PORES: How to Minimize Pores

LARGE PORES





Celebrities and models always look so gorgeously pore-less in the photos staring out at us from their magazine covers. They have pores just like the rest of us. Having pores is a non-negotiable part of having skin. In fact, we need to have them because they are essential to skin function.

Large pore size can be frustrating because it can interfere with an otherwise smooth quality to skin, and generally speaking, a large pore size is visually unappealing.





Why do we have large pores?

Your pore size is partly a matter of genetics and partly due to whatever is currently trapped inside of them. If you have a lot of oil or dead skin cells accumulating in your pores, that can stretch them out and make them look bigger.

And with most skin-related problems, the appearance of your pores can get worse due to sun exposure and aging. Both have a negative impact on collagen and elastin—the two components of your skin’s structural support system.

Exposure to ultra-violet rays creates molecules called free radicals that destroy your existing collagen and elastin. And one of the natural effects of getting older is that production of new collagen slows down. The combined effect means that what’s being damaged daily by sun exposure isn’t being repaired and rebuilt quickly enough.  When you lose support around your pores—because of a loss of collagen and elastin—they start to sag and look larger.





How can we minimize large pores?

As pore size is usually genetic, and there is not much you can do to make them permanently smaller. Do not fall for claims stating a product will reduce your pore size. However, there are some tips and tricks you can employ to temporarily minimize the appearance of pore size.

Here are the tips to minimize your pores:

1. Keep Your Skin Clean



Exfoliate once a week to clean clogged pores. It is easier if you use facial steamer first then exfoliate gently. Clean pores look smaller.
You can use face washes, cleansers and masks which contain salicylic acid. It works to minimize pores by keeping them clear. It penetrates pores and helps to dissolve and dislodge oil, dirt and dead cells.

2.Use toner

 

Using a toner, or an astringent, after cleansing your face (before moisturizing) can help reduce the appearance of large pore size. Astringents constrict pores as well as help remove that last bit of oil and dirt. 

3.Use sunscreen daily

It is one of the few things you can do to help keep the skin's support structure strong and pores minimized. Look for a daily moisturizer that contains a broad-spectrum sunscreen and an SPF of 30 or higher. 

4.Use retinoid

 



Whether it is an over-the-counter retinol or a prescription-strength Retin-A, the active ingredient helps stimulate new collagen production in the skin. More collagen means better skin structure, and that means pores don’t sag and look larger.

5.A Little Makeup Help

Start with a primer to help smooth out the appearance of the skin and fill in pores so that foundation goes on flawlessly. Mineral powder foundations can give an airbrushing effect to the skin. For the most pore-minimizing coverage, apply it with a dry makeup sponge, pressing the powder firmly into the skin, and then buff off any excess with a large powder brush.

*****Follow this skin care regimen carefully if you are self conscious about your pores. You will observe your pores get cleaner and smaller, and your skin look much healthier.***** 

RETINOIDS: Anti-aging Vitamin A

Retinoid

Studies have shown that the vitamin A derivatives known as Retinoids (retinoic acid) unplug pores, help clear up acne, reduce fine lines, boost the production of collagen, lighten brown spots and freckles, and improve skin texture.

Before and After Using Retinoid Creams

The retinoids – which have even been shown to help treat precancerous skin lesions -- is sold by prescription only under names that include Renova, Retin-A, and the generic Tretinoin.

A retinoid should be the foundation of any topical antiaging regimen.

Men and women should make a retinoid part of their evening regimen beginning in their 20s.

The downside is that retinoids can initially cause dryness, flaking, and redness.

Dermatologists say that starting out slowly, applying a pea-sized amount of retinoid every second or third night, can help your skin adjust to the powerful ingredient.

Or consider an over-the-counter cream, gel, or serum containing retinol. This nonprescription version of a retinoid works more gradually and gently but is still effective in rejuvenating your skin.

Serum Containing Retinol

Vichy LiftActiv Retional HA

Bombarding your skin with lots of different ingredients can be irritating. What’s more, used in combination, some ingredients will cancel out each other’s benefits.

For example, the acid in salicylic or glycolic acid breaks down ingredients like retinol, hydroquinone, or Vitamin C. More is not necessarily better.

 

The products necessary for beautiful skin aren’t glamorous, and include a simple cleanser, sunscreen, moisturizer, and a retinoid or retinol.

Skin Benefits of Tretinoin (Retinoic acid)

1.  Increased collagen stimulation: Avoiding Wrinkles

Tretinoin directly stimulates collagen formation by inhibiting collagen breakdown.  It increases extracellular collagen formation by 80% in the papillary dermis when used for 1 year!  The clinical effects relate to smoother and softer skin texture with a decrease of fine lines and wrinkles. So, it is one of the best anti-aging cream we can find.

2.  Protection from sun exposure

Tretinoin prevents breakdown of collagen from ultraviolet exposure.  It is still important to sun protect with an effective sunscreen.  

Apply Retinoids at Night and Sunscreen in the Morning

3. Treatment for Acne

Topical retinoid medications are useful for treating blackheads and whiteheads by helping to open clogged pores. Examples of these are tretinoin (brand name Retin-A), adapalene (brand name Differin) and tazarotene (brand name Tazorac).

Before and After Using Tretinoin

4.  Improves Pigmentation

Tretinoin increases cell turnover thereby removing epidermal cells containing pigment (melanin) giving a less pigmented appearance.  This increase of cell turnover also allows better penetration of a topical bleaching agent (hydroquinone) when used in combination.

It is important to remember to clean the face 20-30 minutes before application of tretinoin since application while the face is damp will increase sensitivity.

The third generation retinoic acids are the newest additions, adapalene (Differin) and tazarotene (Tazorac).

Adapalene (Differin) has less retinoid dermatitis than tretinoin, but it works primarily for acne and does not help a lot for photodamaged skin.

 Tazarotene (tazorac) has similar results as tretinoin in that it helps improve wrinkling, pore size, textural irregularities and hyperpigmentation.

So my recommendation is to use a form of retinoic acid at night before you sleep. There are generics available for Retina-A (tretinoin).  Apply a thin layer of tretinoin to your face and neck to help stimulate dermal collagen and help with cell turnover.

From time to time, your skin will peel, in which case, skip one night and reapply the next night.  To some degree you can think of topical retinoids as your own chemical peel.

Home Remedies For a Beautiful Face: DIY Skin Care Products

Home Remedies for a Young Looking Face

A face is the mirror of a personality. People go to extreme lengths to gain that glowing skin and a beautiful face. They spend a lot on cosmetics to try and beautify the face, but if the results are too slow then they change the product or discontinue the treatment.

Try something which is easy to use and will also not result in any side effects. Here are some age old best practices to keep your skin as beautiful as a teenager.

   1) Take the juice of one lemon, 10 ml glycerin and 10 ml rose water—all the three in equal proportions.  Mix all the three constituents and keep it in a glass bottle. Apply this lotion on the face every night before sleeping. This mixture will remove the effects of pollution and stress, and will make your skin smooth and supple. Lemon juice has a property to clean the pores of the skin and that’s why it is especially effective for cleansing and pimple reduction.



          

2) Take three parts carrot, two part tomato and one part beet-- make a juice of the three together. Drinking this juice regularly for 15-20 days can make your skin free of wrinkles, marks, pimples, etc. and makes your skin beautiful. This can be replaced only by carrot juice or orange juice if other materials are not available though the above mixture is much more effective. Carrot juice also helps in acidity and removing stomach worms. Having this juice in the afternoon is best. It is better not to eat anything before and after the juice. You will see a splendid glow on your skin.

3) Mix lemon juice and rose water in equal parts and apply on the face with a circular and gentle motion of the hands. Wash the face with normal water after half an hour. This will help in the removal of pimples and any kind of a mark on the face.

4) Another method of getting rid of the pimples would be to rub the lemon peel on the face and washing the face with warm water. Excellent for oily skin.

Lemon Peel, excellent for getting rid of pimples and blackheads

5) Applying olive oil on the face daily helps you get rid of pimples, blotches, face marks and rashes.

Olive Oil

6) Take 5 very ripe medium size strawberries, 2 teaspoons of heavy cream and 1 teaspoon of honey.  Mash the strawberries with a fork. Add cream and honey şnto the mashed strawberries. Apply the mixture over your face and leave it for about 20 minutes. Rinse with water and you're done!

Strawberry Mask

7) Applying 3 teaspoon of yogurt with 1 teaspoon of honey will make your face super soft and smooth.

Yogurt and Honey Mask

Never forget: The nature’s medicines are your best doctors!

Blackheads: How to Get Rid of Blackheads

Blackheads on the Nose Area

What are blackheads?

A blackhead, or open comedo is a wide opening on the skin with a blackened mass of skin debris covering the opening. Despite their name, some blackheads can be yellowish in color. A comedo is a widened hair follicle which is filled with skin debris (keratin squamae), bacteria and oil (sebum).

A closed comedo is a whitehead, while an open comedo is a blackhead. the plural of "comedo" is comedomes".

Blackheads are said to be the first stage of acne. They form before bacteria invade the pores of the patient's skin. A blackhead can develop into a pimple, which is also known as a papule or pustule.

What causes blackheads?

If the skin is not cleaned properly, more blackheads can appear, especially during those milestones in life when they are more prevalent, such as puberty. Improperly cleaned skin makes it more likely that dead skin cells build up within the pores. The pore openings can become clogged, which accelerates the build up of oil inside - thus causing blackheads to form. However, many experts warn that dirt does not cause blackheads to form - which frequently confuses and frustrates patients. Blackheads are caused by oxidized oil, not dirt. Over-cleaning the skin can lead to irritation.

In some cases, blackheads can emerge if moisturizers, sun screens, make up, or foundations are overused.

In the majority of cases, blackhead susceptibility is not heredity, with the exception of some severe acnes.

How to Get Rid of Blackheads

1) Hormonal treatments - contraceptives have often been used for the treatment of blackheads and acne, often with good results.

2) Cleaning the skin - clean your face with a good cleanser, ideally, one for oily skin, such as a salicylic acid cleanser.

You can give your face a steam to open up pores and next, make sure your hands are clean, then wrap small pieces of tissue around your fingers to protect your skin from your nails. Gently extract the blockage. If it doesn't come out easily, leave it. If you force the blackhead you risk aggravating or inflaming the skin and this might lead to scarring. Not a good plan if you can help it.

3) Medications - adapalene is a third-generation topical retinoid, used mainly in the treatment of mild to moderate acne. Many patients with blackheads have had good results. In the USA adapalene is available under brand name Differin, in three preparations - 0.1% cream, 0.1% gel, and 0.3% gel. Since 2010, it has also been available in the USA under the generic name Teva, (0.1% gel). Only the 0.1% cream and 0.1% gel forms are available in Europe.

4) UV exposure - exposing the skin to sunlight or ultra-violet light encourages it to peel, which helps unblock pores. Sunbathing or using sunbeds may help. However, it is important to discuss this with your doctor. Exposing skin to sunlight, if overdone, also raises the risk of burning and developing skin cancer.

5) Hair - greasy hair touching the face of your skin can spread infection and in some cases encourage the spread of blackheads and acne. Keeping your hair away from your face may help keep blackheads to a minimum.

Natural Homemade Remedies for Blackheads

1) First, you might want to try opening up your pores and letting the dead skin cells and oil come out naturally (Blackheads are caused when oil and dead skin cells get trapped in the pores. When the oxygen hits the sebum oil it turns black). Simply take a bowl of hot or boiling water, and hold your face about a foot away from the bowl (be careful not to put your face too close because you might burn yourself). For it to be more effective, place a towel on your head and allow the steam to seep in your pores and help loosen the debris in them. This softens your skin and makes it a lot easier for you to cleanse your face. Ideally the blackheads should come closer to the surface of the skin during this steam session.

 

2) As a second tip, take half a slice of lemon, squeeze the juice out of it and apply it to your face. Lemon juice is very acidic and its chemical reaction to your skin will decrease oil production. It can also eliminate bacteria that may trigger your blackheads in the first place.

In line with lemon juice, you can also create a paste with baking soda mixed with water. The mixture will assist in controlling the oil on your face and help kill the bacteria. Simply apply the baking soda solution where your blackheads are and let it soak for around 20 minutes. After which, wash all of it off and pat your skin dry.

 

3)One homemade mask is to crush some regular aspirin and then add a small amount of water to make a paste. You then apply the past to the affected area of the face and let the paste dry. Once dry you then gently wash the mask off with warm water. It is said that the natural acids contained in aspirin will soften the blackhead so that when you wash with warm water the blackhead will come out easily. 

4)Another homemade mask is made of equal parts of sugar and honey, you then heat the mixture until it bubbles. Once it bubbles let it cool just enough so that it can be applied to your face. Once you have the mixture applied, cover it with a cloth. Now let the mixture dry, once dry quickly pull the cloth from your face. The mask and blackheads should be removed as you pull the cloth from your face.

5) Aloe vera gel is also effective to remove blackheads.

The list of natural solutions are literally endless. These are a few home remedies to remove blackheads and and restore flawless condition of your skin. 

DRY SKIN: Tips to Prevent Dry Itchy Skin

DRY SKIN

There's nothing worse than dry, itchy skin. Dry skin can happen any time during the year, but is most prevalent in winter (hence the term, "winter itch"). Find out why your skin tends to be dry in winter and how to solve dry hands, feet, body, face and lips year-round. 

In winter, low temperatures, low humidity and strong, harsh winds deplete skin of its natural lipid layer, which keeps the skin from drying out. The dry air from furnaces and other heating sources also suck the moisture out of skin. To keep skin soft and supple, your goal is not only to add moisture to skin, but to keep moisture in as well. 

                                                                                                        

Why Dry Skin?

You get dry skin because your skin is not producing enough natural oils to keep itself hydrated. This lack of oil will cause your skin to be dry,sensitive and feel tight and itchy.

So when you go to buy your daily facial cleanser, make sure to get one that does not contain a lot of alcohol, which will irritate already dry skin.

Then, it is really important to get a good facial moisturizer. The ones which contain olive oil can be a good choice as these are safe and natural. 

If your skin is dry, it may also be sensitive. When you try new products watch out for redness and don't use products that cause irritation. Also, you may want to try to find a facial cream that has sun screen in it too. 

            

 

Here are some tips to prevent dry itchy skin:

1) Keep water lukewarm not hot in shower or while washing hands or face (hot water robs skin's moisture)

2) Moisturize your skin after every shower while your skin is still damp. (You can lock moisture in the skin this way)

3)Exfoliate your skin, both your face and body, weekly (to remove dead skin, so that moisturizers can be better absorbed by the skin)

4)Don't use drying soaps, use mild cleansers instead.

5)Use lip balms for your lips.

6) Invest in a deeply nourishing facial moisturizer,a body moisturizer, plus a humidifier if you live in low-humidity climate.

                  

 

7) You can take fish oil pills.

8) Drink plenty of water.

9) Use bath oils during taking a bath or right after the bath.

10) After you take a shower or a bath, pat dry with a towel, don't rub it.

11) Use natural oils for your face at nights for moisturizing. (Sweet almond oil, wheat germ oil etc )

12) You can apply facial masks for deeper hydration.