Obagi Professional

Large Poresâ¦ For Some, They're An Even Larger Problem

Large poresâ€”how canÂ something so small be such a big deal? Probably because enlarged pores make it difficult to have smooth, firm, tight, younger looking skin.Â Â Â Correcting large pores is not difficult, but you need to treat your skin right!

Here's are a few "do's":

1. Make sure that you use the right cleanser.Â UseÂ one designed for oily skinâ€”look for ingredients like salicylic, glycolic or lactic acid, and make sure that you use it for one full minuteâ€”it takes that long to break down sebum.Â Even if you think you have "normal" skinâ€”and I personally don't think that there is such a thingâ€”I recommend a cleanser for oily skinâ€“like ZO's Exfoliating Cleanser.Â That's the first part of the regimenâ€”twice a dayâ€”morning and night.

2. Exfoliate!Â Once a day is not too much.Â You need to get rid of the dead surface skin cells so that the younger, healthier, living ones can emerge.Â Â If you don't exfoliate regularly, your skin will appear dull and dry.Â I like a good scrubâ€”like ZO's Exfoliating Polish.Â It has round magnesium crystals so won't irritate the skin.Â Â And scrub diligently!Â What you really want to do is to stimulate your skin cellsâ€”keep them alive and active!

3. Deep cleanse your pores with TE padsâ€”they're soakedÂ in a combination of salicylic and glycolic acid to exfoliate the skin, thus speedingÂ up skin renewal.

4. Retinoids (like Retin-A) or high potencyÂ retinol products (like ZO's Radical Night Repair Plus)Â may reduce pore size because they helpÂ decrease the activity of the oil glands. Active Vitamin A treatment doesn't reduce pore size for everyoneâ€”but many people are successful with it.

5. Try a quick fix at home.Â Egg white masks (combine two egg whites and a few drops of lemon juice) can have a quick, albeit temporary, fix.

6. Microdermabrasion administered by a professional aesthetician will help exfoliate the skin and provide temporary improvement, but it's not a permanent solution.

And a few "don'ts":

1.Â Don't get overzealous.Â Avoid the use of harsh astringents and tonersâ€“they can exacerbate the problem.

2.Â Use moisturizers advisedly.Â TheyÂ compact dead cells and decrease cellular turnover.Â When yourÂ pores get clogged and skin isn't allowed to exfoliate normally, you increase the probability that pores will beÂ enlarged.

3.Â Don't try to cover up the problem with foundation or powders.Â It won't work and will only irritate the pores (as well as your dermatologist).

Work with the basicsâ€”a cleanser, chemical and physical exfoliantâ€”daily.Â Those three things may be enough to treat large pores.

Dr. Zein Obagi

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