In tropical countries like Singapore where weather is consistently humid and hot, people tend to develop oily skin and enlarged pores. It is also more common for people to develop acne and other skin issues.
If you happen to live in one of these tropical countries, you need to put in more effort to unclog the pores and cleanse your skin more religiously. Combined with pollutants from the environment, the sebum produced by your skin often mixes with other substances.
If left untreated, the clog makes it difficult for the debris to be removed. Over a period of time, these clogs may cause acne and your pores to be enlarged.
Oily skin is not the only cause of enlarged pores. Sagging skin is also another factor that cause pores to become enlarged. When skin sags over time, the reduced elasticity causes the pores to dilate and appear bigger than they are.
Fortunately, Dr. Siew Tuck Wah , Medical Director of Radium Medical Aesthetics shares with us 5 useful tips to minimize the pores and keep your skin clear and clean.
GENTLE CLEANSER Choosing a good facial cleanser that works for you is the key to getting good skin. Other than your makeup remover, your facial cleanser is the only other product that provides deep cleansing and removes debris lodged in your skin.
Avoid cleansers that are drying and harsh such as denatured alcohol and sulfates as these ingredients can make the oiliness worse.
REGULAR SKIN EXFOLIATION It is a good practice to exfoliate your skin once a week. Accumulation of dead skin cells and debris in the skin create a good environment for bacteria to grow.
You may easily do that by doing a chemical peel treatment at the doctor's office. Alternatively, choose a gentle facial scrub that you can use at home to remove the superficial layer of dead skin so that newer, softer skin can grow.
APPLE CIDER VINEGAR Probably doesn’t smell too pleasant to use on your face but it is inexpensive. Using a raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar, mix about one-quarter cup of water with one-quarter cup of apple cider vinegar. Mix it well and use a cotton pad to apply it to clean skin. Acting like a natural astringent and skin toner, it effectively removes blackhead, shrinks the pores and restore the pH balance to the skin.
CLAY MASK Clay mask is excellent for absorbing excess oils and treating enlarged pores. However, you need to read the ingredient list carefully and make sure the clay mask does not contain skin irritants which may cause acne to flare. You will see that your skin feels smoother and sebum production is under control.
SEEK MEDICAL TREATMENT For more serious cases (or lazy people), you can turn to your medical doctor for treatment. A Carbon Laser Peel is an effective and convenient way to minimize pores. The special liquid carbon penetrates deep into the pores and latch on to the debris lodged deep in the pores. When the doctor uses a laser, the liquid carbon instantly vaporizes and the debris will be removed, leaving the pores clean and clear.
MEDI-FACIAL TREATMENT Home remedies can only offer limited result. If you are unsatisfied with your current skincare regime, give medi-facial treatments a try. Highly skilled therapists can provide deep cleansing and nourishment to the skin by stimulating skin renewal. “One of the most popular and well-received medi-facial is Purity Cleansing. It effectively removes dead skin cells and unclog your pores using ultrasonic cleansing and microdermabrasion.” says Dr. Siew. Medi-facial treatments are an inexpensive way boost your current skin care regime to improve your skin condition.
Radium Medical Aesthetics is a leading medical clinic in Singapore that provides non-surgical, minimally invasive anti-aging treatments such as thread lift, Ultherapy, dermal fillers, Botox, and body contouring treatments.