Are you tired of dealing with blackheads and clogged pores? Pore strips may seem like a quick and easy solution to removing those pesky blackheads or whiteheads, but they often leave our skin red and irritated. Let’s think about the pros and cons before you decide to incorporate pore strips into your skincare routine.
Benefits of Pore Strips
There is an innate love for pore strips because they give so much satisfaction to see all that dirt and gunk outside of your skin and your empty pores.
1. Immediate Blackhead Removal
Pore strips work within roughly 15 minutes. From putting on the strip, wetting it, waiting for it to dry, and pulling it off, it’s a quick and easy process. There is also that strange satisfaction that comes with pore strips because you can literally see the little whiteheads, or blackheads all sticking out from the fabric after you pull it off your skin.
2. Targeted Treatment
Pore strips are particularly effective for areas prone to blackheads, like the nose. Their design allows them to fit comfortably on the nose, adhering to all the curves and contours, and targeting this troublesome area effectively.
3. Accessible and affordable
Pore strips are readily available in most supermarkets and drugstores, and online. They come in a range of prices, making them an affordable blackhead treatment option for many people.
The Drawbacks of Pore Strips
Although we enjoy using pore strips, they don’t solve the root of the issue and in fact could cause more problems if used too frequently or all too easily, incorrectly. Here are several issues that you could face when using pore strips:
1. Skin Irritation
Pore Strips are not suitable for sensitive skin because the pulling and tugging of your skin are heavily involved. Some pore strips advertise themselves as “gentle” or contain aloe vera because they know that it involves irritating your skin. Some people say that
2. Not as effective as you might think
We often see videos and pictures of pore strips full of white little lines which are actually oxidized oil mixed with dirt that looks like black spots on our noses. However, not everyone always gets these results. In addition, not all pore strips completely remove blackheads, sometimes they only extract a part of the blackhead, leaving the rest behind in the pore. This can lead to further irritation and inflammation.
Not all pore strips are made the same, and many people often find that pore strips don’t pull out all the accumulated debris and dirt they see in their pores and that the pore strip they’ve pulled out is rather empty.
Bioré Charcoal Blackhead Remover Pore Strips
Bioré Pore Strips have often been touted as one of the best brands for pore strips because they patented a C-bond technology that binds very well to impurities and blackheads. I’ve watched plenty of pore strip videos online (because it’s so satisfying), and many people love using Bioré Pore Strips.
3. Don’t address the root of the problem
Deep cleansing doesn’t occur when you use pore strips. Although it is a sort of physical exfoliation which makes your face feel cleaner and smoother, oil in our pores that have been pulled out will be replaced over time, within a couple of days.
So What Should We Do With Pore Strips?
Well for one, if you really love using pore strips, think about using them in conjunction with other skincare products like retinoids, retinol, and chemical peels, which help regulate oil production. They work great with each other because after removing debris from your pores these chemical exfoliants can penetrate your skin more deeply.
Or you could also try using pore-strip alternatives. These include peeling gels, chemical peels, or konjac sponges which all help to clear your pores.
READ MORE: What To Use Instead of Pore Strips: Top 6 Alternatives
Here Are Some Rules For Using Pore Strips
- Don’t use them more than once a week.
- Make sure your skin is clean before you use them
- Follow the directions on the packaging strictly
- Always remove the adhesive and clean your face after taking off the pore strip
When We Should Use Pore Strips
If we are in a rush or need a quick fix I would highly recommend using them. Perhaps you need fresh and clean pores for a big event that you’re going to that night or the next day, then yes pore strips are going to work wonderfully.
Use them as an addition to your skincare routine. Not to be used too often, try to use pore strips sparingly because you don’t want to irritate one part of your skin too much to the point that it feels raw. They are targeted treatments which means they aren’t a substitute for a good skincare routine.
While they can be a helpful addition to your facial regimen, they should not be relied on as the sole treatment for acne or other skin issues. Instead, it’s important to take a holistic approach to skincare, including using gentle cleansers, moisturizers, and other treatments that are designed to keep your skin healthy and balanced.
