Enlarged Pores

Every person’s skin is covered in tiny hairs, apart from on the palms of their hands and feet. Each hair follicle has a pore at the top of it.

The hair follicle has a gland inside it that produces oil. This is called the sebaceous gland. When the sebaceous gland releases oil, the oil rises to the top of the skin and collects in the pore.

Primary causes of enlarged pores are:

• Excessive sebum: This is when a person’s sebaceous gland produces a lot of oil, and they have oily skin.
• Decreased elasticity around the pore: This is when the skin becomes less supple, and pores appear enlarged.
• Increased hair follicle volume: This is when the pore at the end of the hair follicle becomes clogged.

When oil collects in the pore and combines with dirt or makeup, the pore can become blocked. This stretches the pore, making it look bigger than it is. If the pore remains clogged, a pimple may develop.

How active a person’s sebaceous glands are, depends on their genes. It also depends on the size of their pores.

Having large pores is not a health concern. pore size is purely an aesthetic consideration.

It may not be possible to get rid of large pores, but most people can reduce their appearance. The best way to do this is to ensure their skin stays supple and their pores remain unclogged.