Thanks to the rise of so-called “Instagram face”, and editing apps like FaceTune and Photoshop, many of us have forgotten what real skin actually looks like.

因为所谓的“Instagram脸”和像FaceTune和Photoshop这样的图片编辑软件的兴起，我们许多人已经忘了真正的皮肤的样子。

From expertly chiseled¹ cheekbones to plump lips and flawlessly airbrushed skin, these types of app have a lot to answer for; namely our obsession² with wanting to completely eradicate³ our pores.

从轮廓分明的颧骨到丰满的嘴唇，再到精修过的完美皮肤，这些类型的软件有很多要解决的问题；也就是我们对彻底根除毛孔的痴迷。

Spoiler alert: you can't. While there are hundreds of products and articles that promise to erase⁴ them from existence, the truth is they're normal, natural and totally necessary.

提前透露下：你做不到的。虽然许多产品和文章承诺要消灭它们，但事实上它们是正常的、自然的、完全有必要的。

That being said, there are a number of things you can do to minimise their visibility and stop them expanding.

话虽如此，你可以采取很多措施让它们没那么明显，并阻止它们扩散。

Let's start with the basics. What are pores and why do they sometimes appear to increase in size?

让我们从基础知识开始。什么是毛孔？为什么它们有时看起来变大了？

According to cosmetic⁵ dermatologist⁶ Sam Bunting, pores are the visible end of a flimsy funnel⁷ – otherwise known as the sebaceous gland⁸ duct – that transports sebum, an oily substance that helps keep the skin and hair moisturised, to the skin’s surface and is held in its upright position by the “scaffolding” protein collagen.

皮肤科医生萨姆·邦廷说，毛孔是一种可见的脆弱的漏斗状物，也被称为传输皮脂的皮脂腺管，皮脂这种油性物质有助于保持皮肤和头发湿润，它存在于皮肤表层，由支架蛋白垂直支撑。

While pores don't open and close as some people suggest, there are a number of reasons they become more visible over time.

虽然毛孔不像某些人所说的那样会打开和关闭，但随着时间的推移，有很多原因会使得它们变得越来越明显。

“Firstly, increased transit⁹ of sebum through the funnel makes the pore more visible – this happens at puberty, due to the change in sex hormones¹⁰, and it happens as we get older, when ageing and UV damage mean collagen breaks down, allowing the pore to flop¹¹ open more,” Bunting tells The Independent.

“首先，通过毛孔传输的皮脂越多会让毛孔更明显，这发生在青春期要归因于性激素的变化，随着年龄的增长毛孔也越来越明显，老化和紫外线损伤意味着胶原蛋白分解，毛孔也就越来越多，”邦廷告诉《独立报》。

“Summer can also make pores look bigger because oil flows more freely when it's at a higher temperature – something we can't really control. And if we lose collagen through sun exposure and sunbed use, we lose the structure around the pores, making them appear larger.”

“夏天也会使毛孔看起来更大，因为当温度越高，油脂流动地更自由，这是我们无法控制的。如果我们因为阳光照射和日光浴流失了胶原蛋白，我们会失去毛孔周围的结构，使得毛孔看起来更大。”

If the appearance of your pores is getting to you, there are a few things you can do prevent them from getting clogged¹² and therefore becoming more visible; the first of which is a good skincare routine.

毛孔出现了，你可以做一些事情来防止它们被堵塞从而变得更明显；第一个是好的护肤习惯。

“By stimulating¹³ collagen production pores can also appear smaller,”Bunting explains.

“通过刺激胶原蛋白产生，毛孔也会变小”，邦廷解释道。

“In addition, a gentle retinoid at night will help reduce pore clogging¹⁴ and maintain collagen supplies. A daily sunscreen also helps prevent UV related collagen degradation¹⁵.”

“此外，夜间温和的视黄酸有助于减少毛孔堵塞，维持胶原蛋白的供应。日常防晒也能帮助防止紫外线相关的胶原蛋白降解。”

The final line of attack you can try is to use makeup¹⁶ to mask them.

你可以尝试的最后一道防线是用化妆品来遮盖。