Skin Myths – Can Pores Open and Close?

This is one of those bigger skin myths. When I started the whole skin care routine, my mom told me that I should finish washing my face with very cold water, to “close” the pores. Unfortunately, she is wrong!

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but no – pores cannot open and close. For them to actually open and close would mean it would have to have muscles. Pore size is genetically determined, so with everything, blame your parents!

From Society Hill Dermatology.com:

There’s no magical process or product that will cause your pores to “open” and allow impurities to rise to the skin’s surface.

By the same token, splashing cold water on your face – or doing anything else for that matter – won’t cause the gates to slam shut on your pores.

Simply put, “pores are pretty stationary,” says Susan C. Taylor, M.D., a dermatologist in Philadelphia and author of Brown Skin: Dr. Susan Taylor’s Prescription for Flawless Skin, Hair, and Nails (Amistad, 2004).

What you’re doing when you steam your face is causing the blood vessels to dilate and the skin to swell slightly. Similarly, “astringents and toners slightly irritate the walls of the pores and make them swell, causing the pores to look smaller,” Baumann explains. But they haven’t actually changed in size.

Even in the best-case scenario, their diminished appearance won’t last for more than 24 hours.

That being said, with pore minimizing products don’t expect miracle results. Though they clean your pores out, making them appear smaller, the size of your pores haven’t changed one bit. Think of your pores as a “V” shape. The only real thing you can do is to exfoliate your skin. If you exfoliate (more info on exfoliating at Exfoliation 101), it scrubs off a layer of the ‘V’, making your pore appear smaller, but again, your pore size really hasn’t changed size.

Sad but true, but this skin myth has officially been debunked! Any thoughts?

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