Visible Pores Can Be a Bore. Here's how to make them disappear!
Visible pores are a common concern for many people. Now, there's a quick way to reduce your enlarged pores and uneven pigmentation. Read on to find out how!
Pores are the tiny openings on the skin that correspond to the sweat gland opening. As we age, the pores around the mid cheek, forehead and nose usually become more visible due to loss of collagen and elastin within the skin. This tends to make your face appear dull and rough - just picture the moon's surface - craters and dark spots everywhere! We understand how this can affect a person’s confidence, no matter how much concealer is patched on.
Good news is, there is a new laser treatment in town that helps reduce pore size and remove uneven skin tone! Dr Wong Kee Seng, the founder and Medical Director of Kowayo Aesthetic Clinic walks us through the Pico laser treatment offered by the clinic, with advice on what this treatment is all about and what you can expect from it.
What could be the main factors that are causing me to have enlarged pores?
There are many factors that could be the cause of your facial pores expanding and magnified. Here are some of the top factors that Dr Wong suggests. Bear in mind though, that your pores could be enlarged due to one or a few of these factors;
Gender
Generally, males have larger pores than females. Nevertheless, Pico laser is not gender biased and can be performed on anyone that feels the need to minimise their facial pores.
Genes
Production of oils in the pores can be hereditary. Chances are, if your parents have enlarged pores, you will face the same issue.
Excessive Sebum
If your skin is naturally oily, then you could have larger pores because of the extra oil it holds.
Sunlight
Harsh UV rays can weaken the collagen production of your skin and accelerate aging. Hence, sunscreen is important to prevent both; pigmentation and pores enlargement.
Aging
Overtime, your skin will lose its elasticity, affecting the area around the pores. This can cause pores to expand and look bigger.
Squeezing
If you have a secret fetish of squeezing pimples, stop now! Squeezing your pores causes the area to inflame and it’ll most likely push the bacteria deeper into the skin. Not only will your pores become bigger by doing this, it could cause scarring as well.
What is the recommended treatment in Singapore to reduce pore size?
Successful pore reduction treatments target the underlying causes. The treatments are directed towards lowering sebum output, reducing androgen activity, and stimulating new collagen as well as elastin formation. Besides oral treatments and topical creams, the latest non-invasive procedure favored by Dr Wong is Pico Laser that uses advanced laser energy to stimulate collagen and elastin production. Not only does it reduce your pore size, your skin will also appear smoother and brighter!
Although Pico laser is more commonly used to treat pigmentation and as a tattoo remover, it is also used to treat acne scars and enlarged pores.
Pico laser in resurfacing mode uses high-power with ultra-short pulses to target pores and scar tissues. Compared to traditional resurfacing laser which ‘destroys’ the scar tissues throughout all the layers, Pico laser targets the scar tissue from within (at the subcutaneous layer). This results in higher efficacy, lesser downtime and improved safety.
“Pico laser is powerful to give a better result and yet safer because it delivers the laser beam in ultra-fast pulses.” says Dr Wong. “Pico laser penetrates deeper into the skin without causing damage to the skin surface, hence shorter downtime.” he explains further.
Here are the main advantages of the Pico Laser in resurfacing mode, according to Dr Wong:
● Shorter recovery time of about 2 - 3 days
● Increased patient safety especially in darker skin type
● Minimises overlying skin damage
● More comfortable than traditional fractional CO2 laser
● Stimulates collagen and elastin production
Pico Laser For Minimising Pores & Scars
To make Pico Laser treatment more comfortable for clients, Dr Wong and the team at Kowayo Aesthetic Clinic begins by applying adequate numbing cream to the target areas for about 30 minutes. During the procedure, you may feel a warm prickling sensation and a sound akin to a ‘rubber band snapping’ but that’s about it. Redness, swelling and mild pinpoint oozing are expected after the laser. The pinpoint oozing will disappear within an hour whereas the redness subsides within 2-3 days. You should be able to head back to the office just after 2 days and resume exercise after 1 week from the day of the treatment.
You will see visibly smoother skin with shrunken pores in not more than 2 weeks! Depending on the severity of your scars and pore size, an accumulative effect over multiple sessions will give you a more obvious and long-lasting result.
Have you tried any skin laser treatment before? Visit Kowayo Aesthetic Clinic’s official website to learn more about Pico Laser Resurfacing, or you can contact them directly to book a consultation with Dr Wong.
