My Cozy Room aims to provide you with professional advice and guidance for your journey towards acne-free and flawless skin. We have received many questions about clogged pores over the past years! Hence, we have consolidated a main FAQ about clogged pores to answer your queries!

If you have any inquiries, reach out to us via email or our social media! We will try our best to answer any questions.

What are clogged pores and how are they formed?

We have sebaceous glands in our skin, producing sebum that moisturises our skin, protects the skin and keeps it healthy. However, when your oil glands become overactive, the excess sebum produced can combine with dead skin cells, dirt and bacteria, clogging your pores. Breakouts occur when your clogged pores become inflamed.

What’s the difference between blackheads, whiteheads, acne, pimples?

Blackheads: Open comedones that form when excess oil, dead skin cells, dirt and bacteria become trapped in a hair follicle. The exposure to air causes the plug in your pores to become black, forming blackheads.

Whiteheads: Closed comedones that form when pores become clogged and the head of the pore closes.  

Pimples: Not to be confused with acne, pimples are a symptom of acne and can refer to blackheads, whiteheads or singular inflamed pus-filled bumps.

Acne: This refers to a long-term skin condition where clogged pores become clogged. There are two types of acne, non-inflammatory and inflammatory. Non-inflammatory acne, like blackheads and whiteheads, are easier to treat compared to inflammatory acne, like pustules, nodules and cysts.

Why am I getting clogged pores?

We have sebaceous glands in our skin, producing sebum that moisturises our skin and keeps it healthy. However, when your oil glands become overactive, the excess sebum produced can combine dead skin cells, dirt and bacteria, clogging your pores. There are many lifestyle reasons why you are getting clogged pores, like wearing makeup while exercising, touching your face or sleeping on bed sheets that have not been changed regularly. If you have an oily skin type, you are more likely to experience clogged pores.

Will extraction help to remove clogged pores?

When done professionally, therapists can safely extract the gunk in your pores before they grow into blackheads or whiteheads. However, you should not attempt to perform an extraction on yourself, as failure to clear your pores entirely would cause it to become inflamed and lead to breakouts, worsening your skin condition. Furthermore, extracting whiteheads by yourself is very damaging to your skin as they are closed comedones and requires the skin to be ‘broken’ carefully with professional tools and techniques before the contents can be extracted.

What happens when my pores are clogged?

If you do not unclog your pores regularly, they may lead to the formation of mild blemishes like blackheads and whiteheads, and in more serious cases, inflammatory acne. Clogged pores will also cause your pores to look larger and bumpy.

How can I get rid of clogged pores quickly?

The fastest way to get rid of clogged pores quickly is to go for an extraction facial done by a qualified therapist. My Cozy Room offers professional extraction facial treatments done by skilled therapists who have gone through intensive training and quality checks. This will clear your current clogged pores and prevent future flareups or inflammation. However, you should not attempt to perform an extraction by yourself. You may drop us an enquiry if you have certain concerns or skin goals and our trained therapists will advise you on the recommended treatment.

For at-home care, we recommend BeKind’s Hydro Renewal Peel, a natural and gentle peeling gel that exfoliates your skin by removing dead skin cells, clearing clogged pores and improving congested skin.

We also recommend BeKind’s Hydra Soothing Toner, an alcohol-free formula that clarifies the skin and refines pores.