How can I get rid of clogged pores and milia seeds?

Our face is constantly exposed to dirt, bacteria, skin care or cosmetic products. If you don’t clean your face thoroughly, it’s easy for pores to get clogged.

The best way to prevent clogged pores is to follow a good daily skin care regimen and exfoliate your skin regularly to remove dead skin cells and excessive sebum.

Here are a few suggestions that you can follow to reduce clogged pores:

1) Thorough cleansing

1. Use a non-oil based makeup removal
2. Use a gentle cleanser or acne cleanser to remove excessive oil
3. Steam your pores by angling your face over a bowl of hot water for about 5 minutes weekly after proper cleansing, and rinse your face with cool water after that.

2) Exfoliate your face

1. Use a face cleansing brush
2. Use a facial scrub
3. Use chemical exfoliants that contain alpha hydroxyl acid (AHA) or beta hydroxyl acid (BHA)

3) Hydrate your skin

1. Use a moisturiser
2. Use products that contain hyaluronic acid
3. Use hydrating masks

If the above fails, you need professional treatments. This includes:

1) Manual extraction, microdermabrasion, chemical peels, etc.

2) Consider consulting dermatologists, aesthetic doctors or family doctors.

They can prescribe the following treatments:

1. Topical adapalene or tretinoin
2. For severely clogged pores with inflammation, doctors can prescribe oral antibiotics or oral isotretinoin
3. For those who don’t want to take oral medications, the carbon laser peel or resurfacing lasers like fractional CO2 laser, fractional erbium glass laser or fractional thulium laser will help to reduce clogged pores

For milia seeds around the eye area, you can get rid of it by manual extraction, or with a CO2 laser.

All the best!

Thank you for your question. I agree with Dr Lim’s approach, it is comprehensive and tiered.

Until I see your pictures or your skin in person, this is some generic advice I can offer:

1. Laser treatments and other medical skin devices offer the best available options in removing unwanted skin blemishes.
2. Skincare is good to maintain your condition and prevent worsening, but will be unlikely to remove or shrink your clogged pores.
3. The best approach is a combination of both- for faster and more long lasting results.