Beauty Sleuth #3: Does A Cold Water Splash Close Pores?

I just did a Google search of “cold water to wash face” and find that there are dozens of articles online stating “cold water closes pores” and “hot water opens pores”. WRONG! Urban myth, urban myth, urban myth! Actually I probably have to stop saying “urban” because this one does not discriminate based on where you live! Ha ha. 

Look, your pores don’t have muscles around them that open and close. They are not trap doors. Water temperature does not affect their size. And guess what, you can’t change the size of your pores anyway. Their size is genetic and unalterable. What, you say? That can’t be! After all, every single article I read in “blankety-blank beauty magazine” says to finish a wash with cold water to “close those pores”! Maybe even your esthetician tells you she steams your face to “open your pores”. That is literally, factually untrue! (And a red flag of less than a lackluster education on your esthetician’s part. Sorry!)

What is manageable is the appearance of your pore size.

Excess oil production and the accumulation of dead skin cells can make pores appear enlarged at any age, because this “stuff” gets “jammed in there”. In addition, as skin matures, the collagen fiber supporting your pores slacken, making them appear even larger.

What to do then? First of all, skip the cold water splashes, as well as, the super hot steam or the towel over your head, and head over a pot of boiling water for that “at home facial”. Neither is recommended by any dermatologist! It’s skincare that’s going to help to make your pores appear smaller and in multiple ways:

• Retinoids and peptides in your skincare can increase collagen production, helping to fortify the pore structure and keep them looking smaller. 
• Products with clay in them, like masks and cleansers, can help absorb excess oil production.
• Hydroxy acids can help clear pores of unwanted dead skin cells. 
• All of the above help, when used regularly (that part is key!),  to remove the “gook” that is in the pores gently but effectively, which, over time, will reduce the appearance of larger pores. 
  

And what about “manual extractions” to remove the “clog”? Once again, you really should never try to extract pores on your face. It just causes more redness, irritation and damage. Many times the detritus is pushed deeper in the skin’s layers, causing more problems down the line. Or it might spread to other areas of the face. The only thing that “maybe” should be manually extracted is a pimple with a white head that is about to burst. That puss inside can be softened with steam and the pimple should burst on it’s own that way. If you are getting facials, they should not hurt, and your esthetician should not be pushing and pulling and picking at your skin. I am always super careful about who and what I let touch my skin…including my own fingers! Use the right products, and you will only need a facial to feel pampered, not for additional cleansing.

I like two products for cleansing, if pore size is an issue. This one provides gentle exfoliation using sugar and salt and can be used three times a week or so, instead of your regular cleansers. And this one is a “two-fer”, i.e. cleanser and mask in one and only needs to be left on two minutes. Contains clay to control excess oil. This toner is specifically formulated to minimize the appearance of large pores using ingredients such as Lentil Seed Extract, Ginseng Root Extract, Licorice Root Extract, and Citric Acid. A serum I like that contains retinoids and peptides is this one.