Glycolic Acid for Blackheads and Enlarged Pores.

Pores are the openings through which sebum flows. There are 300,000 of them on the face alone. They can become unsightly when dilated, giving the appearance of uneven skin texture. According to one study, skin pores are said to be “visible” and “enlarged” when their diameter is between 0.06 and 0.1 mm2.

When the pores are large and dilated, they constitute real “doors of entry” to the impurities (microparticles of pollution, dead cells, cosmetic residues, sebum…). A phenomenon of saturation then occurs, giving rise to “plugs”. In contact with the air, they oxidize and take on a dark color: blackheads (or open comedones) appear.

If left untreated, blackheads can break off and spill their contents outward, spontaneously or when pressed with the fingers or a blackhead remover. They can also progress to an inflammatory stage and form red and painful acne pimples.

You should avoid manipulating your blackheads as this can lead to infection. Nevertheless, they rarely eliminate themselves, and it can be interesting to have a professional skin cleansing or to have your blackheads mechanically extracted by a dermatologist. This helps to unclog pores, allowing the skin to better absorb the skin care products when applied.

You should know: When we talk about dilated pores, we are actually talking about dilated sebaceous gland openings along the hair follicles, while sweat excretion is correlated to the sweat gland pores. Nevertheless, in general jargon, we speak of dilated pores to refer to sebaceous pores, often more visible on the T-zone of the face (forehead, nose, chin).

Glycolic acid is an ally of oily skin prone to acne. Its main property is to be keratolytic, thus preventing the accumulation of cellular waste on the surface of the epidermis. Indeed, by simple contact and without rubbing, glycolic acid will weaken the lipidic bonds between the cells of the horny layer to thus release the skin from its layer of dead cells. This property will thus make it possible to gradually remove the obstruction of the pores and to support the evacuation of the sebum.

It is also equipped with a seboregulating action. Indeed, glycolic acid allows fighting against the abnormal accumulation of sebum in the dilated pores of the skin, at the origin of the formation of the lesions of acne and the black spots. Known as the smallest of the alpha-hydroxy acids (AHA), glycolic acid is able to easily penetrate the skin's layers. It acts both on the surface and deep down.