SKINCARE & BEAUTY BY JANA ELSTON

  If you have shiny, oily skin with open pores, this is due to the high activity of the oil glands in your skin. Shiny open pored skin is a genetic skin type, and it is likely that other members in your family may also have a shiny open pored skin.  The body does not like to loose excessive amounts of moisture or allow the skin to dry and crack, because this will leave it more 'open' or susceptible to bacterial invasion. So it secrets sebum (oil), which not only coats and protects the skin from drying and cracking (and wrinkling), but as it contains natural bactericidal and anti-fungal chemicals. The sebum aids in the protection of the skin, and therefore, the body from infection.  Some of the benefits of an oily skin type are that this skin is well preserved by its natural oils, so  this skin type tends to age well, or slower than a dry skin. It rarely becomes sensitive, and has a good resistance to infections and environmental changes. Healthy natural oils ...

Clogging can occur when a plug forms at the mouth of the hair follicle, blocking oil and dead skin cells inside the pore. The plug is composed of a mixture of oil and dead cells, so clogging usually occurs if the skin is not cleansed and exfoliated regularly. The clogging enlarges the pore as it builds up, making pores appear larger.  Clogging occurs initially as a filament or micro comedo. It looks like a tiny spiky whitehead sitting on top of the pore and feels rough to the touch. These are easily cleared up, and if you catch them early, you can prevent further problems such as clogging, open pores and blackheads. Here is an excellent article about filaments and how to treat them : If you have not caught it in time, filaments will keep building up, leading to clogging and eventually to blackheads. These further distend the mouth of the pore, and once it gets to this stage, it will take good consistent skin care and professional treatments over a period of ...