Pore Cleansers

The pores on the surface of the skin carry out the important function of eliminating water, salts, uric acid and oily secretions from our body. A clogged pore leads to blemishes, acne, breakouts, blackheads etc. Heat, humidity, dust, pollution and stress, as well as dead skin cells and excessive sebum production, all contribute to the clogging of pores. The benefits of having an unclogged pore are many. The pore cleanser is therefore used to remove excess oil, dirt and grime that clog the pores and keep blackhead and blemishes at bay.

Enlargement of pores – an outcome of clogged pores are attributed to three key factors:

1 Deliberate picking and touching of acne/pustules.
2 Improper cleansing.
3 Usage of wrong cosmetics or make-up products.

Why should you use a pore cleanser? Proper cleansing is foremost in every kind of skin-care routine. Unless the dead skin surface, make-up and grease are removed, they tend to deposit in the skin pores and restrain the flow of oil. The oil deposits attract grime and grease and apply pressure on the mouth of the pores to widen it. A pore cleanser takes care to remove the excess sebum and keep the pores clean.

What are the different kinds of pore cleansers?
1 Pore strips help dislodge debris but they don't prevent further blackheads from forming and their adhesive can irritate sensitive skin when the strip is pulled off.
2 Retinoids loosen blackheads and speed up cell turnover so skin cells don't have a chance to clog pores. They also have the unique benefit of slowing down oil production so new blackheads are less likely to form
3 Washing with a salicylic acid cleanser will temporarily remove pore-clogging debris and surface oil.
4 Alpha-hydroxy acids (AHAs) are also a good first line of defence. They gently exfoliate skin to prevent cells from building up and clogging pores.
5 A series of glycolic peels can also help, though they are not recommended if you're using a retinoid because they may irritate your skin. A peel will quickly slough off dead skin cells while removing some of the debris from the pores