Forget wrinkles. It’s your PORES that’ll age you
AT THE grand old age of 39, I have discovered something new about myself: I have simply massive pores.
A face scan using a high-tech complexion analysis system, Visia, suggested I have bigger pores than 97 per cent of the population. The Grand Canyons of the skin world. For years, I obsessed over spots, then wrinkles, but thanks to HD TV and Instagram, pores are the beauty world’s new fixation.
Research by L’Oreal suggests they worry a third of women more than wrinkles, with sales of products such as pore-minimising strips rising by up to 70 per cent in the past year.
I wonder how I didn’t notice them before. Now, they are all I can see. I’ve taken to squeezing the contents until my skin is a red mess.
Enlarged pores are common, according to aesthetician Dr Leah Totton, who runs Dr Leah cosmetic clinics. ‘It’s an issue many women complain about, especially as they get older,’ she says.
‘Pores are openings on skin, where sebum is released to keep skin moisturised.
‘Pore size is usually genetically pre-determined — but if you have oily skin, it’s likely your pores will be bigger as more sebum is transported.
‘As you age, collagen around pores breaks down, so they flop open more — and stay open. Picking at skin can damage pores and permanently widen them. Squeezing is the worst thing you can do.’ Oops.
So, what should I do? From laser treatments to pore-filling primers, Dr Totton talks me through some of the problempore solutions . . .
CLEAN UP YOUR ACT
SEBUM, dirt, make-up and pollution create clogged pores, which stretch and enlarge. The key is to keep skin clean.
The best cleansers for oily skin use salicylic acid. Try Obagi CLENZIderm Daily Care Foaming Cleanser (£31.50, skin
station.co.uk), Burt’s Bees Anti-Blemish Purifying Daily Cleanser (£11.49, burtsbees.co.uk) or Murad Clarifying Cleanser (£19.50, look fantastic.com).
‘Clean every morning and evening, and after exercise,’ says Dr Totton.
EXFOLIATE WITH CARE
‘AS WE age, the cell cycle slows. Skin cells accumulate on the surface so pores can get blocked and enlarged,’ says Dr Totton.
‘Exfoliation gets rid of dead cells, letting sebum flow out.’ Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant (£48, dermalogica.co.uk) can be used every day, but Dr Totton warns: ‘It’s easy to go overboard with scrubs, creating red, stripped skin.’
A gentler option is chemical exfoliants. They control oil and tighten pores. I like La RochePosay Effaclar Clarifying Lotion (right, now £8.25, boots.com) and Perricone MD Intensive Pore Minimizer (below, £50, lookfantastic.com).
FIT IN A FACIAL
‘I RECOMMEND a deepcleansing facial every six weeks,’ says Dr Totton.
‘They shouldn’t cost more than £60. Microdermabrasion (fine crystals and a vacuum remove dead skin cells), manual extractions (pores are professionally squeezed), or chemical peels can all clean out pores.
‘A facial means active ingredients in skincare get into the skin, instead of sitting on dead skin cells. You should see a difference in 12 weeks or so.’
GET YOUR VITAMINS
IT’S time to take your vitamins — specifically A and C. These are important if your large pores are the result of ageing.
Vitamin A, in the form of retinol, boosts production of collagen and plumps skin, so pores look smaller. Try Obagi, Paula’s Choice and Neutrogena products.
La Roche-Posay’s Redermic R Anti-Wrinkle Treatment (now £22.10, feelunique.com) is great for night use.
Meanwhile, vitamin C will protect against environmental damage, which can lead to large pores. Try The Ordinary Vitamin C Suspension (£4.90, victoriahealth.com).
USE GOOD SUNSCREEN
SUN damage can break down collagen and expand pores — but finding the right sunscreen can be tricky. I like Obagi’s Sun Shield Matte Broad Spectrum SPF50 (£54.95, skinoracle.
com) and the lightweight Rita Rakus Protect (£37, drritarakus.com).
LASER AWAY
IF YOU have the courage (and the cash), try invasive options. Micro-needling and lasers temporarily damage the skin’s surface, so cells go into overdrive with collagen production. Laser resurfacing at PHI Clinic (from £450, phiclinic.
com) can help with pore size. New treatment TheraClear sucks out oils and dirt clogging pores, using an anti-bacterial light (£125 per session for a full face, drdavidjack.com).
LESS IS MORE . . .
UNTIL treatments work their magic, cheat. A primer fills the holes pores create. Laura Mercier and Smashbox do great options, while Benefit’s The Porefessional (right, £26, benefitcosmetics.com) has a cult following.
Don’t load skin with too much make-up. Dr Totton says mineral products — such as the ranges by Jane Iredale and bareMinerals — are the best way to go.