Clogged Pores, Large Pores, Blackheads

The Reasons Why Pores Become Clogged

Your skin contains many openings through which oil from the oil glands comes to the skin's surface, via the hair follicle and pores of the sweat glands. Ideally, the perspiration and sebum mix together in normal amounts to form a breathable barrier on the skin's surface, moisturizing,ubricating and protecting it from the environment - the best moisturizer is nature's moisturizer.

The pores openings do not contain muscles therefore you cannot control the size of pores with topical skin care products, like toners. What does cause an enlarged appearance of pores is trapped dirt, dead skin cells, waste by-products, makeup, sebum, and other debris that cannot be naturally exfoliated by the skin.

Many factors contribute to the clogging of pores: #1 is dehydrated skin, #2 too much product or too heavy a product, #3 improper cleansing, #4 excessive oil production, excessive build-up of dead skin cells, hormones, excessive sweating, dirty work or play environments, genetics, makeup, fingers on the face, allergic reactions, a diet high in sugar…

Once the pores become clogged, the skin's natural functions of breathing and exfoliating is hindered, oil cannot be secreted, waste by-products cannot be excreted, moisture cannot be absorbed, and the acid mantel that naturally protects the skin is compromised. Worse case scenario, a thin layer of live skin may even cover the pore plug, making extraction even more difficult. These factors result in blackheads, whiteheads, and even acne

The Solutions to Unclogging Pores

But there are ways to clear the skin of clogged pores. This will not happen overnight and for some skins, especially during the teen years, this may be an ongoing battle. Once your skin becomes and stays hydrated, then the pores can start to perform their natural cell function of purging and exfoliating. Your skin may be assisted by topical products: #1 constant hydration of skin by misting often with a toner throughout the day, #2 proper deep pore cleansing with toner on cotton after each facial cleansing, #3 regular exfoliation that gently removes excess oil and dead skin cells, #4 regular masking treatments that detoxify tissues, purge the pores and hydrate tissues deep in the epidermis. Products containing essential oils that help balance oil production, bacteria, and inflammation while stimulating circulation and lymph, will get the skin moving and help it heal and become better balanced faster.

Proper Hydration of Skin

Until your skin is kept in a fairly constant hydrated or moist state, the cells cannot function properly. This sets your skin up for all sorts of skin conditions. As this happens, the pore debris becomes dry, hardens, and may become impacted or even inflamed. Internal hydration is good but the environment is constantly robbing your skin of moisture. And unless you live in the tropics, your skin is susceptible to surface drying. Once this drying occurs, it's like placing a drop of water on a bone dry sponge, the water's surface tension is not broken and the droplet just sits there with the sponge not able to absorb the moisture. Now if we take the same sponge and dampen it, the water will immediately be absorbed…so with your skin. But, this hydration needs to be freshened a few times a day in order for the skin to remain hydrated. And the best product to supply this skin conditioning hydrating is a toner.

Proper Deep Pore Cleansing

Even with proper tissue hydration, unless all residues are removed from the skin regularly (twice a day), and especially before treatment application, the pores are still susceptible to becoming clogged. This means that the facial cleansers you thought were doing such a good job of cleansing your skin are in reality only doing half the job. Even after rinsing your face, if you do not remove the remainder of cleanser and loosened debris and residues, you are only going to imbed that debris deeper into the pores as you layer serums and moisturizers on top. The absolute best way to perform this deep pore cleansing is with an alcohol-free toner or skin conditioning hydrosols on cotton pads. There's no need to harm your skin by vigorous scrubbing or harsh acids, simply wipe with several toner damp cotton pads (Why Use a Facial Toner) until the last one comes away perfectly white. Then and only then will you have truly clean skin, ready for the treatment products.

Proper Product and Product Application

Skin must breathe at all times. If too rich a product and/or too heavy a layer is applied, the skin is smothered and pores are clogged. The debris in the pores, whether product, or keratin-filled cysts, or simply little globs of protein under the skin can become impacted.

Avoiding Trauma to the Skin

Skin must be treated softly and gently. The key to getting rid of milia is realizing that they have no escape route, those little bumps are trapped under the skin. So, to get them out, you’ll need to have a professional like a dermatologist or aesthetician perform an extraction. Exfoliate your skin to prevent milia, not to cure them.

The oil glands normally produce oil with linoleic acid, an essential fatty acid. This type of sebum has a liquid viscosity. It is calming to the skin and does not promote follicular irritation that leads to plugs. When linoleic acid is not available, the oil glands produce oil with oleic acid. This oleic form of sebum is irritating to the skin and promotes plugs. Oleic sebum is much firmer than linoleic sebum and is prone to producing hard plugs rather than flowing out of the follicle. This causes blackheads and whiteheads and both of these conditions may lead to acne infections.

Milia
Milia is a combination of oils, sebum and cellular fragments that produce firm to hard plugs within hair follicles. They are closed from the skin's surface by cellular debris at the follicle opening. Because they are closed and have no contact with oxygen, they do not oxidize or turn brown, as blackheads do. They form a light or yellow-white lump and are called milia. When bacteria is added to these plugs, the condition can lead to acne, especially cystic acne. Patients with large numbers of milia may have an inability to digest or absorb linoleic acid, which leads to sebum produced with an oleic acid form of sebum. High cholesterol levels and milia are linked.

Blackheads
Blackheads are a combination of oils, sebum and cellular fragments that produce firm to hard plugs within hair follicles. Blackheads are open to the skin's surface and become darkened at the surface by exposure to oxygen. When bacteria is added to these plugs, the condition can lead to acne.

Anna Bellina's DermaClear Serum dissolves blackheads and milia in about three weeks. It is a very unique product, made from natural plant extracts (25% of today's pharmaceutical drugs are still derived directly from plant extracts). The serum contains extracts that reduce excessive cellular production and shrink tissues to keep follicles open. Some of the extracts are able to soften and break down lipids, like the dry sebum that form the plugs. Other extracts reduce oil production.

As the serum softens and dissolves these pore plugs, it is important that the skin does not become dry or dehydrated for long periods of time. This allows the plugs to harden again and is counter-productive to treatment. People with dry skin should use a moisturizer to prevent the skin from becoming dry and/or consider essential fatty acid supplements.

The initial treatment phase is a few weeks. During this time, the DermaClear Serum must be used at least twice daily, following cleansing. The serum can be applied every 4 hours for an aggressive treatment. Blackheads generally dissolve in 2 - 3 weeks. Immediately following cleansing and toning, apply a small amount with a finger, gently rubbing into skin to assist penetration. After the blackheads have dissolved, the serum must be used once daily or once every other day to maintain results.

Benzyl Peroxide, used in most OTC acne treatments, will dehydrate skin, over dry skin, and produce aging free radicals! Avoid this ingredient! DermaClear products do not contain this harsh aging ingredient that strips the skin of lipids. Our products effectively cleanse, hydrate, and reduce oil and bacteria to inhibit the development of acne infections. People with excessively oily skin and acne should use the DermaClear line.

Thank you for allowing me to share in your skin therapy... have a skinsational day! Patricia