Tuesday, May 23, 2006

Beauty Q & A: The Problem With Pore Strips

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Another “Anonymous” Asks:

What can you tell us about Bioré-type pore strips? It's strangely fascinating seeing all the crap come off on the strips, but is just a quick-fix that will actually make things worse in the long run?


The Right Brain Boasts About Biore:
A pore strip, like Biore’s, is a very dramatic way to clean your pores. It works by adhering tightly to your skin – so tightly that when you pull it off it also pulls out the oily, dirty gunk that is clogging your pores.

The cool thing is that you can actually SEE the “pore poop” stuck to the strip after you take it off.
The first time the Brains tried this product they sat staring transfixed at the forest of tiny nasal pore discharges dotting the landscape of the freshly spent pore strip. Some white heads were barely visible to the naked eye; other black heads where ominously thick and dark. We still get shivers just thinking about it.

Even if you don’t feel you need them, we recommend trying pore strips as an experiment just so you can see for yourself.


(By the way, just in case you’re wondering how all that gunk gets in your pores in the first place, click here for an excellent description of the process courtesy of Cosmeticscop.com.
)

But back to your question:
When used correctly, Pore Strips can be a powerful weapon in your battle against blackheads. But don’t use them too often – they can irritate your skin. Three times per week max, that’s the limit. Any more than that and you risk damaging your skin. We quote Cosmeticscop's description of the dangerous downside:
"What about pore strips? What has me most concerned about pore strips (which are not as widely available as they once were) is that most people don’t pay attention to the warnings clearly printed on the side of the box. Pore strips are accompanied by strong warnings such as not to use them over any area other than the nose and not to use them over inflamed, swollen, sunburned, or excessively dry skin. It also states that if the strip is too painful to remove, you should wet it and then carefully remove it. What a warning! You may at first be impressed with what comes off your nose. (Well, if you have extremely superficial, noticeable black-looking blackheads, there is no question: you will be impressed.) Most people do have some oil sitting at the top of their oil glands (most of the face's oil glands are located on the nose), and whether you use these strips or a piece of tape, black dots and some skin will be removed. Is that helpful? Briefly, but if you use these repeatedly, they will not eliminate the problem and the ingredients on the strip can eventually irritate skin and potentially trigger further breakouts."

The Brain's Bottom Line:
Pore strips really work, but they're no substitute for a good, regular cleansing regimen. And don't use them too often or you may experience some negative side effects.

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