Clogged pores

Find out how to prevent clogged pores with NIVEA

HOW TO GET RID OF CLOGGED PORES

Find yourself analysing your skin and wondering what all those little dots are? Avoid squeezing and picking at your face. This article has everything you need to make you an expert in clogged pores. By the end, you’ll know what they are, how to prevent them, and how to get rid of clogged pores.

WHAT ARE PORES?

Grab a mirror and take a little look. You’ll notice that your skin isn’t paper-smooth. Instead, it’s dotted with tiny openings. These are pores. They exist all over your body and help your skin release sweat and sebum through the surface of your skin.

WHAT CAUSES CLOGGED PORES?

Keeping your skin nice and clean is essential and helps you avoid irritation, breakouts, and inflammation. Pores help release excess sebum and sweat onto the surface of the skin. This can create a sticky mixture that clings to dirt and debris. If you don’t clean your skin and remove dirt and debris regularly, you’ll notice the buildup can cause clogged pores. And those clogged pores can easily turn into spots.

WHAT CAUSES CLOGGED PORES?

4 THINGS THAT CAUSE CLOGGED PORES

Ultimately, pores get clogged by dead skin cells, dirt, and oil. These can be impacted by:

1. Overly dry skin
2. Comedogenic products, like cleansers, lotions or cosmetics
3. Medications can sometimes impact the amount of oil your sebaceous glands produce
4. Fluctuations in hormones, genetics, and growing older can impact how much oil your skin produces

8 THINGS THAT MAKE CLOGGED PORES WORSE

There are everyday habits and things in your surroundings that can inflame already clogged pores on your face. These include:

Pollution and toxins in the air
Changes in the weather, or excessively humid conditions
Excess oil and bacteria transferred from your hands to your face
Dietary issues
Clothing or equipment rubbing against your skin
Skin picking, or habitually squeezing spots
Increased stress and anxiety can impact your skin
Excessive skin washing and scrubbing

WHAT PORES GET CLOGGED?

As mentioned, your body is covered in pores! But some areas are more prone to clogged pores than others.

Remember, our faces are covered in pores and sebaceous glands. Why does this matter? Well, sebaceous glands produce sebum that rises to the skin's surface, exiting through your pores.

When these glands are working properly, your skin will look healthy and glowy (but not shiny). If they don’t produce enough sebum, you’ll notice dry and cracked skin. And if there’s too much sebum, you’re likely to experience oily skin and – you guessed it – clogged pores.

WHAT PORES GET CLOGGED?

CLOGGED PORES ON YOUR FACE – ESPECIALLY CLOGGED PORES ON THE NOSE

A lot of people experience clogged pores on their faces and clogged pores on their noses. You might notice this around puberty or if you start taking a new medication as these can sometimes cause your skin to get more oily.

Due to the prevalence of pores on your nose and chin, these areas tend to be very oily. And with that increased oil production comes more dirt.

The clogged pores and hard sebum in them can lead to an acne-related issue called sebum plugs (also referred to as keratin plugs). These look like blackheads, and while they don’t hurt, they can annoy some people.

CLOGGED PORES ON YOUR BODY

As mentioned, your body is also covered in pores. After your face, the pores on your neck, shoulders, and chest are the other hotspots where you might find clogged pores due to the number of sebaceous glands under the skin in these areas. If you find yourself with clogged pores in these areas, it might be a good idea to look into a new shower routine to ensure your skin is as clean as possible.

All of this knowledge is essential as we work towards our key point: how to get rid of clogged pores.

WHY SHOULD YOU CARE ABOUT CLOGGED PORES?

Sometimes, clogged pores won’t cause any sort of issue. But if a clogged pore or a collection of clogged pores becomes inflamed, it can lead to uncomfortable bouts of acne. It’s a good idea to treat them, care for them, and keep them as clean as possible so you can avoid all that.

WHY SHOULD YOU CARE ABOUT CLOGGED PORES?

HOW TO GET RID OF CLOGGED PORES

Clogged pores can be irritating, but the first thing to remember is to never squeeze or pick them. This only irritates, adds more bacteria to the area, and has the potential to increase breakouts.

Remember, you won’t remove all of the dirt in your pores, but the following solutions will help you minimise the buildup of sebum and dirt, leaving you with refreshing, glowing skin.

1. Choose a great cleanser

Try the NIVEA Pore Purifying Daily Wash to cleanse deeply and help to open clogged pores. It does double duty as a face wash and an exfoliant, using a mild chemical exfoliant Lactic Acid to micro-exfoliate and smooth the complexion, and prevent blemishes and breakouts that often result from clogged pores – especially from clogged pores on your nose. Lactic Acid is a great alternative to traditional overly textured exfoliants which can cause micro-tears in the skin and add to irritation if your skin is already inflamed.

2. Remove your makeup before bed

You might be really tired, but always try to take your makeup off before bed. NIVEA Micellar Water Cleansers are brilliant in this respect as you can keep them next to your bed with some cotton rounds, for an easy and quick way to remove your makeup before your face hits the pillow.

3. Facials and extractions

Picking your skin is strictly off-limits. However, licensed professional facialists and dermatologists use the proper products and tools so they can perform extractions safely. If you feel like you need to have some of the dirt and debris properly and thoroughly removed, a monthly facial could be just what you need.

4. Steaming

This is a great way to open your pores. Ideally, you can steam the skin before applying moisturiser or spot treatments so they can be well and truly absorbed.

5. Visit a dermatologist

If you’ve updated your skincare routine without seeing any visible improvements, it might be worth visiting a dermatologist. They can analyse your skin, make a diagnosis, and even prescribe medications to fix your particular problem.

WHY SHOULD YOU CARE ABOUT CLOGGED PORES?

THINGS TO AVOID

Some people swear by natural treatments like baking soda and lemon to unclog their pores. However, some people have found that these just make clogged pores worse.

If your skin is already inflamed or irritated, it’s best to avoid baking soda as it can really dry out your face. Similarly, the acid in lemons can cause even more damage to inflamed and irritated skin – so proceed with caution.

WHY SHOULD YOU CARE ABOUT CLOGGED PORES?

YOUR NEW CLOGGED PORES ROUTINE

And there you have it - the ins and outs of clogged pores, and most importantly, how to get rid of clogged pores!

While you can’t ‘empty’ your pores or keep them 100% clear, adopting a new skincare routine focused on removing dirt and debris should keep excessive dirt and buildup away.

If you’re really concerned about how oily your skin is, contact your doctor or dermatologist for expert advice and treatments.