There isn’t a word related to one’s complexion that will incite the kind of personal detestation like the word pore would. Almost everyone I spoke to, from the corporate professional to the runway model, has something to gripe about the ones they were born with. In a recent study conducted by L’Oreal Paris, nearly half – 47 per cent to be exact – of the study’s participants said that they would give something up in exchange for smaller pores. This included 23 per cent who would give up alcohol and 17 per cent who would forgo social media for an entire year just to have smaller pores. Since the thought of being a teetotalling hermit makes me break out in hives, I turned to a few experts to help me with my less-than-desirably-sized ones.
A pore is essentially an opening of a hair follicle on the surface of the skin. Small sebaceous glands located inside said follicle produce oil called sebum. Sebum travels up the follicle for the purpose of moisturising and keeping skin healthy. It also carries dead skin cells found within the follicle up to the skin’s surface to be shed away. The transport of sebum and dead skin cells to the surface of the skin is a perfect system that can sometimes go awry. The production of excess sebum in times of stress combined with dirt and everyday pollutants can lead to clogged pores. When pores are clogged, they appear stretched. It goes without saying that the main adversary of a refined complexion is clogged and stretched pores.
Porcelain Face Spa
When your pores are clogged, it hinders products and laser treatments from properly penetrating the upper layers of your skin. A thorough extraction at Porcelain Face Spa (www.porcelainfacespa.com) is something I personally swear by. Their Quintessential Facial is a superb customised treatment that focuses on extractions and the use of LED therapy to repair freshly unclogged skin. The extractions are meticulous, and no pore is left untreated. I left with a clean slate ready for what’s next.
Dream Plastic Surgery
Dr Vincent Yeow of Dream Plastic Surgery (www.dreamplasticsurgery.com) champions the use of two lasers in one session for pore reduction and overall rejuvenation. His CLARITY Dual Laser Treatment comprises the short-pulse Alexandrite and long-pulse Nd:YAG laser. The Alexandrite penetrates skin to reduce pigmentation and promote overall evenness while the Nd:YAG Long Pulse laser focuses on collagen remodelling and pore refinement. The use of two lasers allows for a comprehensive targeting of all the signs of aging. Indeed, my skin looked clearer, brighter and more refined after the session. There is no downtime for this, and any redness I had was gone in a few hours. If laser treatments are new to you, and you can’t schedule any downtime, this is an ideal beginner treatment to wet your proverbial feet with.
Calvin Chan Aesthetic & Laser Clinic
Dr Calvin Chan of Calvin Chan Aesthetic & Laser Clinic (www.drcalvinchan.com) is a proponent of non-ablative lasers that resurface skin and promote the growth of collagen without causing any direct damage to the outer layers of the skin. He started me off with a session of his Clear + Brilliant laser. My session was on a Friday and on the following Monday, my skin showed a glowing difference. There was barely any downtime (one to two days), and any discomfort during the treatment was manageable. I would suggest doing this a few days before a big event for a fresh glow that won’t go unnoticed.
Three weeks later, I was back at his clinic for the Clear + Brilliant Permea treatment. The difference between the two treatments is that the latter includes the application of an antioxidant brightening serum with 10 per cent vitamin C. If eradicating dullness and dark spots is high on your list of skincare priorities, the Permea will help with that. I saw a slight improvement in the size of my pores, but the most noticeable difference was the clarity of my skin tone.
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