17 replies to this topic

[skydrive07]

Hey all -

 

First time post. Does anyone with any experience know what is occurring on my cheeks? It always seems rough, reddish, large pores, bumpy and has an oily glare when i move my head around in the light, even oily looking/shiny when coming fresh out of the shower.

 

Current routine:

Benzoyl Peroxide 5% bar in the morning and at night.

 

I've used Neutrogena Oil Free Face Wash before as well twice a day with the same issues of this always showing up.

 

 

I just want smooth cheeks!

 

 

Any ideas on what this looks like/could be?

 

Thanks

 

 

Attached Files

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[ClearUpAcne]

I would try looking into your diet. It seems like excess oil can come from greasy foods and this oil needs larger pores to escape from.

[wicky]

get serious, you skin is perfect

[dave6677]

Those are enlarged pores, they got enlarged from your oily skin (too much oil gets in there stretched it out). The blackheads on your nose also supports oily skin. Keep your pores really clean and they'll appear smaller. Like the first person said, look into a diet that doesn't trigger oily skin. Could also be genetics if your parents had oily skin. 

 

Using Queen Helene Mask (the green one) couple of times a week helps with enlarged pores as well. 

[John96]

I have the same thing. I have been looking for months how to shrink enlarged pores, but apparently its impossible. The best you can do it keep them clean so they appear smaller. I can't even control my oil levels so i am pretty sure they are constantly clogged and the blackheads in them don't help. I am only 16 and afraid mine will most likely get even bigger as i age :/

Those are enlarged pores, they got enlarged from your oily skin (too much oil gets in there stretched it out). The blackheads on your nose also supports oily skin. Keep your pores really clean and they'll appear smaller. Like the first person said, look into a diet that doesn't trigger oily skin. Could also be genetics if your parents had oily skin. 

 

Using Queen Helene Mask (the green one) couple of times a week helps with enlarged pores as well. 

 

My pores look similar to that on the picture. I was wondering could pores like them look unnoticeable once he controls his oil production and makes sure they are clean? or does it just depend on the individual? 

[dave6677]

I have the same thing. I have been looking for months how to shrink enlarged pores, but apparently its impossible. The best you can do it keep them clean so they appear smaller. I can't even control my oil levels so i am pretty sure they are constantly clogged and the blackheads in them don't help. I am only 16 and afraid mine will most likely get even bigger as i age :/

Those are enlarged pores, they got enlarged from your oily skin (too much oil gets in there stretched it out). The blackheads on your nose also supports oily skin. Keep your pores really clean and they'll appear smaller. Like the first person said, look into a diet that doesn't trigger oily skin. Could also be genetics if your parents had oily skin. 

 

Using Queen Helene Mask (the green one) couple of times a week helps with enlarged pores as well. 

 

My pores look similar to that on the picture. I was wondering could pores like them look unnoticeable once he controls his oil production and makes sure they are clean? or does it just depend on the individual? 

 

Hmm, it's possible, I have a friend who's pores became virtually invisible after he took accutane. 

 

You said you're only 16, do your parents have enlarged pores? If so, then there might not be too much you can do about making them invisible if they're genetics.

 

I also had another friend who had the same skin problem as the OP when he was like 18 but they're barely noticeable now that he's in his mid 20's. I think that's because his oily skin was hormonal. Same maybe that's the case with you?

[John96]

I have the same thing. I have been looking for months how to shrink enlarged pores, but apparently its impossible. The best you can do it keep them clean so they appear smaller. I can't even control my oil levels so i am pretty sure they are constantly clogged and the blackheads in them don't help. I am only 16 and afraid mine will most likely get even bigger as i age :/

Those are enlarged pores, they got enlarged from your oily skin (too much oil gets in there stretched it out). The blackheads on your nose also supports oily skin. Keep your pores really clean and they'll appear smaller. Like the first person said, look into a diet that doesn't trigger oily skin. Could also be genetics if your parents had oily skin. 

 

Using Queen Helene Mask (the green one) couple of times a week helps with enlarged pores as well. 

 

My pores look similar to that on the picture. I was wondering could pores like them look unnoticeable once he controls his oil production and makes sure they are clean? or does it just depend on the individual? 

 

Hmm, it's possible, I have a friend who's pores became virtually invisible after he took accutane. 

 

You said you're only 16, do your parents have enlarged pores? If so, then there might not be too much you can do about making them invisible if they're genetics.

 

I also had another friend who had the same skin problem as the OP when he was like 18 but they're barely noticeable now that he's in his mid 20's. I think that's because his oily skin was hormonal. Same maybe that's the case with you?

 

 

No both my parents have perfect skin. I am pretty sure my dad had acne as a teen, but that went away and left no marks by the age of 18. I had a lot of dead skin on my face and had an oily T-zone and it took me awhile to realize that i needed to cleanse and exfoliate(before i would just wash my face with water, but that left the dead skin on my face)  so i think because i left it untreated for so long i got enlarged pores. I am still trying to get rid of my blackheads so they don't get bigger.

Edited by John96, 06 February 2013 - 12:13 PM.

[Aka*Tom]

get serious, you skin is perfect

This.

 

I would give anything to have my skin looking like that. You have no idea how lucky you are. 

[Green Gables]

Too much testosterone creates the oil slick which in turn creates the enlarged and clogged pores. You really only have a few options here:

 

1) Maintenance only. Exfoliate a lot (sugar scrubs or a Clarisonic-type brush are helpful here) until hopefully your hormones level out and you stop producing so much oil.

 

2) Modulate your hormones through diet. You can reduce testosterone production by reducing dairy intake, sugar intake, and carb intake. Please see Dr. Hyman's article on how dairy, sugar, and carbs create hormonal imbalances and acne.

 

3) Modulate your hormones through herbal supplements. Saw palmetto and stinging nettle are the most common. They modulate your testosterone production. They are also used by men later in life for other problems caused by excess testosterone, such as balding and prostate problems.

 

It's up to you what you want to do. No, controlling your testosterone will not turn you into a woman. If you even make a comment like that I will not deign to respond. Do your research. Excess testosterone does not make you more of a man, it just gives you more health problems. You should be aiming for the RIGHT level of testosterone, not as much testosterone as possible.

[armadillo]

It looks like entirely normal male skin. Pretty much all men have skin like yours. It's due to the dominant sex hormone in your body, testosterone. Testosterone makes the skin thick, oily and large pored. Occasionally this might be accompanied by acne which could be the sign that you have too much of this hormone, or your skin is sensitive to its activity. Unless you have bad acne, I wouldn't worry about it.

[John96]

Too much testosterone creates the oil slick which in turn creates the enlarged and clogged pores. You really only have a few options here:

 

1) Maintenance only. Exfoliate a lot (sugar scrubs or a Clarisonic-type brush are helpful here) until hopefully your hormones level out and you stop producing so much oil.

 

2) Modulate your hormones through diet. You can reduce testosterone production by reducing dairy intake, sugar intake, and carb intake. Please see Dr. Hyman's article on how dairy, sugar, and carbs create hormonal imbalances and acne.

 

3) Modulate your hormones through herbal supplements. Saw palmetto and stinging nettle are the most common. They modulate your testosterone production. They are also used by men later in life for other problems caused by excess testosterone, such as balding and prostate problems.

 

It's up to you what you want to do. No, controlling your testosterone will not turn you into a woman. If you even make a comment like that I will not deign to respond. Do your research. Excess testosterone does not make you more of a man, it just gives you more health problems. You should be aiming for the RIGHT level of testosterone, not as much testosterone as possible.

 

 

I'm assuming that the damage is done and all he can do is make it so it doesn't get worse?

 

- I also have enlarged pores, and at 16 years old it doesn't look good.

[dave6677]

It looks like entirely normal male skin. Pretty much all men have skin like yours. It's due to the dominant sex hormone in your body, testosterone. Testosterone makes the skin thick, oily and large pored. Occasionally this might be accompanied by acne which could be the sign that you have too much of this hormone, or your skin is sensitive to its activity. Unless you have bad acne, I wouldn't worry about it.

 

Absolutely not true, I also have the same problem as OP's, and yes it is a problem, red, oily, large pored cheeks. It gives your skin a very rough complexion and is very noticeable. None of my male friends have it, they all have a poreless and smooth complexion and it makes me jealous and self-conscious about it. 

 

It also makes you prone to seborrheic dermatitis later down the road. As I said, it is not normal male skin. 

[aanabill]

Hello!

could u please read my post and tell me if ur problem is similar?

http://www.acne.org/...-and-blemishes/

 

luck,

aana

(aana_bill@yahoo.com)

[wicky]

its not normal female skin, not just male.. you should see what i'm dealing with then you dance a jig thats all you had.

[armadillo]

It looks like entirely normal male skin. Pretty much all men have skin like yours. It's due to the dominant sex hormone in your body, testosterone. Testosterone makes the skin thick, oily and large pored. Occasionally this might be accompanied by acne which could be the sign that you have too much of this hormone, or your skin is sensitive to its activity. Unless you have bad acne, I wouldn't worry about it.

 

Absolutely not true, I also have the same problem as OP's, and yes it is a problem, red, oily, large pored cheeks. It gives your skin a very rough complexion and is very noticeable. None of my male friends have it, they all have a poreless and smooth complexion and it makes me jealous and self-conscious about it. 

 

It also makes you prone to seborrheic dermatitis later down the road. As I said, it is not normal male skin. 

 

Erm, maybe I'm visually impaired, but this guy's skin is not red and inflamed.  Everyone's skin is kind of pinkish, it means you have a circulation and you are not dead you know?

 

I don't know how old your friends are, but it sounds like they haven't hit puberty yet or also some men have naturally lower levels of testosterone, I assume your friends who have 'poreless' skin also have high cheekbones and narrow jaws, or have what some people all a chiseled face? Are they also thin and have hardly any muscle on them? Hardly any body hair? That's just plain old genetics, you can't help it. Their male relatives may also have had naturally lower androgen levels, and they inherited this tendency.

 

Have you ever met a meathead with poreless skin? I didn't think so.

 

Unless your hormones are seriously out of whack, and you have bad acne that doesn't budge despite treatment, there's nothing wrong with you.

 

Come on, pretty much no one has entirely porcelain perfect skin.

[dave6677]

Erm, maybe I'm visually impaired, but this guy's skin is not red and inflamed.  Everyone's skin is kind of pinkish, it means you have a circulation and you are not dead you know?

 

I don't know how old your friends are, but it sounds like they haven't hit puberty yet or also some men have naturally lower levels of testosterone, I assume your friends who have 'poreless' skin also have high cheekbones and narrow jaws, or have what some people all a chiseled face? Are they also thin and have hardly any muscle on them? Hardly any body hair? That's just plain old genetics, you can't help it. Their male relatives may also have had naturally lower androgen levels, and they inherited this tendency.

 

Have you ever met a meathead with poreless skin? I didn't think so.

 

Unless your hormones are seriously out of whack, and you have bad acne that doesn't budge despite treatment, there's nothing wrong with you.

 

Come on, pretty much no one has entirely porcelain perfect skin.

 

Well yeah, technically nobody has poreless skin, but what OP has isn't normal skin, it's a condition called enlarged pores. Notice the obvious blackheads on his nose and he complains his face is oily? Excessive oily skin is one of the causes of enlarged pores, people with oily skin are prone to blackheads. My pores shrunk after taking accutane because I was less oily. 

 

And being a guy that goes to the gym regularly, I know plenty of "meatheads" that have flawless skin and it sure doesn't look like OP's. Also, most of my guy friends are jocks and they have normal skin and it doesn't look like OP's. If you're gonna tell me how it's because it's a close up picture and that's why you see the flaws, when I first developed oily large pores, I started to examine other dudes' faces during conversations to see if they all had the same thing and they sure didn't. Sure, you might see it as superficial, but sorry bro, OP's skin is still flawed. There's a reason why he made a thread about it. 

[aanabill]

Erm, maybe I'm visually impaired, but this guy's skin is not red and inflamed.  Everyone's skin is kind of pinkish, it means you have a circulation and you are not dead you know?

 

I don't know how old your friends are, but it sounds like they haven't hit puberty yet or also some men have naturally lower levels of testosterone, I assume your friends who have 'poreless' skin also have high cheekbones and narrow jaws, or have what some people all a chiseled face? Are they also thin and have hardly any muscle on them? Hardly any body hair? That's just plain old genetics, you can't help it. Their male relatives may also have had naturally lower androgen levels, and they inherited this tendency.

 

Have you ever met a meathead with poreless skin? I didn't think so.

 

Unless your hormones are seriously out of whack, and you have bad acne that doesn't budge despite treatment, there's nothing wrong with you.

 

Come on, pretty much no one has entirely porcelain perfect skin.

 

Well yeah, technically nobody has poreless skin, but what OP has isn't normal skin, it's a condition called enlarged pores. Notice the obvious blackheads on his nose and he complains his face is oily? Excessive oily skin is one of the causes of enlarged pores, people with oily skin are prone to blackheads. My pores shrunk after taking accutane because I was less oily. 

 

And being a guy that goes to the gym regularly, I know plenty of "meatheads" that have flawless skin and it sure doesn't look like OP's. Also, most of my guy friends are jocks and they have normal skin and it doesn't look like OP's. If you're gonna tell me how it's because it's a close up picture and that's why you see the flaws, when I first developed oily large pores, I started to examine other dudes' faces during conversations to see if they all had the same thing and they sure didn't. Sure, you might see it as superficial, but sorry bro, OP's skin is still flawed. There's a reason why he made a thread about it. 

hello!

 

i'm a 21 yrs old girl(since most here are talking about males) and although am better now,i have enlarged pores which looks like extremely small black dots near around my nose..its noticeable and thats also the area thats oilier than other areas...and so prone to zits or small bumps or milia etc.

but even if there's no zits,the pores itself are noticeable.and yes mine looks similar to the picture above but just not this red.

 

 

also i wanted to ask,why do some people get white heads more than black heads??

 

luck,

aana

[vyrez]

I have exactly this same problem! Do you guys experience mild itching/stinging after eating? I have noticed this is extremely stress and nutrition related. Facial products obviously can help or make thing worse. Salicylic acid and retinoids help somewhat but they are not a cure! I've been trying to find the cure actively 1 year now because I don't want to worry about my skin forever. Other kind of acne sufferers who say this is normal skin, this is NOT, im actually jealous for some "ordinary acne" sufferers with pizza face because the skin texture otherwise is really good and if you just get rid of the zits then you look like a model. Of course those guys with cysts are the worst but our condition is not just that we are stupid or blind. For example my skin texture looks horrendous in a bad lightning. Im really considering accutane with a good doc to monitor my health. Im going to exchange to other country for a year and I don't have time or interest to follow what I eat, I will have only little money and the studying will be really tough. I love to live a healthy lifestyle but not for my skin, it's stressful to worry about skin all the time. If you wanna tell all those accutane horror stories do it now and try to change my mind if you will. I think my acne might be related to that itchiness but seems like nobody knows why thats happening, maybe my skin is just so clogged. At the moment I have pretty safe feelings about accutane despite the things I have heard and read so far. I have tried so many things from zz cream to liver detox that im really getting pissed off. 

Edit: Im not sure about the demodex yet, that might be the cause considering I have a cat and I feel itchiness really often and zinc pyrthione and zz cream seemed to help the most. I will ask for a demodex sample when I got to meet a derm in few weeks. This time I will go to fucking skin academy in Helsinki and if they are as clueless as the two derms I have met before I'll give up! 

Edited by vyrez, 18 April 2013 - 10:45 AM.