When most men look at a photograph from that long ago time when they were children, they might laugh at the out-of-date fashions they were wearing, or the terrible haircut they had at the time. Show a woman a picture of themselves as children and the first thing they are likely to notice is how beautiful their skin was. Not only was it wrinkle-free, their pores were invisible. But what a difference a few decades makes.

Nothing adds years onto your face like oversized pores. We all want to shrink them down to the size they were before we had to pay taxes and worry about our mortgage, but how? Let’s take a closer look at pores and how we can maximize our youth by minimizing our pores.

The first thing you need to determine is if your pores are just naturally large, or if they are clogged full of dirt and oil. Pores can expand to several times their normal size by being clogged. Every day, your pores release a significant amount of oil to your skin’s surface. Your skin needs this oil to stretch and move across your body. It is when too much of this oil is made that the pore gets clogged.

What makes matters even worse is that it is this clogging that makes your pores more susceptible to pimple development. While there are many opinions on how to stop this overflow of oil, one thing you can do to benefit your pores is to use a clay mask that will such out all of the dirt and oil in your pores. You can also use a good astringent cleaner to zap the excess oil off of your face once per day.

The next question is are you or have you ever been prone to acne? If you currently have acne, well, having enlarged pores is the least of your worries. But if you suffered from acne as a teenager, there is a good chance you are suffering from enlarged pores now. As we stated above, a pimple is when a pore gets clogged with oil and then subsequently dirt. It causes a small infection and a pimple is born.

Acne can not only leave pores permanently large, they can even leave scars if you try to “pop” them. While having pimples is no fun at all, the best thing you can do is to leave them alone or you could end up with something much worse than a simple enlarged pore. Treat your acne with recommended medication and try not to touch your face.

It is possible that you could be suffering from pore inflammation. This is most common in women during menstruation when hormonal changes in the body play havoc with everything from your pores to your moods. Most inflammation goes away on its own with in a day or two, but if you think it is persisting, use a natural oil-based cream on your face. Look for ones that contain lavender or similar oils. They can soothe your pores and reduce inflammation.

Finally, having healthy looking pores might just be a case of drinking enough water. Your pores are, essentially, the waterways of your skin. They carry moisture from your stomach to your skin and allow your skin to move freely over your ever-flexing and moving muscles.

But your skin needs hydration to do it. If you aren’t drinking enough water, or at the very least, taking in enough liquids every day, your pores can expand, trying to pump out more oil then your body can produce. The first line of defense against enlarged pores is simply drinking enough water every day.