Can Ice Close Pores? (Myth-Busted)

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Imagine this! 

You come back home after a long day and decide to apply some ice! And, would you look at that? Instant relief from the stress and humidity from outside. 

But, you do get a sense of tightness on the face after applying ice cubes for some time. 

This will make you ask- can ice close pores?

No! Ice can’t close pores. They do have an impact on the skin pores. But, they can’t completely close it. The tight feeling that you’re experiencing is just a temporary thing. Basically, ice can tighten the pores but it can’t completely close it.

That was just the start of it, we’ve explained the entire thing in the section below. So, you might want to begin-

Can Ice Close Pores?

No! Ice will not close pores on the skin. Many people around the globe believe in this fact that rubbing ice cubes or ice water will close the pores. They even believe that ice cubes will brighten the skin and provide a glow. 

Honestly speaking, rubbing ice on the skin all-day won’t create any impact on the pores closing. Rather, it could create irritation if you have a sensitive type of skin. 

But, this phenomenon happens when you rub ice on your skin for a prolonged period. That said, ice could provide instant relief from inflammation of skin. 

However, when it comes to closing the pores down, ice doesn’t really contribute at all. 

There’s one thing that ice does to the skin pores! And, that is tightening up the pores. When you’re directly using ice cubes or ice in general to the skin, you’ll feel the skin getting tight! 

That, however, doesn’t mean that the pores are closed. It means the pores are open and are tight at the same time. In the end, it’s a temporary process which will end after a time and the tight feeling will be gone as well.

Harmful Effects of Rubbing Ice on Skin

Rubbing ice can provide temporary relief on the skin if you had a stressful day. But, it can also create problems in the long run. 

The most harmful effect is that the ice will tighten the skin pores. This could cause the germs to get trapped inside the skin. Hence, the pores remain dirty for long.

There’s more. So, let’s see the harmful effects of rubbing ice different skin types-

Sensitive Skin

If you have a sensitive type of skin, you might want to stay away from ice cubes. 

But, why should you stay away? 

Well, the ice cubes could easily cause breakage in the skin capillaries. As the capillaries in the skin are already delicate enough, sudden cold substances like ice cubes could damage it.

Other problems include occasional headaches after rubbing ice cubes on the skin. This could happen mainly because of the breakage in the skin capillaries. But, the entire thing occurs due to ice cubes.

Dry Skin

For the people with dry skin, it’s also suggested to avoid the ice cubes. This is because the harsh coldness of the ice cubes can create itching on the face.

Also, if the skin capillaries are already broken, you need to give it more time to heal and fix. Only then, you can use ice cubes on the skin. But, remember to cover it up!

For All-Types of Skin

Regardless of the skin-type. One thing will cause damage to every type of skin! And, that is the time-period of ice rubbing on your skin. 

Basically, if you’re rubbing ice on your face for a prolonged period, it’ll cause redness. Added to that, it’ll even cause itching in the skin.

Besides this, you should never use ice cubes directly on the face. Because this could result in formation of dead skin cells. And when dead skin cells take place, rashes on the lips and face occur as well. 

That’s why a rule of thumb is to always cover ice cubes with a cotton cloth. Also, a simple cloth would do just fine as well. 

Here, the main purpose of the cloth is to prevent the direct contact of the ice cube with the skin. If you can manage that, it’ll be fine! 

Usefulness of Rubbing Ice on the Skin

The usefulness of rubbing ice on the skin is there, believe me! We’ve added this section to let you guys know that ice cubes are not that bad. 

They’ll provide the benefits only when you apply them in the right way. Now, we explained the right ways of application. But, that’s in the next part. 

For now, let’s look at the benefits of rubbing ice-

• Rubbing ice on the face will prevent acne.
• Provides relief after a stressful and humid day.
• Regulates the level in the oils.
• Reduces the inflammation and depuffs the face.
• Soothes sunburn.
• Can provide an instant glow.
• Soothes rashes and reduces ageing chances.

The benefits of ice rubbing on the face has been shown in this section. On the next one, we’ll see how to use it-

The Right Way to Use Ice

Now, you’ve seen the benefits of using ice! Indeed, using ice on the skin on a hot and stressful day will bring relief. 

But, you need to take care of a thing-

There’s obviously a proper/right way to use ice on the skin. Oftentimes, people listen to the advice- apply ice cubes after a sunny day. 

But, they never care about the “right” way to use ice cubes on their face. 

As a result of that, they face itching and rashes on the face and later blame it all on ice cubes. Honestly, you need to know the proper way. And, here’s the proper way-

Wrap the Cubes in a Washcloth

We’ve talked about this in the previous section. So, let’s not elaborate it no-more. The main fact here is that you will need to wrap the ice cubes inside a handkerchief or cotton cloth. 

Any cloth will do as long as the cubes aren’t in direct contact with the skin.

Apply 1-2 Times a Day Only

Ice cubes or ice-water should be applied to the face 1-2 times a day only. Not more than that! It’s also advised to apply only once a day. But, we thought you might need more temporary relief! 

The important thing to follow here is to never go overboard with the application. Otherwise, the redness/irritation kicks in.

Never Leave Ice-Packs on Face for Long

Unless you have an injury, there’s no need to leave the ice-packs on the skin for too long. Even if there’s no injury, you shouldn’t leave ice on your face for long. 

Sure, it’ll feel good and relaxing. But, even you will feel the difference right after some time. 

Use the Right Pattern of Application

If you didn’t know, yes, there’s a “pattern” of application for the ice cubes. The best way is to rub and massage the face at the same time. 

As we spoke about the pattern, you should always go in circles. Yep, circle motions are the key! Any part of the face should do just fine. But, don’t rub under the eyes. Because, they could be harmed easily.

But, remember to not keep circulating for more than 3 minutes. The time period should be 2-3 minutes (approx). 

But, you need to stop immediately inside this time period if you feel any sort of discomfort. Also, you will need to consult a professional if this thing has occurred more than once.

Natural Ways to Close the Pores of the Skin

Well, ice can’t close pores. But, don’t worry. There are other ways you can close the pores of your skin. In fact, there are a lot of natural ways to deal with this issue. 

So, we’ve compiled all the natural ways in this section. Let’s see-

Method 1: Better Skin Maintenance

The natural way to ensure that the pores are closed is to ensure regular maintenance. Basically, wash and clean the face with a natural-face wash. 

Don’t worry about which ones are natural and which ones aren’t. Just ensure that you’re not using too many harsh chemicals on the skin. Because, this will enlarge the pores.

Plus, you should exfoliate the overall skin almost 1-2 times a week depending on the skin type. It doesn’t matter what type of exfoliators you’re using. 

Here, you’ll need to maintain the skin by using moisturisers as well. Because the moisturisers will prevent dehydration from taking place.

Another natural way to ensure that the skin pores get closed is the steam wash. You’ll have to put your face above boiled water so that the steam directly hits the face. This will open the pores and you can later just wash the face off with cold water. Here, the water will close the pores.

Also, don’t just pick off pimples by squeezing them. This is because the pimples will leave the open pores on their way out. Besides this, wear sunscreen and use clay masks to ensure pores don’t get opened.

Method 2: Using Baking Soda & Egg Masks 

You can create a paste using the baking soda and a tablespoon of water. Using this mask over your face will help to close down the pores. Just wash it down with warm water between 9-14 minutes.

Other than that, using a mask made of the egg whites can ensure closed off pores as well. You can create the mask by mixing the two eggs with 1/4^th cup of orange juice. 

Next, apply the mask and wash it off with warm water. But, don’t keep the mask for long.

FAQs

Is there any specific location on the face to apply ice cubes?

No! You can apply the ice cubes anywhere on the skin. As long as you cover it up with a washcloth, there shouldn’t be any problem. But, you might want to be careful with the area underneath the eye. It’s a sensitive area and you could create irritations on it.

Is applying ice cubes on the face a bad practice?

No. Applying ice cubes to the face is a good practice. After a stressful day, this is everything that will give you instant relief. It will even fight at reducing inflammation. But, the problem is you need to apply ice cubes in the right manner. 

Do ice cubes have any impact on the skin pores?

Yes! Ice cubes have an impact on the skin. Even though the ice cubes don’t close the pores of the skin, they tighten it. After applying ice cubes to the face, you’ll feel tightness. That’s how the cubes tighten the pores and make them smaller. But, the pores don’t get closed entirely. 

Conclusion

That’s all! We hope you know the answer to- can ice close pores. Honestly, ice can’t close pores. But, they surely create a lot of impact on the pores and on the skin. 

And, if you’re applying ice in the wrong manner, you’ll damage the skin and the pores. Hence, it’s really important to follow the ways we showed you in this article. 

Hope it helps, goodbye!