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Are Pore Strips Bad for Your Skin?

Urvashi Pokharna
Many of us suffer from blackheads and/or whiteheads, especially those with an oily skin. But, today, the cosmetic industry has a solution to your every beauty woe, you have pore strips to get rid of these comedones. But, are they also harming your skin apart from ripping off ugly bumps? The answer is yes, they do harm the skin if overused.
Pore strips are one of the most popular methods of blackheads and whiteheads removal. Many users vouch for these strips to have a 70% success rate. Biore Deep Cleansing Pore Strips are the ones most favored by pore strip users. However, it has often been debated whether these strips are bad for your skin. The answer is yes! And with excessive usage, it only makes your skin's health worse.
It could even increase the likelihood of the affected area of the skin to develop more comedones. Not to forget, they are extremely painful and cause redness. Even a person with dry skin can be prone to blackheads and whiteheads. When you don't treat your skin to a deep cleansing routine, dead skin cells and other impurities cling to your skin due to skin oils, causing clogged pores and breakouts.

Why Are Pore Strips Bad for Your Skin?

  • Pore strips can peel away a thin layer of your skin due to the glue on the strips that binds to your skin when moistened. As it dries up, in a few minutes, it grips on to the dirt and comedones on your skin. This is pulled out by swiftly ripping away the strip from your skin.
  • This action also unclog the pores. In fact, the ripping movement leaves your pores open and more vulnerable for bacteria and germs to settle down, leading to buildup and subsequently, breakouts in the form of blackheads and whiteheads.
  • Some users of these strips have also reported enlargement of skin pores. This makes your skin more susceptible to clogging up again, because the open pores do not shrink back. This can really damage the skin by permanently rupturing it.
  • Also, excessive use of these strips can leave you with a mild skin burn if they happen to also remove the top dermal layer, because the skin on your nose is very delicate.
  • Additionally, it robs the skin of its essential oils, prompting it to produce more oil.
  • Hence, by using a pore strip, you could put your skin at the risk of developing red bumps and also aggravate blackheads.
Using strips also leads to drying of the skin by lifting away essential skin oils along with dirt and impurities. So, if you really want to get rid of blackheads and whiteheads, you need to cure the underlying problem first. These strips are only a temporary fix and, over a period of time with regular usage, can lead to tissue scarring.
Stop stressing yourself out because it further leads to over-production of sebum, the root cause of most dermal problems. Also, keep your skin clean and wash your face often with plain water. Opt for natural remedies to remove blackheads like baking soda, lemon juice, steaming or a clay mask.
Using strips to clear blackheads may result in users getting addicted to them. It gives you a sense of accomplishment when you have the prerogative of being able to pull out gunk off your skin. But, beware, these strips are bad for your skin especially if you have dry, sensitive skin, or are suffering from dermatitis.
If you absolutely must use a pore strip, use it sparingly. Just remember, when you start using pore strips, you are essentially exposing your skin to the likelihood of developing more blackheads than ever.