Q.I am 37 and I would like to ask your advice. I have a very large open pore to the side of my nose near my cheek which is dark in colour and looks like it is blocked. When I squeeze nothing comes out of it. I think it happened after having microdermabrasion as this is when I first noticed it. Is there anything I can do to get rid of it? I have open pores in general and a combination-type skin but I do look after my skin and cleanse, tone and moisturize daily and use masks once a week. I am currently using Elemis Pro-Collagen Marine Cream and Tri-Enzyme Resurfacing Cleanser and Resurfacing Mask.
A.We think it’s most likely that you noticed this after your microdermabrasion, when you were looking for changes and improvements, rather than it being caused by the treatment.  Without seeing it, it sounds like it’s a pore with a plug of oxidized sebum in there.  The low-tech way to deal with this is to try a pore strip, such as Bioré Deep Cleansing Pore Strips; these are designed for blackheads – but might budge this, particularly if you soften the area first with a hot, wet cloth. If the pore strip doesn’t work, this is a job for the professionals, so we suggest that you make an appointment with a good facialist (preferably someone personally recommended to you), who may be able to remove the plug with a ‘comedone remover’ (a small metal tool that can ‘pop’ the contents of a pore).  We would say, though:  don’t try this method at home, or you could end up scarring your skin.

• Bioré Deep Cleansing Pore Strips, £7.99 at www.boots.com; buy here