How to get rid of clogged pores with Top 5 effective ways

Every day, your skin battles many difficulties such as pollution, sweat, and a plethora of other environmental hazards, making it more difficult to maintain. Everyone has pores, and your face has over 20,000 of them!

Maintaining clean pores might be an extremely difficult task if you have an oily skin texture. We all have been annoyed by either pore blockage or open pores. Your pores can get clogged by dead skin cells, makeup, dirt and oil (sebum).

When your pores get plugged, they form a barrier, allowing dirt and bacteria to thrive. This results in whiteheads and blackheads. Despite your best efforts, plugged pores can be aggravating and difficult to treat.

What Causes Clogged Pores?

Your body releases oil and sweat via your pores, which helps you cool off and control your body temperature. Because pores are open, dirt, bacteria, and dead skin cells can collect inside them and eventually cause them to clog.

Dead skin cells that are trapped in your skin rather than being shed into the environment cause clogged pores. Blocked large pores can develop with age, oily or acne-prone skin, and with the use of non-comedogenic cosmetics.

A pore that is clogged may appear as a blackhead. The darker colour is caused by dead skin cells exposed to oxygen, which renders the substance brown or black colour. The pore usually becomes white when it isn't exposed to oxygen (also known as a whitehead).

How to clear clogged pores?

Your skin has a huge impact on how you feel and appear. It's worth the additional effort to maintain it looking fantastic at all times. The best part is that pores can be unclogged, but it won't be as easy as just cleaning your face.

Certain substances are necessary to slough off the excess oil, dirt, and dead skin cells clogged inside pores by debriding the keratin proteins. To clean your blocked pores, try the listed recommendations.

1. Use a pore strip to unclog pores

If used properly, pore strips may effectively remove the dirt stuck to your pores. The water-activated adhesive is used to make pore strips, which stick to the top layers of dead skin cells, oil, and dirt.

Depending on the area of the face you wish to apply the strips to, they are available in a variety of shapes and sizes. They may be used to remove hair, bacteria, oil, and dead skin.

How to use?

• Wash your face and leave your nose damp. This aids in opening the pores, making it easier to remove whatever is trapped inside them
• Place the strip over the top of the nose and press down
• Let the pore strip do its job for 10 to 15 minutes
• Carefully peel the pore strip when it is dried
• Clean the area with lukewarm water to get rid of any leftovers

If you have skin allergies or sensitive skin, avoid pore strips.

2. Try a charcoal mask to treat your skin

Activated charcoal is a common skincare ingredient. It can be seen in masks, scrubs, and cleansers for body and face. Activated charcoal as a component of a skincare product may provide advantages including clearing toxins, pollution, and dirt from the pores.

Each product comes with its own set of instructions for using activated charcoal masks. Mostly, you need you to cleanse your face before applying the face mask, and then allow it for 5-10 minutes before removing it.

3. Get a professional extraction

A skincare professional may recommend skin extractions during a facial treatment according to your skin type. They exert physical pressure on blocked pores using an extractor or their fingertips. This removes the blackhead's contents.

To prevent breakouts and skin infections, the doctor may use an antibiotic or antiseptic after the extraction. They could also use alternative treatments, such as soothing masks. You should only let a skincare expert do extractions. Picking pimples on your skin can cause pores to clog and cause more outbreaks. For best results, consider pore extractions once a month.

4. Exfoliate your skin

Exfoliation is described as a skin-cleansing treatment that also eliminates dead skin cells and may help to clear clogged pores. Face scrubs use particulates to physically exfoliate the top layers of your skin by removing dead skin cells. Exfoliation can be done mechanically or chemically.

To exfoliate your face mechanically, do the following:

• Use a cleanser to remove all the oil, sweat, makeup, and dirt
• Massage your face with a face scrub. Be careful to keep the scrub away from your eyes, and instead of rubbing it vigorously, massage it gently over your face
• Use lukewarm water to wash your face and gently pat dry with a towel
• Hydrate your skin using a good moisturizer

To exfoliate your face chemically:

Chemical alternatives including topical enzymes, salicylic acid (beta hydroxy acids), and glycolic acid (alpha hydroxy acids) are used to unclog the pores. They encourage the skin's natural cellular renewal process, clear clogged pores, and enhance the removal of dead skin cells.

You must consult a dermatologist if you want to try chemical exfoliation. It's crucial to get expert assistance because some of the chemical exfoliators might be harsh or drying. They can also assist you in deciding how frequently to administer these therapies.

5. Try some home remedies

Homemade solutions aren't difficult or expensive to use to clean your pores Before you spend all of your money on exfoliating products, sit back and think about what you want to achieve. Here are some home remedies you may try if you believe going natural is a better alternative for cleaning your pores.

• Natural oils found in avocados are excellent for hydration. Half avocado can be mashed and applied on the face. Allow it around 10 minutes to perform its magic. With a damp towel, wipe off the avocado, and rinse your face well. Your skin will feel revitalised and clean in just 10 minutes.
• Combine one egg yolk with one tablespoon each of olive oil and honey. Apply the mixture to your skin after thoroughly mixing the ingredients. Let it sit for around 10 minutes before rinsing it all off. It removes dirt from your pores without harming your skin.
• The oatmeal mask acts as a mild exfoliator for your pores. To make this, combine one tablespoon of olive oil and half a cup of cooked oatmeal. Use it on your face for 15 minutes. Rinse it well with cold water after wiping it all off. After its use, your pores will feel amazing.

Take Away

Blackheads and other clogged pores might seem dark in colour, enlarged, or bumpy. The likelihood of a person's pores being clogged increases with more oil production by sebaceous glands. You must follow a regular skincare routine religiously to keep your skin looking its best.

Cleaning up your pores to get rid of the dead cells, grime, and dirt that accumulate inside is an important part of maintaining healthy skin. You may use a variety of natural exfoliants with items you already have in your kitchen, such as oatmeal or eggs. Before attempting a new face treatment or at-home method for unclogging pores, always consult your doctor.

FAQs

Q. Can face wash help in making the skin brighter?

Ans. Yes it can because a simple massage with a cleanser can help in increasing blood circulation and naturally making the skin brighter.

Q. What do clogged pores look like?

Ans. A blackhead or whitehead is a kind of blocked pore that looks like a raised bump that is skin or white-coloured. On the contrary, an acne cyst or pimple may have pus, be flaming red and swollen, have more bacteria, and be inflamed.

Q. Does applying makeup cause pores to clog?

Ans. Some foundations and concealers can clog pores and trigger outbreaks in those with acne-prone skin. Always cleanse your face before to going to bed and seek out cosmetics that are "non-comedogenic" or "oil-free."