What are the commonly known "pores" in the skin?

Pores in the skin are commonly understood to be the openings of hair follicles. These pores are crucial because they allow for the passage of hair shafts and enable the secretion of oils and sweat from the sebaceous glands and sweat glands, which are connected to hair follicles. The health and appearance of skin can be affected by how well these pores function, as they play a vital role in skin hydration and overall integrity.

While sebaceous glands are important related structures that secrete sebum into hair follicles, they are not considered "pores" themselves; instead, they are associated with the hair follicles. Acne lesions involve swollen hair follicles clogged with oil, dead skin cells, and bacteria, but they are manifestations of skin conditions rather than the basic definition of pores. Follicle openings refer to the same concept as hair follicles but are not the term most commonly used to refer to pores. Thus, the best answer is that the commonly known "pores" in the skin are indeed the openings of hair follicles.