You squeeze pimples Cover up skin imperfections Rarely wash your makeup brushes Cleansing your face insufficiently Walk on peels Wear makeup before workout Use styling products Talk on the phone for a long time Ignore anti-aging care
Sometimes, in order to get velvety and healthy skin, it is not important what we do, but what we don’t do. What bad habits lead to clogged pores? The world's leading experts share their observations from professional practice.
You squeeze pimples
Acne always pops up suddenly and at the most inopportune moment. But this is not a reason to get rid of them harshly and decisively. When you squeeze the skin to remove the contents of the hated bump, it stretches, irritation appears. This leads to the appearance of new rashes, contributes to the formation of wrinkles and breaks of the skin. In the "craters" formed after squeezing out acne, bacteria and natural skin secretions freely penetrate. The pores become clogged, there is inflammation, and everything starts all over again.
Advice:
“I know this is easier said than done, but try using salicylic acid or benzoyl peroxide products instead of pimples. They treat acne,”says Joel Schlessinger, MD, dermatologist.
Mask skin imperfections
The wrong choice of cosmetics and the desire to hide imperfections by all means lead to unpleasant consequences. Foundation creams, correctors and concealers, which are often used by women to mask skin imperfections, clog pores, giving only a temporary visual effect.
Owners of problem skin prone to rashes and the appearance of blackheads should not use products with waxes, petroleum jelly and mineral oils in the composition. The rule of good skin tone is to use non-comedogenic products. Look for the corresponding markings on the labels!
Advice:
Replace your usual beauty products with more suitable cosmetics! “I always recommend mineral makeup. It does not cause irritation and is devoid of harmful side effects, so it can be used by people with skin conditions, including acne, rosacea, psoriasis,”says Dr. Schlessinger.
Rarely wash your makeup brushes
To create a make-up, brushes accumulate not only particles of decorative cosmetics, but also skin sebum, and harmful microflora collects. This "vigorous mixture", getting on the skin during the application of makeup, clogs the pores and leads to their inflammation. Thus, you can earn not only unsightly blackheads, but serious dermatological diseases.
Advice:
For beautiful, safe makeup, clean your brushes immediately after working on your face. It does not take a lot of time! Dip the tools in soapy water, rub them in your hands and rinse well under running water. Then lay it down to dry on a flat surface and by the next procedure you will have clean tools.
Cleansing your face insufficiently
Clean skin is healthy skin. No matter how high-quality the cosmetics are, you need to wash them off in a timely manner. The ideal solution is to cleanse your face as soon as you get home. The fact is that during the day, city dust and dirt, sweat and skin secretions accumulate on it. This "cocktail" is an ideal environment for harmful bacteria to live. They penetrate the pores, clog them and systematically worsen the condition of the skin.
Advice:
You don't have to cleanse your skin in the bathroom! If you feel too tired for a full hygiene procedure, at least remove your makeup with cosmetic cleansing wipes. It's better than nothing. But as soon as possible, rinse your face and apply a soothing cream.
Effaclar Gel by La Roche-Posay
- Created for problematic oily skin, including sensitive.
- Cleans and tightens the skin, has a sebum-regulating and antibacterial effect.
- Gives a feeling of freshness and cleanliness for the whole day.
The approximate cost is 885 rubles.
Vichy Pore Purifying Clay Mask
- The mask is designed to cleanse and restore any type of skin.
- Contains aloe vera extract and two types of clay.
- For single use.
The approximate cost is 160 rubles.
Lotion for narrowing pores Effaclar, La Roche-Posay
- Included in the line of oily skin care products to combat acne.
- Cleans and shrinks pores.
- Does not require rinsing.
The approximate cost is 1174 rubles.
Strolling peeling
The best way to unclog pores is to use special products. These are peelings and roll-up masks. The first ones remove dead skin cells from the face, which accumulate constantly, and the second ones draw out the contents of the pores, due to which the complexion is evened out, black spots disappear. True, in difficult situations only professional procedures will help.
Advice:
Schedule exfoliation once a week if you have dry and aging skin, and twice if you have oily and combination skin. "Peeling can remove impurities from the skin, prevent acne, and make pores look smaller," says Dr. Joel Schlessinger.
Apply makeup before exercising
When going for a run or planning a workout in the gym, the first thing to do is cleanse your skin. Ignoring this rule, you start the processes of premature aging, provoking the appearance of blackheads, wrinkles and acne with your own hands. During training, sweat mixes with sebum and makeup, turning into a thick, viscous mass that clogs pores. Instead of being cleansed, the skin becomes more dirty.
Advice:
Wash off makeup before fitness. The gym is not a fashionable catwalk, where a model has to be flawless. Foundation, powder and blush are additional stress on the skin. “The sweat that comes out during exercise is ideal conditions for bacteria to function. It allows them to multiply, which leads to the appearance of new rashes,”says Holly Phillips, MD.
Use styling products
When using hair styling products, it should be borne in mind that any contact with the skin of the face can negatively affect its condition. So, alcohol, which is included in the formula of most varnishes, foams and gels, dries the skin, causing irritation. Special care should be taken when using products in the form of a spray or aerosol - when sprayed, they often come into contact with the skin. Oil-based styling products are also potentially harmful to skin health. The latter is often included in texturizing agents to create curls and form light waves in the hair.
Advice:
“Oil-based hair products can actually clog pores. This usually happens in the places where the hair is in contact with the skin - on the hairline, on the sides of the face and on the forehead if you have bangs. Buy oil-free styling products if you are familiar with this problem,”urges dermatologist Calli Papantoniou.
Talking on the phone for a long time
There is nothing wrong with communicating with friends and family; on the contrary, sincere conversations bring you closer together. The only danger of this habit is that the phone screen, leaning against the face, transfers the harmful microflora from the gadget to the skin. This is especially fraught if you like to talk in the fresh air in the heat. The skin sweats, creating an ideal environment for increasing the population of harmful microorganisms.
Advice:
Wipe the screen of your phone or smartphone regularly with bacterial wipes. This simple step will prevent many future problems.
Ignore anti-aging care
With age, the skin of the face loses its firmness and elasticity, stretches under the influence of the law of gravity. Accordingly, the pores are stretched, acquiring a large oval shape. They not only visually age, but are often filled with dark contents, which makes the face look even more dull and painful. To avoid this scenario, you need to use anti-aging products that support youth and healthy skin.
Advice:
After 35 years, anti-aging products should settle in your care. Choose products with a lifting effect, they will narrow the pores and give the contours of the face a clear shape.
Expert commentary Sergei Aleksandrovich Kotov, Deputy Director of the Federal State Budgetary Institution "State Scientific Center for Laser Medicine" of the Federal Medical and Biological Agency for the medical part
The health and beauty of our skin directly depends on the condition of the pores - tiny holes through which air enters the cells. Some bad habits lead to the fact that the pores are clogged with particles of dirt, clogged and, as a result, expand. Let's talk about what rules must be followed to prevent this from happening.
1. Do not touch your face with your hands - microbes and bacteria accumulate on them during the day. If we do not get rid of this bad habit, then the dirt that our hands carry from doorknobs, switches and other objects that many people touch will end up on our faces.
2. Always wash off makeup. Leaving makeup on your face overnight will clog your pores.
3. Do not take a steam bath, visit saunas more than 2 times a week. With frequent visits to the baths, saunas, the pores expand, and the skin loses its elasticity.
4. Do not use poorly selected cosmetics. Care products containing wax and oils can also cause pores to become wider.
5. Properly cleanse and not squeeze out blackheads and pimples, when pressed on, the production of sebum occurs, and as a result, clogging of the pores.
6. When caring for your skin, you need to use products based on retinol (vitamin A), which has a narrowing effect. Do not forget to peel, which will help clear clogged pores and remove particles that have accumulated in them.
