Why You Should Not Use Pore Strips
Pore strips are all the rage these days. They are immensely satisfying when they pulls out all the gunks from inside your pores. But can they be the answer to all your pore/blackhead problems? Read to find out my experience using them.
So a little back story. When I first got into Korean Skincare, I didn’t have much blackhead, whitehead or enlarged pore problems. My pores could only be seen when looking into magnifying mirrors. Then I started receiving PR packages and somewhere down the line I received a package that contained nose strips, lip masks and a lot of sheetmasks. As far as I can remember, they were from the brand ‘Luke’. I used the pore strips and couldn’t stop looking with satisfaction at all the gunks the strips pulled out. It was one of the most satisying experience of my life. I think I bought a few more strips since, from various brands.
Fast forward a few years, my nose has some enlarged pores that’s filled with Sebaceous Fillaments and black heads. I came across Fiddy’s Pore Shrinking Method, where I learn that pore strips can actually enlarge your pores while you are pulling it off your nose. An enlarged pore means that more sebum, dirt and bacteria will fill up the pore turning it into a blackhead or whitehead. And that’s when it hit me, pore strips are why I have so many blackheads on my nose in the first place
I started following the temporary Pore Shrinking Method Twice a week and it kept my pore problems under control. Until fine day I spotted two lines on my Pregnancy test. BHA is a crucial step in that Pore Shrinking Method. And I used to use the Cosrx BHA that has 4% Salicylic Acid. But you can’t use more than 2% while breasfeeding or during pregnancy. So there went my Pore Shrinking ritual. Chemical exfoliation on it’s own is also one of the best and safest ways to combat pore problems. But then I was too sick to have a decent skincare routine throughout my entire pregnancy.
3 years, and a horrible pregnancy and pandemic motherhood later, my nose and the area just beside my nose looked horrible with hundreds of blackheads and huge pores. Then I discovered the Refresh Salicylic acid that has 2% Salicylic Acid. My skin and this particular Salicylic acid was a match made in heaven. While it made my skin look overall healthy and while any acne shrunk after one single application of this BHA serum, the blackheads surrounding my nose were way too stubborn.
Too impatient for the Salicylic Acid to work gradually, I bought a set of 3 nose strips. My plan was to use one on my nose and the rest two on either side of my nose. And once they cleaned out the pores, I’ll keep using the Salicylic Acid to stop the pores from filling back in.
I followed through my plan and my nose area looked pristine. It turned out that I had so much Sebaceous Filaments that my nose area looked plumper than it usually is. I kept using the Salicylic Acid, but alas! the pores still filled back in by the next few days.
And to my dismay, my pores are now even larger than before. There’s a tiny area around my nose where there are now few HUGE blackheads one next to another making the area look like a bad case of hyperpigmentation.
So now I had nothing left to do but come in terms to the fact that I screwed with my pores. I am guilty! I settled down and with a heavy heart I kept using the Refresh Salicylic Acid Serum. I use it twice a week and sometimes I use it more often as a spot treatment on any freshly erupting acne and sometimes on my enlarged pores.
And to my utter surprise, my pores started looking shrunk, and my blackheads started appearing less prominent. They say, the two most powerful warriors are patience and time! I tried a quick fix and it effed up my pores even more. I patiently applied Salicylic Acid for weeks and I achieved my goals!
If only I had this wisdom 9 years back!
That being said, don’t use a pore strip if you don’t want to permanently damage your pores. Try chemical exfolation if you want to shrink you pores and combat blackheads and whiteheads.
