At one time or another, most of us have wished for smaller, less-noticeable pores. When your pores are smaller and tighter, your skin appears smoother and reflects light evenly, giving you that youthful glow we’re all chasing.

Your pore size is determined by three factors: genetics, skin type and age. Oily skin will deposit oils in your pores where it oxidizes and darkens – drawing attention to the pore itself and its size. As your skin ages, it loses the collagen and elastin that support the pores, so they begin to sag and stretch, collecting more oils and drawing more unwanted attention to themselves. Fortunately, there are some products and some treatments that can help.

Over The Counter

Cleansers remove excess oils and can help exfoliate your skin – and the less dead skin you’ve got hanging around, the better. Look for products that contain .5 to 1 percent salicylic acid or 2.5 to 5 percent glycolic or lactic acid. These ingredients help stimulate your skin’s natural exfoliation process and keep your pores clean. Also look for products that contain nordihydroguaiaretic acid (NDGA). This ingredient is an antioxidant that can prevent the oxidation process that creates those dreaded blackheads. Also be sure your cleanser is oil-free – you want less oil on your face, not more.

Your moisturizer is just as important as your cleanser. If you remove oil with the cleanser and then replace it with the moisturizer, you’re back to where you started. So to minimize the appearance of your pores, be sure your moisturizer is also oil-free. Look for a moisturizer with the same ingredients as your cleanser. Also look for products that contain retinol and vitamin C to help spur on your skin’s natural cell renewal process and stimulate collagen production.

An at-home mask or peel can be an effective addition to your regimen. Look for products that contain algae (to help firm your skin) and clay (to help absorb excess oils). Many peels also contain glycolic or salicylic acid and can be a great addition to your cleanser and moisturizer – just be sure to limit the use of the mask to once a week.

Under The Knife

If over the counter products aren’t getting the job done, there are a variety of medical procedures you may consider. While not technically “under the knife,” these treatments do require a visit to your dermatologist.

Two light treatments can be particularly effective in the quest for smaller-looking pores: Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) and Light Emitting Diode (LED). Both treatments use light to reach deep into your skin to help stimulate collagen production. Both are painless and do not harm the surface of your skin. IPL is the more expensive of the two at upwards of $300 per 15 to 30 minute treatment. Typically, three to five sessions are sufficient to make pores appear smaller and tighter. LED is less expensive at $60 to $150 per treatment, with eight rounds of treatment typically necessary for similar results. Light treatments can also be combined with an in-office peel for effective results.

There is also a new procedure called photopneumatic therapy that combines a therapeutic light similar to IPL with a gentle vacuum. The vacuum painlessly (it has been likened to a warm massage) extracts oil, dead cells and bacteria from your pores and then finishes the procedure with a flash of light that kills any residual bacteria and helps stimulate collagen production. This procedure is relatively new but is beginning to see widespread use.

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