Pores: Do They Open?

**Ethan.Bassist.** · 11-22-2010, 08:37 PM

Okay, so I see this all the time: "I hot towel my face to soften the beard and open my pores. Then after I shave, I apply a cold towel to close up the pores."

Then I see people say, "Pores don't open and close."

What's the deal? Which is it? Is an 'open' pore the single biggest 'old wives' tale' that has e'er been wrought? Am I living a lie? Someone please answer me before I go nuts! ...And if you have proof to support your argument, that would be super-duper! :)

Ethan.

**rambus007** · 11-22-2010, 08:44 PM

+1

I would also like to know because I read somewhere here on the B&B that someone mentioned poors don't open and close as well. So I'm curious after watching a British barber talk about his shaving technique. Mind you some of the more experience shavers here didn't agree 100% with his lathering technique. Oh well YMMV I guess is what people say in these instances.

**chococrazy** · 11-22-2010, 08:50 PM

I was told they don't open and close like you think they would, but infact are like a fire hose. The head of the hose with the nozzle opening will always be the same size due to the steel ring, but the hose behind it will open and close whether or not there is a fluid running through it.
When you put warm water on your face the "hose" part of it opens up.
When you put cold water the "hose" part closes.

That's what I was told, but I could be wrong.

**Drubbing** · 11-22-2010, 09:15 PM

No. When we evolve to develop pores that have individual muscles to control them, then yes. But that's a few years away.

It's a Muthemism, a cross between a myth and a euphemism.

The face and pores can relax under steam and humidity, and tighten in cold. But they don't open or close. Steam can help a cleanser remove oily stuff from pores because the face is relaxed and has good blood flow. A clean pore can look 'open'.

Astringents do the opposite.

This sort of link is the best you're going to get for 'authority'.

http://askville.amazon.com/pores-fac...uestId=6939979

**lister** · 11-22-2010, 09:22 PM

I would have thought the same Drubbing; sebaceous glands don't open and close as such. I'd tend to agree with the steam and humidity causing expansion and cold water causing a contraction.

Mind you, its been a good decade since I studied biology and anatomy.

**Ethan.Bassist.** · 11-22-2010, 09:45 PM

Originally Posted by lister

I would have thought the same Drubbing; sebaceous glands don't open and close as such. I'd tend to agree with the steam and humidity causing expansion and cold water causing a contraction.

Mind you, its been a good decade since I studied biology and anatomy.

Oh, I don't know if that is different from what I'm asking. The expansion/contraction thing. That what I mean though. Not full on opening/closing. But expanding/contracting.

**73mountaineer** · 11-22-2010, 09:53 PM

It seems logical enough that they would expand and contract in warm and cold temperatures, respectively. It's not like there are muscles controlling each one, but end result is similar.

Pores, the expansion joints of your face.

- Steve

**gearchow** · 11-22-2010, 10:15 PM

Never thought about it, but opening and closing pores is kind of creepy. Dilating and contracting capillaries is one thing - and may be the thing that is happening when applying heat or cold - but imagine if all of your pores decided to just open up?

Never thought to question statements about opening and closing pores.

-jim

**Gustav** · 11-23-2010, 08:00 AM

There is definitely something going on because since lathering with a brush which I equate amongst others to a very thorough face wash on my beard area, I have had no pimples on those parts of my face which should mean that my pores are being evacuated thus preventing build-up of dead skin in them.

**Crawford Montizano** · 11-23-2010, 05:32 PM

read here:

http://www.beautyfool.net/skin-myths...pen-and-close/

**Ethan.Bassist.** · 11-23-2010, 07:57 PM

Originally Posted by Crawford Montizano

read here:

http://www.beautyfool.net/skin-myths...pen-and-close/

Four words Mr. Crawford Montizano: Winner. Winner. Chicken. Dinner.
That's great info! Exactly what I was looking for!

This is such a deep rooted myth. It's gonna be hard to dispel. Kind of like the whole "exhaust backpressure" issue on car forums.

May we go forth armed with this knowledge and rescue others from the cold, merciless talons of this myth.

**Wendy** · 11-23-2010, 08:02 PM

According to discovery health they do not open and close. Here is what they say.....

Pores are nothing more than tiny openings in your skin. They don't have muscles, and that means they can't open or close [source: Vinakmens]. It doesn't matter what you do -- there's no way to change the size or your pores.

**gearchow** · 11-23-2010, 08:09 PM

Originally Posted by Ethan.Bassist.

Four words Mr. Crawford Montizano: Winner. Winner. Chicken. Dinner.
That's great info! Exactly what I was looking for!

This is such a deep rooted myth. It's gonna be hard to dispel. Kind of like the whole "exhaust backpressure" issue on car forums.

May we go forth armed with this knowledge and rescue others from the cold, merciless talons of this myth.

What?! Now your calling a fundamental, learned it as a kid working on my 350 factoid a myth?! Of course there is back pressure. That's why we slipped in pain-in-the-butt to install equal length headers up to a Hush Thrush muffler.

Don't say nothing else, NA-NA-NA-NA-NA-NA-NA I can't hear you!!!

-jim

**gearchow** · 11-23-2010, 08:11 PM

Originally Posted by Wendy

According to discovery health they do not open and close. Here is what they say.....

Pores are nothing more than tiny openings in your skin. They don't have muscles, and that means they can't open or close [source: Vinakmens]. It doesn't matter what you do -- there's no way to change the size or your pores.

Thank goodness really! The thought of my pores all going wide open at the same moment had me kind of grossed out. Kind of itchy.

-jim

**Ethan.Bassist.** · 11-23-2010, 08:38 PM

Originally Posted by gearchow

What?! Now your calling a fundamental, learned it as a kid working on my 350 factoid a myth?! Of course there is back pressure. That's why we slipped in pain-in-the-butt to install equal length headers up to a Hush Thrush muffler.

Don't say nothing else, NA-NA-NA-NA-NA-NA-NA I can't hear you!!!

-jim

hahahaha! Hmm, maybe I should've rephrased that. I mean the myth that backpressure is necessary for an N/A engine. Exhaust velocity my good sir! Exhaust velocity. High exhaust velocity = low pressure. Low exhaust velocity = High pressure.

**gearchow** · 11-24-2010, 07:02 AM

Originally Posted by Ethan.Bassist.

hahahaha! Hmm, maybe I should've rephrased that. I mean the myth that backpressure is necessary for an N/A engine. Exhaust velocity my good sir! Exhaust velocity. High exhaust velocity = low pressure. Low exhaust velocity = High pressure.

Since the "Pores: Do They Open?" has been answered thoroughly, off topic we sway!

It is funny, terms like "back pressure" and "uncorking" infer to what you refer to above, albeit in shade tree mechanic's terms. And shade tree mechanic I am.

I imagine few folks today have been bothered by an uncorked short block cruising their neighborhoods. Didn't really do a lot more then excite my friends and myself. I have a 22RE now, it's embarrassing to hear one of those without a muffler.

-jim

**Ethan.Bassist.** · 11-24-2010, 11:13 AM

Originally Posted by gearchow

Since the "Pores: Do They Open?" has been answered thoroughly, off topic we sway!

It is funny, terms like "back pressure" and "uncorking" infer to what you refer to above, albeit in shade tree mechanic's terms. And shade tree mechanic I am.

I imagine few folks today have been bothered by an uncorked short block cruising their neighborhoods. Didn't really do a lot more then excite my friends and myself. I have a 22RE now, it's embarrassing to hear one of those without a muffler.

-jim

Yeah, I suppose the end result is the same: more horsepower. Just the semantics of it bother me I guess.

That true. Muscle cars sound great. Hopped up off roading mini-trucks are just annoying when they just cut off the exhaust after the headers.
I have a 99 Mitsu Eclipse. Non-turbo :( Full exhaust work done: Headers to muffler. It's not really fast. But it's fun.

Multi-purpose thread lol. Come here for all your troubles and ailments!

**Crixus** · 11-24-2010, 11:54 AM

Sorry to derail the car talk

, but is the pore consensus now that after my shave with fairlyhot water and my final rinse with warm water, I do NOT need to rinse with cold water. Also, after a warm shower, I do NOT need to finish the shower by letting cold (as cold as I can get from the showerhead) water run over my face for 20 seconds? Is that correct?

Because I don't want to be walking around with my pores wide open while the dust and auto enhaust fill them up.

**Ethan.Bassist.** · 11-24-2010, 01:48 PM

Originally Posted by Crixus

Sorry to derail the car talk

, but is the pore consensus now that after my shave with fairlyhot water and my final rinse with warm water, I do NOT need to rinse with cold water. Also, after a warm shower, I do NOT need to finish the shower by letting cold (as cold as I can get from the showerhead) water run over my face for 20 seconds? Is that correct?

Because I don't want to be walking around with my pores wide open while the dust and auto enhaust fill them up.

Right. I think it is still soothing to rinse with cool water (contracting the blood vessels theoretically de-swelling the face and tightening it up) but it is not to 'close' the pores. It said in an article to think of a pore like a V. It is always open like that. When it gets clogged, it looks open (and bad). Correct me someone if I'm wrong.