| Make Your Pores Behave |  |
by Natalie Katsman
Smooth and soft skin, even tone, rosy glow, pores invisible
to the naked eye... Perfect complexion. Isn't that what we
hope to see when coming to the mirror?
But the reality is harsh and mirrors don't lie. The pores
are there, perfectly visible, and seem to get bigger and bigger.
Why would Mother Nature put the most visible ones where you
can't hide them? Life would be so much easier if we could keep
them out of sight (and out of mind). I bet Nature had no idea
people would consider pores a problem and, of course, had the
best reasons in mind.
Pores are tiny (oh well, comparatively tiny) passages for oil
that is produced in sebum glands to reach the surface of the
skin. There are approximately 300 000 oil glands in human skin,
the highest concentration is on the face, chest and back. The
glands produce up to one ounce of oil daily!
The oil forms a protective layer over the skin that prevents
moisture loss and helps to keep the skin soft and resilient and
prevent injury and environmental damage. Given the fact that
skin on the face is thinner than in other body areas and is
constantly exposed to sun, wind, cold and heat, we
desperately need this protection.
The challenge is to maintain the right balance between the
activity of sebaceous glands and the actual needs of your skin.
Problems start when pores have to deal with more oil than they
can handle. Pores expand under the pressure of excessive oil
flow and become visible. Once they enlarge, they don't shrink
back. There are no muscles around pores that could contract and
close the opening.
More and more pores can become visible with age. This is due to
the loss of skin elasticity and sagging. As skin is drawn down
by gravity, pores become more obvious.
Keeping pores clean is the first thing you need to do if you
want to make them less noticeable and prevent their size
increase.
When oil binds with dirt and dead skin cells, pores become
clogged and - again - stretch. To prevent this, keep oil under
control, use gentle and effective cleansers and exfoliate
regularly.
After cleansing, use astringent toner. Astringents cause slight
swelling of the top skin layer, which temporarily closes pores.
There are two things to be cautious about. First, don't overdry
your skin or it will react by producing even more oil. Second,
if your skin is sensitive, be extra careful as it might not
tolerate some of the ingredients used in astringents.
Mature skin will benefit from thorough cleansing and gentle
exfoliating followed by a face-lift mask. When done 1-3 times a
week, this regiment will produce visible improvement in just a
few weeks.
The pores don't shrink permanently. We have to accept it, just
as we accept that fair eyelashes can't get dark and straight
hair don't curl. Yet, we learned to live with it and still get
the look we want. The same thing is with pores: you can improve
the way they look when and if you want to.
(C) Natalie Katsman, 2003
Natalie Katsman is a co-founder of http://www.natural-aid.com,
where you can find fine quality aloe vera products for beauty
and well-being and subscribe to HealthySkin Newsletter filled
with beauty tips, recipes and information on herbal healing,
skin care and cosmetic chemistry.
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