What do pores do?

Pores house a hair follicle and a sebaceous gland which produces sebum, our skin’s natural oil that has the important role of lubricating the skin. Your pores also act as a gateway for the sebum to leave the skin which is why they are susceptible to being clogged. 

Contrary to popular belief, it’s impossible to ‘close’ pores. They have no muscles attached to them so they are unable to move or shift shape. Their appearance and size are due to congestion levels, oil flow, collagen levels and genetics. Remember – pore-free skin does not exist! You can’t and shouldn’t ‘get rid’ of your pores so it’s time to show them some appreciation!

How can you look after them?

You can care for your pores by ensuring that you are cleansing thoroughly morning and evening. This will help to clear them of excess oil, dirt and impurities that can build up and clog them, expanding their size. Placing a warm (not hot) towel over your face for 30 seconds before cleansing will loosen the sebum inside the pore so it can come out more easily. This is also why we steam in facial treatments!

Exfoliating on a regular basis will help to shift any excess dead skin cells and sebum that can oxidise in the pore and create a blackhead. If you’re sensitive, we recommend a light AHA or fruit enzyme exfoliator for the job such as the Elequra Intense Restore Mask which gently nibbles away to reveal smoother skin.

If congested pores are one of your priorities, consider incorporating salicylic acid into your routine. This ingredient ‘scoops’ debris out of pores, so is fantastic for breakouts and large blackheads. Synergie ReVeal contains salicylic acid, alongside alpha-hydroxy acids to decongest the skin and dissolve excess cells and debris that can clog pores if left unattended. Clay masks are also super for absorbing excess oils and impurities before they can linger and cause congestion. 

Treatment wise, regular facials are a fantastic way to deeply cleanse the skin, reduce congestion, and deliver professional exfoliation. Our Correct, Prevent and Perfect treatment is our deeply cleansing treatment designed to target breakouts, blackheads and oiliness with low-level resurfacers, extractions and anti-inflammatory techniques.

Want to reduce their appearance? Here’s how

Pores can appear to grow in size as we age, and this is due to depletion of collagen and elastin in the skin making it a little less tight.

Wearing an SPF every day and incorporating antioxidants into your routine will help to slow collagen loss – prevention is always easier than the cure! Synergie Skin UberZinc is great for oilier skin, Le Prunier Plumscreen SPF31 is a beautiful all-rounder.

You want to focus your routine on maintaining the production of collagen and elastin, so ingredients like retinol, peptides and growth factors are ones to look out for.

You can also incorporate collagen boosting treatments into your skin regimens such as our medical needling treatment, Ultra Synergy or our advanced laser resurfacing treatment, Renew You. Both these treatments work by causing ‘controlled trauma’, which puts your skin into healing mode, stimulating significant collagen and elastin which in turn refines skin texture and reduces the appearance of enlarged pores.