5 Reasons That You Have Large Pores (And What to Do About Them)

Your skin has many components, each in place to keep it healthy and strong. Pores are one of these components that aren't always visible – but when they are, it can make you self-conscious and be a concern for acne and pimples.

Large pores may be unsightly, but they're not a health concern. Genetics, lifestyle habits, and hormone production may play a role in the size of your pores. No matter the cause, you need those pores to be invisible now.

At SafiraMD Medical Aesthetics and Wellness Center, we offer various aesthetic treatments to make your skin glow and look its best. Dr. Andrea Volk is a medical aesthetics specialist who provides microneedling and laser treatments to reduce the appearance of large pores.

What are pores?

Pores are tiny openings in the skin where hair grows out of and where oil or sweat emerges. Sebaceous glands are the primary type of pores on your face, back, and chest.

Sebaceous glands are the pores that release sebum, an oily substance that keeps the skin soft and supple. However, too much sebum makes the skin oily and the pores a trap for bacteria and dead skin cells.

The only places you don't have sebaceous glands and pores are on the soles of the feet and the palms of the hands. Everywhere else on the body has pores, even if you can't see them.

Sweat glands are also pores that excrete sweat to cool the body down. Just as sebaceous glands can be overactive, sweat glands can be as well, causing excessive sweating and a condition called hyperhidrosis.

Sebaceous glands are the pores you see on your face, which can be pretty large. However, shrinking them isn't an option, as you need the sebum to maintain healthy skin.

Five causes of large pores

If you have large pores, you're likely ready to eliminate them – but that's not an option. Your skin needs these pores, and making them smaller isn't possible.

But what causes large pores in the first place? There are several culprits behind large pores, five of which are:

1. Sun damage

Sun damage causes the skin to become dry and wrinkly, which may enhance the size of your pores. Your skin may require more sebum to keep it from drying out, which also causes the pores to look more prominent than usual.

2. Excess sebum production

High amounts of sebum cause the pores to look large because the oil sits at the top to moisten the skin. Excess sebum production is genetic; other times, it's from your hormones.

3. Decreased skin elasticity

Your skin naturally becomes less elastic as you age, causing it to sag and droop. The decreased elasticity makes the pores look more prominent, causing even more self-confidence problems.

4. Hair thickness

Your hair emerges from the pores and sits on the sebaceous glands. The thicker your hair, the larger your pores look to make room for the hair follicle. Unfortunately, genetics plays a significant factor in this cause of large pores.

5. Unbalanced hormones

Hormones trigger your body to produce sebum, which is why teenagers and pregnant women sometimes suffer acne breakouts and large pores.

How can I treat large pores?

Unfortunately, you can't simply shrink your pores for a confident glow; you can reduce their appearance through various lifestyle remedies and professional treatments. We offer the following lifestyle tips to help soften the appearance of large pores:

• Use water-based skin products
• Wash your face twice a day
• Exfoliate once or twice a week
• Use gel cleansers on your face
• Moisturize your skin
• Use sunscreen with SPF
• Take off your makeup every night

If you follow the above tips but are still unhappy with your pores, Dr. Volt offers various skin care procedures, including microneedling and laser treatments.

Microneedling uses a series of tiny needles to stimulate the body to produce more collagen and elastin. These proteins keep the skin tight and firm and help reduce the appearance of large pores.

We also offer various laser treatments to help resurface your skin and reduce the appearance of imperfections such as large pores.

Call SafiraMD Medical Aesthetics and Wellness Center today to schedule a microneedling or laser treatment appointment or request a consultation on the website.