a more hydrating carrier oil and/ or a lower percentage of castor.
Shaving soap: highly alkaline so destroys the skin's protective acid mantle and saponfies lipids in the skin barrier, traditional soaps leave a scummy residue. Maybe consider a shaving oil or cream?
Monu Micro: I really like diatomaceous earth as an exfoliant but it can be a little drying. Be sure to rinse thoroughly and follow up with a good moisturiser.
E45 cream: good basic emollient but intended to be used twice a day, the effects will not last several days.
Sunscreen: experts recommend using this daily year round as well as limiting sun exposure. Damaging UV rays can bounce off concrete, sand, snow and water, penetrating cloud, shade and glass. Shock

TBH I think the issue is a combination of diet, not moisturising frequently enough and perhaps the soap. IMO do not consider a retinoid until you have resolved any diet or hydration issues, for a start you might not need it! Secondly retinoids force skin to turnover faster which puts the skin into a state of stress: depending on the rest of your skincare routine and lifestyle this can be a positive stressor or a negative stressor. If you are not supplying all the nutrient 'building blocks' your body requires quality skin cells cannot be produced. HTH! Wink

free skin care · Fri Jul 06, 2012 9:20 am

Nice first post sweetDee - welcome!

vitamin C and Retin-a has been really helpful for me as well. There are loads of helpful threads with posts from a lot of knowledgeable people on all these things in the forum.

I just want to add that yesterday I happened to buy a ton of fruit and today my pores look far smaller. Drinking water mostly flushes it through the system, but "eating" your water in the form of fruit, actually helps the body absorb it.

Thu Jul 12, 2012 4:21 am

Firefox7275 wrote:

Olay Gentle wash: contains sulphate surfactants which are known irritants. IMO switch to a product gentle enough for daily use.

Dang, It says it's gentle and that you can use it daily so I assumed it would be ok. Can you recommend any cleanser I should revert to instead?

LoriA wrote:

I just want to add that yesterday I happened to buy a ton of fruit and today my pores look far smaller.

I'm wondering what fruit is best to stick to. Which fruit did you have that shrunk your pores?

free skin care · Thu Jul 12, 2012 4:37 am

jonboy340 wrote:

Dang, It says it's gentle and that you can use it daily so I assumed it would be ok. Can you recommend any cleanser I should revert to instead?

I'm wondering what fruit is best to stick to. Which fruit did you have that shrunk your pores?

Skincare companies lie to sell products unfortunately. Sad

Plus relatively recent research (2010) showed sulphates to be irritant as low as 1%, prior to that it was thought to be 2%. If you want a foaming cleanser look for a product based on cocoamidopropyl betaine, at a pH of less than 7 - I am in the UK so cannot recommend a specific one available elsewhere in the world. Even better would be a cheap lotion cleanser, you can wash these off with water and a cotton muslin or microfibre cloth for that 'clean' feeling without stripping.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/10-Cotton-Facial-Cleansing-Muslin-Cloth-Makeup-Removal-/261045906233#ht_3624wt_1270

All fruit and veggies are packed with water and micronutrients such as potassium to help hydrate the body. Just concentrate on getting nine portions a day in the full rainbow of colours. This is easier if you select ones you enjoy eating and that fit into your lifestyle.

free skin care · Thu Jul 12, 2012 10:42 am

LoriA wrote:

]I just want to add that yesterday I happened to buy a ton of fruit and today my pores look far smaller.

I'm wondering what fruit is best to stick to. Which fruit did you have that shrunk your pores?[/quote]

Apples and other more woody fruit which might hold less water themselves don't seem to work the same way. Its the same with oranges, for some reason.

Go for various types of melons. grapes, the fleshier, large-pitted fruit and the juicier berries, if you can.

I normally go for what's in season locally, so in winter, I don't notice the same kind of pore plumping. You can drink water along with them, but the body seems to really like nutrient-rich liquids.

One theory someone proposed was that since its sitting in those miles of intestines with the bit of roughage fruit provides waiting to move through, it has more of a chance to soak up.

Re cleanser, why don't you just buy some poly 20 or 80 to mix in with your ocm oils instead? That way you won't need to worry about reading labels, ph problems or irritants and it'll do the simple job of clearing dirt & oils and rinse off completely. I just started doing this and no longer need to use a cloth for anything more than exfoliating - when I need it.

Wed Jul 18, 2012 9:57 am

Firefox7275 wrote:

Plus relatively recent research (2010) showed sulphates to be irritant as low as 1%, prior to that it was thought to be 2%. If you want a foaming cleanser look for a product based on cocoamidopropyl betaine, at a pH of less than 7 - I am in the UK so cannot recommend a specific one available elsewhere in the world.

Hah I forgot to mention I'm in the UK so if you've got any ideas on a suitable cleanser you can get here that'd be great.

It'd be good if there was a small list of certain ingredients to avoid in a cleanser. I can't tell from the ingredients in this olay cleanser which are sulfate surfactants Confused

I'd like to use OCM instead of a cleanser but I'm not keen on the sensation that's left on my skin afterwards and in 2 months of doing it I never noticed any noticeable difference in pore size.

free skin care · Wed Jul 18, 2012 10:25 am

Sulphate surfactants include sodium lauryl sulphate, sodium laureth sulphate, ammonium lauryl sulphate, ammonium laureth sulphate, sodium dodecyl sulphate. There are bucket loads of other ingredients that you might ideally avoid, but feel free to post ingredients lists and we can comment.

This is gentle enough for face washing, ideally pH would be slightly lower but you can adjust small batches with lactic acid if you wish.
"Water, Caprylyl / capryl glucoside, Cocamidopropyl betaine, Aloe barbadensis (Aloe Vera) leaf extract, Quillaja saponaria (Soap) bark extract, Glyceryl Oleate, Xanthan gum, Citric acid, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium benzoate, Potassium sorbate."
http://www.naturallythinking.com/products/Shower-Gel-SLS-free-Extra-Mild.html
Their customer service is patchy so please use PayPal.

OCM feels 'cleaner' if you add an emulsifier to your mix such as one of the polysorbates, should then rinse totally away with water. It's also important to use a spotlessly clean cloth regularly or you end up wiping oil residues back on. Taken alone you may not notice a difference in pore visibility with OCM, generally good skin is a combination of your entire lifestyle and skincare routine.

Wed Jul 18, 2012 10:51 am

Firefox7275 wrote:

Sulphate surfactants include sodium lauryl sulphate, sodium laureth sulphate, ammonium lauryl sulphate, ammonium laureth sulphate, sodium dodecyl sulphate. There are bucket loads of other ingredients that you might ideally avoid, but feel free to post ingredients lists and we can comment.

Ingredients of this Olay cleanser I use include:

Sodium Lauroamphoacetate, Sodium Lauroyl Sarcosinate, Sodium Trideceth Sulfate, Sodium Laurate, Sodium Sulfate..

Do any of them fall under sulphate surfactant?

I will look into the cleanser you suggested anyway

free skin care · Wed Jul 18, 2012 11:12 am

Sodium trideceth sulphate is a sulphate surfactant. Sodium lauroyl sarcosinate is an anionic surfactant, so harsher than you'd want to use.

free skin care · Thu Jul 19, 2012 8:56 am

I agree with Lori - sometimes we fixate on one thing. In my case I know it is when I am possibly upset by something I cannot control, so I opt for what is within my grasp - pores, hair, whatever!!

That being said, please checkout Reaura thread. Some of my pores have actually disappeared, along with unwanted pigmentation. If you are young, it might also delay aging. I cannot say enough good things . . .

It is very worthwhile to investigate why you are so concerned with your appearance, which is probably extremely acceptable. Nothing wrong with taking care of oneself, but worth considering.

best . .

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