Try putting a little bit of Tea Tree Oil on before going to bed (probably not every night because it's very drying). I love that stuff! Shrinks your pores and kills bacteria. If you haven't used it before, it's very strong smelling (I kinda like the smell now though). But as soon as it dries, the smell goes away. You can buy it at any health food store (like Earth Fare) and most pharmacies (it will be in the vitamin section).

These days it seems the rest of my face stays pretty clear, however, the pores on my nose are always clogged. I eat healthy, drink at least a gallon of water each day, exfoliate, and also wash/moisturize (non-comedogenic) every morning and night. I should mention that while the pores on my nose seem large, they're actually pretty hard to see when they're clear. The problem is that no matter what I do, it's always the pores on my nose that tend to clog back up pretty quickly. Are there any tried and true methods to keep the gunk from building up there?

Also, a little off topic but still related: I'm considering having some laser resurfacing/scar removal on my nose for some leftover scars and uneven skin/scarred pores. Has anyone had any luck with laser treatments for their nose? If so, what laser did the doctor use?

Thanks

I also deal with large pores on my nose. Mine are also present on my chin and some on my cheeks. I've found the best way to keep mine clear has been using the clarisonic brush to wash my face. And I added Olay Regenerist Thermal Mini Peel after washing my face at night. The other thing I've added to my routine lately and seen some improvement is using a personal microdermabrasion unit once a week in place of my normal exfoliation. I still get the occasional one that gets clogged, but it's gotten a LOT better compared to what it was since I made those changes. That's just what worked for me though.

Witch hazel is another solution I have found works wonders for large pores and it doesn't over dry your skin like rubbing alcohol.

These days it seems the rest of my face stays pretty clear, however, the pores on my nose are always clogged. I eat healthy, drink at least a gallon of water each day, exfoliate, and also wash/moisturize (non-comedogenic) every morning and night. I should mention that while the pores on my nose seem large, they're actually pretty hard to see when they're clear. The problem is that no matter what I do, it's always the pores on my nose that tend to clog back up pretty quickly. Are there any tried and true methods to keep the gunk from building up there?

Also, a little off topic but still related: I'm considering having some laser resurfacing/scar removal on my nose for some leftover scars and uneven skin/scarred pores. Has anyone had any luck with laser treatments for their nose? If so, what laser did the doctor use?

Thanks

Those are sebaceous filaments and they are completely normal.

What works for me is;

Get some cold cream, jojoba oil, olive oil or safflower/sunflower oil any of these will work. I personally like mineral oil because it doesn't clog pores but you must wash it off very well because it leaves a film over the pore.

Apply a generous amount of your cold cream or oil to affected area and massage in for one minute.

Let it set for 10 mins or use a hair dryer on the lowest heat setting for one minute. You want to get the cold cream/oil warm so it softens the filaments or blackheads.

Wash the cold cream/oil off with warm water and lightly scrub with a wash cloth or soft facial brush.

Now apply a drawing clay mask like Aztec Indian healing clay or mint julep mask. Apply a generous amount of the mask. Should take maybe 15 mins to dry. This will suck up all the gunk and oil leaving nice clean pores 🙂

I do this once a week or twice if I wear makeup that week.

There are other options besides lasers to treat your scars and large pores.

TCA peels could work wonders sometimes and believe it or not are very easy to do at home! Make up artists choice has some good ones that come with easy to follow instructions. The peels are very affordable and come in different strengths.

These days it seems the rest of my face stays pretty clear, however, the pores on my nose are always clogged. I eat healthy, drink at least a gallon of water each day, exfoliate, and also wash/moisturize (non-comedogenic) every morning and night. I should mention that while the pores on my nose seem large, they're actually pretty hard to see when they're clear. The problem is that no matter what I do, it's always the pores on my nose that tend to clog back up pretty quickly. Are there any tried and true methods to keep the gunk from building up there?

Also, a little off topic but still related: I'm considering having some laser resurfacing/scar removal on my nose for some leftover scars and uneven skin/scarred pores. Has anyone had any luck with laser treatments for their nose? If so, what laser did the doctor use?

Thanks

1) Accutane will actually shrink the sebaceous glands and the pores.

1a) Some say that they can get similar results on "poor man's Accutane" which is taking high doses of vitamin A (like 10,000 - 50,000 IU a day). Doctors used to do this in the 70s. Remember that Accutane is a derivative of vitamin A.

2) For laser, you want a fractional laser like Fraxel.