How the bloody hell do I completely unblock my pores?

[RabidRabbit]

Across my nose/cheeks close to nose, I have open and slightly blocked pores. I exfoliate my face 3 times per week, and use a branded deep pore cleansing wash twice daily, as well as using a deep pore cleanser every night. My skin feels lovely and smooth, and looks perfect with a bit of concealer - but strip that away and it's just pores pores pores. I'd love to be able to wear no make up at all, but they just do not seem to completely unblock and tighten up no matter how much I try!

Help please? :(

[TattyDevine]

What exfoliator? Is it a serius AHA / beta hydroxy job or just a well what is it?

Do you have facials with extractions and/or extract yourself?

If no to both, there is your anwer.

The only other thing I'd say is some fake tan moisturisers give you the apperance of blackheads and blocked pores by pigmenting anything and evrything including perfectly normal pores with slight dead skin or sebum coverage. That is relatively normal but if you pigment it it is highlighted in the same way dental plaque is if you use those plaque tablets.

So....what are you using on your skin?

How old are you?

[RabidRabbit]

Extract what now? Oh god I have so much to learn.

It's just a Body Shop exfoliator... Vitamin C Microdermabrasion I think it's called. And it's just the Clearasil deep cleansing wash/cleanser. I'll slap on a bit of Bio Oil before bed a few nights a week too.

I am 25. I had perfect skin in my teens... waves fist angrily

[PlumSykes]

As I understand it, pores don't open and close like automatic doors, so even if you could completely unblock your pores, you still have open pores, they'd just be empty, until you filled them up again with moisturisers etc. The only way to get rid of the look you describe is with microdermabrasion, which is a super-exfoliation treatment facial, and will remove far more of the top layer of your skin than just an at home face scrub.

[ArcticRoll]

Clinique make some polyfiller type substance which is quite good for large pores, also recommend a proper facial with extractions.

[ggirl]

you need one of those serious facial peels not just a crystal clear one.
I had one and it made bugger all difference to the pores

[Ryoko]

I get black heads round my nose and chin, I found peels and scrubs etc to be crap, they mostly just dried my skin out and made it red.

Try mixing sugar with a thin runny honey, pat your face with a warm wet cloth first to open pores, put the mix on leave it on a few mins after scrubbing it around to let the honey goodness sink in (full of vit E) then wipe it off with a wet cloth before washing your face as normal.

It's done a much better job for me then any of the stuff they sell for the job and I only started doing it because I was broke.

[MayorNaze]

soap and glory facial scrub/mask no clogs allowed

cracking

[LovelyDaffs]

I have a serious pore situation mostly around my chin and am booked in for micro dermabrasion in the next couple of weeks (thanks Groupon). I have tried lots of things and I think what others have said is true that once you have ensured your pores are clean they still remain open. The Clinique polyfiller stuff is good as is their pore lotion I find that if I use the lotion I can just about get away without make up.

[aquavit]

My pores got much better when I STOPPED exfoliating so much. I still do it occasionally but very very gently (with muslin cloth and oil cleanser). It sounds completely counter-intuitive but using a facial oil overnight, and stopping all the scrubbing, not only made all the red sensitive bits and dry patches much better, but also seems to have smoothed out my pores.

So my theory is that you can inflame them by going at them too hard, and that oil is brilliant.

[Marne]

I use those sticky strips that you put on your nose, leave for a while and pull off but can't remember what they are called (sorry). I get a lot on my nose and head, i hardly ever wear make up .

[MissFoodie]

over exfoliating/scrubbing/cleansing makes it worse as your glands overproduce sebum to compensate - and yes, anyone can and should use oil or oil based cleanser, with hot water and flannel/muslin, even if you have acne! for cleanser suggestions and exfoliators I've just reviewed a few
yumetc.blogspot.com/2011/06/exfoliate-me.html

[MissFoodie]

and I wouldnt put bio oil on my face either, it's baby oil basically - use something like jojoba if you don't want to spend a lot of money, or get a proper face oil (check out nourish me on the blog for ideas)

[aquavit]

I'm using various facial oils at the moment - Neal's Yard orange flower and rose versions (smell just gorgeous) and a Sanctuary one from Boots which is a bit cheaper and is brilliant for reducing pores and making skin smoother.

It makes sense if you think about it, I guess: oily dirt of any kind is best cleaned off by a fatty cleaner (same principle as proper soap, that's why that green fairy soap is so effective on kitchen grease!) because oil dissolves in oil. I think. (Anyone with more than the most rudimentary sense of, er, chemistry around?!) So I think of the oils as doing two jobs: dissolving any grot in my pores (to be washed away in the morning) and moisturising the dry bits. Course, that may be complete rot but it seems to be working for whatever reason.

[lookingfoxy]

Can I recommend Retin A for pores, its not for the faint hearted, but it really works, my pores are smaller as they are empty!

[ggirl]

lookingfoxy-what retinA cream do you use and where do you get it?

[willybreeder]

When I used Bio Oil on my face I got so many blocked pores that only a course of microdermabrasion sorted it. To massage/moisturise skin before bed I find the Body Shop's/Superdrug vitamin E facial oil is good and when I'm feeling rich E'Spa and Clairns do lovely ones.

[jbg]

I recommend BHA and AHA exfoliating gels from Paula's Choice, I only use it on my T-zone and i think its made a difference. AHA is use for discoloration after summer.

[queenmaeve]

This has been a very helpful thread. I am jotting all this down!

[zlaya]

Whole Liz Earle range, to get skin on track: "CLEANSE AND POLISH, SKIN BOOST TONIC, SUPER SKIN MOISTURISER" that is all you need, I have used it for ten years and have amazing skin so I am told, no pores , no lines it's somewhat magical. Liz Earle online or John Lewis department store.

[topsi]

Yes retin A is the only thing that will make any difference, you need to get it on prescription. Check out Obagi

[ggirl]

topsi how much does that Obagi stuff cost?

[ruddynorah]

Oil cleansing sorted my pores and blackheads. It's gentle, no scrubbing and stripping of the skin like you describe. Your skin finds a new balance because you aren't repeatedly stripping it of its natural oils.

[LovelyDaffs]

Would agree that any of the hot cloth methods work well at keeping them clean, I'm just not convinced that they will close.

[ruddynorah]

Mine have. Been doing it for 2 years. I now have lovely clear skin.