I love summer, but a heatwave brings a new set of problems to manage. My plants are dying, my t-shirts are developing stains under the arms, and I’m wearing the unavoidable scent of bug repellent and sunblock, a noxious combination. On top of that, my skin’s under siege by sweat, dirt, and UV rays — which has me temporarily fixated on my large pores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I never really noticed my pores until about 10 years ago. It was like one day I looked in the mirror and there they were, on display for everyone to see. Honestly, I kind of freaked out when I realized that aging skin woes included wrinkles AND large pores. I started staring at strangers in public, assessing my own pore troubles against theirs. This informal research revealed that — shocker — everyone has pores, and I was probably over-reacting to my own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even so, I don’t really want to cruise around with pores that are larger than necessary — especially because a few good skincare habits can minimize the appearance of large pores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
How to best manage your pores depends on their underlying cause. Take a look at the four most common reasons for large pores below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Collagen strengthens, plumps, and firms the skin. Elastin provides structure so your skin can expand but still bounce back. As we age, the skin’s collagen and elastin production slows. That’s why older skin can look thin and slack. With less of an ability to hold its own shape, facial skin can sag, which pulls on pores and makes them look larger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
You can address aging-related pore troubles by taking a collagen supplement — this study