You asked, and Dr. Dina D. Strachan, MD has answered. This board-certified dermatologist is a graduate of Harvard and Yale and currently holds a faculty appointment at NYU. We recently asked readers to submit their skincare questions for Dr. Strachan. Check out her responses to questions about skin Tone, Shrinking Pores and Blackheads

Reader Question: I have small blemishes on my face that are causing uneven skintone. I always see products that help fade dark spots, but mine are reverse. I have light blemishes what can I do/use to even skintone?

Dr. Strachan: Whenever there is inflammation in brown skin, such as that caused by acne, rashes, scratches and burns there is a chance of a color change. Usually this results in skin darkening but occasionally inflammation leaves light marks. Whenever the skin is constantly blemishing it is important to determine the reason. In people with acne that leaves blemishes, for example, if they focus on the blemishes, which generally last much longer than pimples, rather than the acne problem, they will always have blemishes. In this case, it would be best to treat the acne if one wants to blemishes to go away. There are no specific products to address blemishes that are lighter than the normal skin color. The solution is to find out what is causing them. Is there an eczema or seborrheic dermatitis problem?

Reader Question: How can I shrink open pores?

Dr. Strachan:Pore size is genetic and generally does not change, unless the skin is damaged, in which case the pore might get bigger. All we can really do is try to minimize the appearance of our pores. The best way to do this is to keep the skin clean and exfoliate gently.

Every day women come into my office asking me how to get their skin looking as perfect as possible. Here are few of the concerns I hear about most—plus my suggestions for how to take care of your skin so that it always looks its absolute best.

I still break out every month around my period.

Hormonal fluctuations, plus stress, can add up to adult acne. I often prescribe birth control pills to my patients who are battling these sorts of breakouts. The Pill works by suppressing oil-triggering androgen production in the ovaries. But you’ll have the best results if you use them in conjunction with a targeted skincare regimen and work to reduce your stress levels (yoga—and exercise in general—are great for that). Look for cleansers that will clear out your pores without over-drying your skin. I like ones that contain salicylic acid because the ingredient is anti-inflammatory and it helps skin shed the dead cells that can build up and clog pores. And treat areas prone to pimples with something that will kill the acne-causing bacteria—products with benzoyl peroxide are a great choice.

I’m starting to see some fine lines—especially around my eyes and on my forehead.

These so-called “dynamic” wrinkles are the ones that are caused by making the same facial expressions (like smiling and frowning) repeatedly over many years. That’s why the category of injectables called neuromodulators (such as Botox and Dysport) are so effective at helping soften those lines. Neuromodulators relax the muscles that make those expressions, preventing the overlying skin from moving and thereby smoothing out wrinkled surfaces. Other ways to help fend off fine lines include using sunscreen daily (the UV rays break down collagen which makes skin start to sag and wrinkle) and using treatment products that contain potent anti-aging ingredients like retinol (or its prescription-strength cousin Retin A) to help rebuild collagen and smooth out the skin.