Our skin pores are there for a purpose. These small openings in the skin contain hair follicles and release oils and sweat from the glands below. They act rather like built-in temperature regulators. However, pores can become blocked with excess sebum and dead skin cells, leading to larger and more visible pores and blackheads. Enlarged pores and blackheads can be a persistent problem to tackle.
A Gentle Peel
One of the first treatments I’d recommend would be a gentle facial peel. Obagi Blue Peel Radiance is a superficial, salicylic acid-based peel. It effectively exfoliates the uppermost layers of the skin, 
leaving skin looking fresh and radiant, with pores markedly less visible and leaving your face feeling super smooth. It’s a relatively quick treatment with little to no downtime and almost instant results. A short series of peels, spaced a few weeks apart, will achieve optimal results.
You will feel a tingling or stinging sensation once the Blue Peel has been applied but this is well tolerated and will disappear once the product has been removed. You will feel and see glowing skin and improved pores after just one treatment. A high factor SPF is a must after this peel. Some mild flaking will occur after 3-4 days but this should subside quickly and can be addressed by gently rubbing off the loose flakes with a cloth or by spot-treating with a little bit of Obagi Professional-C Polish + Mask. Follow with a gentle moisturiser such as Obagi Hydrate or Obagi Hydro Drops.
I also see a Blue Peel Radiance treatment as a nice option for men looking to improve the quality of their skin for the first time. A gentle exfoliating peel will serve as a good ‘entry level’ treatment. It enables men to be in and out of clinic quickly, while demonstrating the benefits of clearer, healthier and more vibrant looking skin.
A Luxury Facial
An Aquagold Fine Touch facial can also help with the reduction of visible pores. This facial can be part of your monthly skincare routine and is a popular way to achieve a nice skin boost prior to a 
special evening out. It’s a quick and comfortable procedure, using very fine 24-carat gold screw thread needles to deliver a bespoke cocktail of ingredients to the skin, applied with a gentle stamping motion. The Aquagold facial will boost hydration and luminosity, while refining pores and improving tone and texture for a glow that lasts up to 3 weeks.
Obagi Medical Advanced Skincare
Depending on the severity of your problems with open and blocked pores, Obagi Medical will also have a suitable skincare regime for you. Prescription-only systems would be discussed during a full skin consultation with me. While help is at hand from Obagi Medical’s non-prescription ranges to help keep pores clean and clear. Professional-C Microdermabrasion Polish + Mask with 30% Vitamin C exfoliates and primes the skin, leaving it looking brighter, smoother and glowing. You can use this once a week and a little bit of product will go a long way.
Tixel Skin Rejuvenation
Tech solutions are available too. Tixel is very beneficial for the treatment of enlarged pores. This advanced heat-based device tightens and resurfaces the skin. The improvement of open pores is 
amongst its many skin rejuvenation advantages. Tixel does have a little bit of downtime attached, which varies depending on the treatment mode chosen. The number of treatments I would recommend will also vary, depending on the condition of the skin. But roughly speaking, a series of three are required to achieve maximum benefits with yearly top-ups. Tixel’s effects are closely comparable to that of more invasive laser treatments; with lasting results and much less downtime. I find it a very versatile treatment choice.
At your first visit to the gym, you wouldn’t try to pound out a 10k run without at least warming up first or having put in weeks of shorter distances to build your body up to it. So it makes sense not to treat your skin so quickly either. Retinol comes in different strengths, graded in percentages. You would begin with the lower percentage of active ingredient and you would also start by using a small amount and gradually increase this as your skin acclimatises to it. Any side effects can be controlled by decreasing frequency of use until your skin settles down.
