For most of us, beautiful flawless skin does not come naturally. One of the common struggles -- pores. We all have them, and it’s frustrating to stare into a mirror and see enlarged pores blemishing your skin.

We have compiled what you need to know about pores and how to minimize their appearance.

What are pores?

Pores are small openings at the top of our hair follicles. Their purpose is to secrete sebum, the body’s natural oils, to moisturize the skin. Even though pores may be annoying, they are necessary to maintain your skin’s healthy appearance.

What can make them look larger?

The size of your pores is affected by a variety of elements, but the primary factor is genetics. Because some people are born with more oily skin, their pores are larger and secrete more sebum.

Other factors, such as the climate, acne, and how dry or oily your skin is, can also cause your pores to appear larger than normal.

Tips to reduce their appearance:

It is impossible to change the actual size of your pores, but you can change how they appear. By taking care of your skin, your face will have a fresher, healthier look.

Cleanse: One of the most important steps to minimizing the size of your pore’s appearance is regularly cleaning your skin. By removing dirt, makeup, oil, and any other materials that may collect on your skin throughout the day, you can prevent the clogging of pores. We recommend the focus Active Foaming Cleanser as an effective daily cleanser.

Exfoliate: Gently exfoliate your skin a few times a week. This will remove any buildup of dead skin cells that may accumulate on your face and near your pores. Exfoliation also gives your face a more natural look.

Tone: Toner is a useful tool when minimizing the appearance of your facial pores. Correctly used, toner will clear up and tighten your skin. We recommend the VanguardMD Revitalizing Toneras an easy-to-apply toner for all skin types.

Vitamin A: Rebekah Krosky, with clara, recommends a topical vitamin A for minimizing pore size. One of the most common forms of vitamin A is retinol, which we carry as part of Clara Medical Skincare. She also recommends Reveal, a product that utilizes glycolic acid to unclog pores and eliminate dead skin.

Mineral makeup: Makeup can give you the final finishing step to minimize the appearance of pores each day. However, not any makeup will do. Make sure to select a mineral based makeup line to prevent clogging pores and to keep skin healthier. Our pick is glo Minerals, worn by all the team members at clara.

Treatments we offer:

Other than the daily steps you can take that are listed above, we offer another treatment to improve your pores -- Laser Genesis. Laser Genesis, one of the most popular laser treatments at Vanguard Skin Specialists, stimulates collagen production through a non-invasive technique.Using advanced technology, it restores your skin’s youthful appearance and addresses multiple skin problems, including large pores and uneven texture. A painless procedure with minimal downtime make it an ideal treatment to improve your skin.

Your battle against these frustrating pores is not lost. While the path to beautiful skin may not always be easy, remember that the prize is worth all of the effort.

If you’d like to speak with a skin consultant about your pores, call clara at 719-579-5555 to schedule a consultation.