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How to Tell if Pores Are Clogged
The pores in your skin serve as tiny exits for sweat and oils 1. They are also entrances for topical medications and beneficial skin creams when they are not blocked. A buildup of impurities inside the pores can interfere with normal functioning of the skin and lead to skin problems. Learn how to identify clogged pores so you can cleanse them accordingly and prevent this from happening.
Examine your skin to see if you have clogged pores. Pores clogged with dead skin cells, dried oils and other debris are usually easy to see, as the matter inside them makes them expand in size. Look for pinholes in the skin, and tiny black plugs of dried oils called blackheads. A blackhead is a definite indication a pore is clogged. Run your finger over the top of the blackhead. Sometimes you can feel the blackhead inside the pore. Also check for whiteheads, which are clogged pores that are closed. A whitehead, or milium, will appear as a tiny, raised white grain of sugar on the surface of the skin.
How to Get Rid of Blackheads Above the Lip
Learn More
Steam the pores you suspect are clogged for 10 minutes 1. If you are steaming your pores over an open bowl of water, drape a towel over your head and over the bowl of steaming water to keep the steam encapsulated inside the small tent you created. Hold your face about 18 inches above the surface of the water, taking care not to let the steam burn your skin 2. Steaming will open your pores and get them ready for extraction, which is the next step in identifying clogged pores.
Stand in front of a mirror in a well-lit room. Wrap a thin strip of cotton around each forefinger and gently press the tips of each forefinger down against the skin around each pore. Press down on the skin, then push both forefingers toward each other to gently force out any matter that may be clogging the pore. If white matter comes out of the pore, the pore is clogged with soft impurities. Expulsion of dark matter, as in the case of a blackhead, indicates the pore is clogged with hardened oils.
Warnings
Never proceed with steaming if you feel the steam is too hot.
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References
- “Milady’s Standard Textbook for Professional Estheticians”; Joel Gerson; 1999
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration: Facing Facts About Acne
- Wang S. Understudied skin characteristics awaiting genetic breakthroughs. J Investig Dermatol Symp Proc. 2018;19(2):S101-S102. doi:10.1016/j.jisp.2018.10.005
- American Academy of Dermatology Association. What can treat large pores?
- Draelos ZD. Cosmeceuticals for male skin. Dermatologic Clinics. 2018;36(1):17-20
- Milam EC, Rieder EA. An approach to cosmeceuticals. Journal of Drugs in Dermatology. 2016;15(4):452-6.
- Sakuma TH, Maibach HI. Oily skin: an overview. Skin Pharmacology and Physiology. 2012;25(5):227-35.
- Yeh L, Bonati LM, Silverberg NB. Topical retinoids for acne. Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery. 2016;35(2):50-6.
- Zaenglein AL, Pathy AL, Schlosser BJ, et al. Guidelines of care for the management of acne vulgaris. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology. 2016;74(5):945-73.
Writer Bio
Based in New York, Grace Covelli has been writing since 1996. Her work has appeared on various websites, many of them health-related. Covelli completed a course in writing for children and teenagers and received a diploma for natural health consulting with highest honors. She also studied reflexology, Reiki and esthetics. One of her hobbies is sewing.