What’s real and what’s not: The truth about big pores

Have you ever looked in a mirror and saw big pores and wish there was a magic trick to make it all shrink to nothing? Well, for sure you are not alone and like most of us what you exactly need is a No Poreblem Primer. If feel like you have tried everything but the big bad pores just will not go away, then maybe you need to take a step back and go back to basics. In regards to pores, there are many myths abound and not knowing them might just be the reason why your pores just will not disappear.
Real: Porexia
Porexia is real and it is not just some posh condition that the makeup industry has come up with. Almost half of women wants to change the size of their pores according to a recent study. And a third worries more about their pores than even wrinkles. This obsession about the size of pores is the reason why porexia is a thing. Women are so fixated about the size of pores that a recent survey listed some of the most ridiculous things that they would give up just so they can fix their pore sizes. A lot said they would give up drinking for a year, to some saying they would rather have smaller pores than open a their social media accounts and a daring few willing to trade perfect pores for their smooth kempt legs. With the problem that we are trying to solve here, hopefully no one has to give up anything and thank God for that.
Real: Not all pores are the same
Before we start panicking about our pores it is good to understand first the kinds of pores there are. In fact, there are two of them which are the sweat pores and the oil pores. Oil pores, as gooey as they sound, are actually hair follicles or where hair was supposed to come out. The thought of having hair grow out of your face pores probably took a few beats off your heart but rest assured this is simply a byproduct of evolution and it will not be haunting any of us ladies anytime soon.These pores are the scourge we are trying to treat as they spout oil, or in this case sebum, like an oilfield where a sebaceous gland acts as the rig. On the other hand, the sweat pores are really too small compared to the dreaded oil pores so it is not really worth talking over.
Real: Pores serve a purpose
There is a reason why you cannot spell “purpose” without “pore” and that may be to remind us that though pores are the enemy, the human body actually needs them. While it does serve the purpose of annoying you everytime you look at the mirror, here are the other good purposes it serves.
- Hair growth – Nobody would probably trade going bald just to have tighter pores as much as what everyone has said earlier in those surveys. The oil allows for safe passage of hair as hair is actually quite coarse when rubbing against the skin.
- Protection – The little layer of oil that makes our face that awkward shine that noone wants is really protection from dirt, bacteria and other harmful elements. Maybe that is something you can think about before drowning your face next time in powder.
You might be shocked to know that the face has 20,000 pores which might be quite more than when you tried to count them. Some are way smaller than the others but some grow bigger like a crater to irritate you.
We all know that these open pores are the reason why we have whiteheads and blackheads. The pores trap oil and after a few films of dirt and dry skin closing it, then, voila, you have got yourself something to pop. And the worst of it is when these pores get infected leaving you a fine surprise in the form of a pimple.
Not Real: Blackhead is dirt
It might be a surprise to some but what makes blackheads black is not actually the dirt trapped in there. Sebum, or the skin oil discussed earlier, turns black once oxidized. While oil is normally colorless to white, it can turn really nasty once exposed to air. The lesson here is to get rid of excess oil before they turn into ugly black blobs on your face.
Not Real: Pores close and open
Some people look at pores and see a revolving door that should open and close at set intervals. This is far from true however as there are actual methods to close and open them. For one, you can loosen these pores by heating them up with a steamer similar to the procedure done before having your facial. On the flip hand, you can tighten them up by cooling them or spraying your face with cold water. Again, similar to how a facial session ends with that cold metal thingy. So there really is no point in asking your pores to cooperate on the day of your wedding, instead, get a no poreblem primer on how to deal with it.
Real: UV rays enlarge pores
You can have sun-kissed skin or you can have small pores and you cannot have both. The sun rays, specifically the UV rays it contains, can widen the diameter of your pores. Think of the UV rays as collagen destroyers. You have probably already heard about collagen if you are here reading an article about improving your facial features. It is the building block of many beauty products and every face expert worth her salt knows exactly how important it is. Collagen gives your skin more elasticity and thus allowing the pores to snap back to smaller versions of themselves. Without it, pores will loosen and will probably stay that way for a while.
There are many ways that you can deal with unwanted pore sizes in your face, but the best way is to probably get a No Poreblem Primer from an expert.