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Why Do I Have Enlarged Pores Despite Good Skincare Routine?
You’ve invested in quality skincare, cleansed diligently, and followed all the right steps, but those stubborn enlarged pores just won’t shrink. Sound familiar? You’re not alone. Large pores are a common worry, especially for those with oily or combination skin.
While skincare can help manage the appearance of pores, there are reasons why they may still look prominent despite your best efforts. In this article, we shed light on why this happens and how professional oily skin treatments can help.
You Are Not Using the Right Products for Your Skin Type
Even if your skincare routine is solid, using the wrong products for your skin type can keep your pores looking large. For example, if you have oily skin but use heavy, creamy moisturisers, your pores may become clogged, making them appear more prominent.
On the other hand, if you have dry skin and don’t hydrate enough, your skin may produce excess oil to compensate, also making pores look larger.
Solution: Select non-comedogenic, lightweight, and oil-controlling products that work with your skin rather than against it. Look for ingredients that help regulate oil production, unclog pores, and refine skin texture:
- Niacinamide (Vitamin B3) helps to control oil production, reduce inflammation, and strengthen the skin barrier. It also has brightening properties, which can help minimise post-acne marks. Our Daily Renewal Serum contains a unique formula of niacinamide, silver ions and glycolate which helps control acne breakouts and accelerate the cell renewal process.Â
- Salicylic Acid (BHA) permeates deep into the pores to dissolve excess oil and shed dead skin cells, keeping pores clear and preventing them from stretching due to congestion.
Read: Why your brightening serum is not giving you the glow up you want
You Do Not Exfoliate Regularly
Pores often look bigger when they are clogged with dirt, oil, and dead skin cells. Regular exfoliation is crucial to keeping your skin smooth and preventing buildup that can stretch pores over time.
Solution: Incorporate a chemical exfoliant like lactic acid and glycolic acid into your routine 2–3 times a week, so you can keep your skin smooth, refined, and free from congestion.
- Lactic Acid (AHA): If you have sensitive skin, lactic acid is a gentle alternative. As an alpha hydroxy acid, it works on the skin’s surface to soften and shed dead skin cells while providing hydration.
- Glycolic Acid (AHA): Glycolic acid offers deeper exfoliation and is particularly effective for improving skin tone, fading hyperpigmentation, and smoothing rough texture.
You Over Cleanse or Over Exfoliate
While exfoliation is essential, too much of a good thing can be harmful. Over-cleansing and over-exfoliating strip the skin of its natural oils, causing it to overproduce oil as compensation. This excess oil can settle into pores, making them appear larger.
Solution: The best approach is to stick to a gentle cleanser such as a sulfate-free, non-stripping cleanser with hydrating and soothing ingredients like glycerin and ceramides. Massage the cleanser onto your face with gentle strokes, for 30 to 60 seconds and refrain from scrubbing aggressively. A good cleanser should effectively remove dirt, oil, and makeup without leaving a tight skin feeling.Â
If you find that you still have gunk on your face despite cleansing and exfoliating regularly, a professionally-done extraction can help clear out any congestion and save you from damaging your skin barrier.
You Have an Unhealthy Diet
What you eat affects your skin more than you might think. A diet loaded with processed foods, dairy, and sugar can trigger excess oil production, leading to clogged pores and breakouts. This, in turn, makes your pores more visible.
Solution: Take note what kind of food causes you to flare – for example, if drinking milk gives you breakouts, limit your dairy intake gradually to see how much you can tolerate. And as always, drink plenty of water and eat more vegetables.
You Don’t Drink Enough Water
Dehydration can cause your skin to produce more oil to make up for the lack of moisture. This oil fuses with dead skin cells and dirt, leading to clogged pores and breakouts, which can make your pores look more prominent.
Solution: Drink plenty of water daily to keep your skin hydrated from within. Water is fundamental to various bodily functions, including skin health. Adequate hydration helps maintain skin elasticity, supports nutrient delivery to skin cells, and aids in toxin removal. You can also use hyaluronic acid-based serums to lock in moisture and maintain plump, healthy skin.
You Are Stressed
Stress affects everything, including your skin. When you’re under stress, your body produces cortisol, which increases oil production and inflammation. This can lead to acne and enlarged pores.
Solution: Find ways to manage stress, whether through exercise, meditation, or a good self-care routine. Taking time to unwind can do wonders for your skin. Managing stress is a continuous process, and finding the strategies that work best for you is key to maintaining a clear and bright complexion.
You Are Ageing
Collagen and elastin levels drop with ageing, making the skin lose its firmness. This results in pores looking more stretched and noticeable. Furthermore, the degradation of these proteins results in a decrease in skin strength and resilience, contributing to wrinkling and sagging.
Solution: While we can’t halt the natural aging process, incorporating specific ingredients into your skincare routine can significantly slow its visible effects. Ingredients like retinol, peptides, and vitamin C boost collagen production and enhance skin elasticity, giving a more youthful and radiant complexion.
Can a Good Skincare Routine Really Shrink Pores?
While a good skincare routine can minimise the appearance of pores, it cannot physically shrink them. Here’s why:
Realistic Expectations
Pore size is primarily determined by genetics, so while you can refine your skin’s texture and keep pores clear, you won’t be able to make them disappear entirely.
Limitations of Skincare Penetration
Over-the-counter skincare products only work on the surface of your skin. While they help with oil control and exfoliation, they cannot physically change the structure of your pores.
Loss of Elasticity Is Permanent
Once your skin loses collagen and elasticity, pores may naturally look larger. While skincare can help slow this process, it cannot completely reverse it.
What Would Significantly Improve My Large Pores?
If your skincare routine isn’t giving you the results you want, you may need oily skin treatments that go deeper.
Oily Skin Treatments by SkinLab
If you’ve tried everything, exfoliation, hydration, and the right skincare products but your pores still seem large and your skin remains oily, professional treatments may be what you need. SkinLab The Medical Spa offers a range of treatments for oily skin.
The Signature Medical Peel is a medical-grade exfoliation treatment that combines AHAs (alpha hydroxy acids) and BHAs (beta hydroxy acids) to deeply cleanse pores, remove dead skin cells, and promote cell renewal.
This peel is highly effective for those struggling with ageing skin, combination skin, acne-prone skin, and mild pigmentation. The treatment dissolves excess oil and debris trapped in the pores and helps refine skin texture and minimise breakouts.
To enhance the effects of the peel, the exfoliation treatment is paired with I²PL (Intense Pulsed Light) therapy. I²PL targets acne-causing bacteria and reduces unwanted pigmentation. The combination of chemical exfoliation and light therapy works at a deeper level to improve your skin’s clarity and overall radiance.
For those struggling with enlarged pores due to ageing and loss of elasticity, the Iyashi Exosome Nano Needling Treatment offers an alternative approach to skin rejuvenation. This treatment utilises pure bioactive synthetic exosomes from Japan, which are known for their ability to repair, regenerate, and revitalise the skin.
The exosomes are delivered into the skin using a derma roller, a device that creates micro-channels to enhance absorption. With this technique, the active ingredients penetrate deeper into the skin, maximising their effects. The result? Improved skin texture, reduced wrinkles, enhanced elasticity, and a more refined complexion.
Acne Express Defence Facial is a targeted solution for oily and acne-prone skin. The treatment regulates oil production, clears clogged pores, and reduces inflammation. It combines two powerful techniques:
- Papaya enzyme exfoliation, which gently dissolves dead skin cells and promotes healthy skin renewal. This process prevents the buildup of oil and debris that can make pores appear larger.
- High-frequency therapy, which uses gentle electrical currents to kill acne-causing bacteria, reduce inflammation, and regulate sebum production. This mechanism helps to control breakouts and keep your skin balanced.
By addressing excess oil and breakouts at the root, the Acne Express Defence facial helps to refine pores, improve skin clarity, and maintain a smooth, healthy complexion. It’s an ideal choice for those looking for an effective yet gentle approach to managing large pores and oily skin.
Laser Treatments
If you have recurring oily skin and enlarged pores, laser treatment might be more effective. In particular, Clear + Brilliant Laser is a skin resurfacing laser that stimulates collagen in the skin, improving skin texture and reducing the appearance of pores. Clear + Brilliant’s strength is in skin rejuvenation and giving a glass skin look.
Tackle Enlarged Pores with SkinLab’s Oily Skin Treatment
Enlarged pores can be frustrating, but understanding the causes can help you take better control of your skin. If you’re serious about improving your pores, consider making adjustments to your routine and seeking expert oily skin treatment that works deeper in the skin.
SkinLab’s oily skin treatments like Signature Medical Peel and Iyashi Exosome Nano Needling are designed to target these concerns. They help deep-clean pores, control excess sebum, and improve overall skin texture. With professional-grade exfoliation and hydration, you’ll notice a smoother, clearer complexion over time.
Book an appointment for oily skin treatment now.