One of the most common concerns I hear from patients during the summer months is enlarged pores.  Korea’s  hot and humid weather increases sebum production, making pores appear more noticeable, particularly in people with oily or combination skin. 

While pores cannot be permanently closed or erased, their appearance can often be improved. Understanding why they appear enlarged in the first place is an important step forward. Factors such as excess sebum, reduced skin elasticity, sun damage, and previous acne can all contribute to visible pores.

Before discussing skincare products or treatments, it is important to identify the underlying cause. Different types of enlarged pores often require different management approaches.

Can You Actually Shrink Pores?

Simply the answer is, Not exactly.

Pores cannot be permanently removed, but they can appear smaller when the underlying causes are properly managed.

Let's look at the most common causes of enlarged pores.

Why do pores get bigger?

Enlarged pores are caused by a combination of factors.
It’s important to know what causes your pores and what type of pores you have, because you usually can't fix just one thing.

Top Causes

* Hypersecretion: Caused by overactive or overdeveloped sebaceous glands.

* Increased Age: Decreased collagen and reduced skin elasticity make pores appear larger.

* UV Rays Photoaging damages dermal tissue, weakening pore structure and causing enlargement.

* Acne Scars: When skin tissue is damaged by acne, pores can stretch and remain enlarged.

Here is what research says; Unsaturated fatty acids in sebum alter the dermis structure, reducing elasticity and causing inflammation and accelerated aging, all of which contribute to enlarged pores.

| Source: Potential role of inflammation mediated by the complement system in enlarged facial pores

In other words if you have more sebum, more inflammation with faster elasticity loss that’ll make your pores become more visible over time.

Characteristics of Each Pore Type

Home care routine by skin type

Different ingredients target different causes of enlarged pores. Choosing the right ingredient is often more important than choosing the most expensive product.

Oily skin

Routine:

Morning: Mildly acidic cleanser → moisturizing cream

Evening: Mildly alkaline cleanser → Toner pad (AHA/BHA) → Moisturizing cream

2-3 times per week: Exfoliate with an exfoliant, then remove dead skin and oil with a cotton ball

Dry skin

Routine:

Cleanse: Hypoallergenic cleanser

Moisturize: Niacinamide (pore + whitening) ampoule → moisturizing cream with strong moisturizing power

Once a week: Exfoliate with a toner pad

Sensitive skin

Routine:

Cleansing: Hypoallergenic cleanser without harmful ingredients

Moisturize: moisturizer with ceramides and niacinamide

Once a week: Use a gentle chemical exfoliator with a low concentration of AHAs

Avoid physical scrubs🚫.

Keep This in Mind!

1. Avoid squeezing the sebum in your nose

2. Avoid isopropyl, silicone (dimethicone), and shea butter

   • Isopropyl: Highly oily and can clog pores

   • Silicone: Coats the surface of the skin, which can feel tight and cause breakouts

   • Shea butter: moisturizing but oily, clogging pores and potentially causing acne

3. Don't wash your face with hot water. (Lukewarm water is OK.)

Ingredients That May Help Improve Pore

Appearance

The effectiveness of a skincare product often depends on its ingredients. Understanding what each ingredient does can help you choose products that better match your skin concerns.

When selecting skincare products, focus on ingredients that match your skin type and the underlying cause of your enlarged pores.

Go-To Products for Pore Management (Pharmacy Recommendations)

Sevita B Gel

• Nicotinamide

• Originally an acne treatment, it has anti-inflammatory, homeostatic, and sebum-regulating effects.

Claritin

• Salicylic acid

• Helps exfoliate dead skin cells, improve blackheads, and reduce sebum production.

AKLIEF Cream *Needs prescription

• Retinoids

• Boosts collagen production and speeds up turnover (shedding of dead skin cells).

• Helps shrink pores as the dermis layer is strengthened.

  
  

Professional Treatment Options for Enlarged Pores

While a consistent skincare routine is important, enlarged pores can have different causes and may respond differently to treatment.

In the REPIC Clinic, I select treatments based on the condition of the skin and the type of pore concern rather than applying the same approach to every patient.

Aqua Peel

• It is important to remove dead skin cells and wastes accumulated in the pores to prevent them from widening.

• Aqua Peel utilizes vacuum suction using a solution to gently remove blackheads, sebum, and dead skin cells from pores, leaving your skin with a smoother texture.

Potenza

• Needle RF is a way to shrink pores by stimulating collagen synthesis around them.

• Needle RF (Potenza, Silfirmx) is a device that delivers radiofrequency energy with a very fine needle to precisely target the dermis layer by reducing epidermal damage.

• Various treatments are possible depending on the type of tip and mode, including pores, acne, and scars, as well as skin tightening.

When JUVELOOK is added to Potenza (pumping tip), high frequency and PDLLA work synergistically on collagen and elastin formation to improve elasticity and pores.

The image shows the progress of a 31-year-old Japanese woman up to 6 months after the microneedling RF treatment. The red area is where the tightening effect is greater. After one month, the red area is the largest. You can see that it gradually decreases as you approach 6 months. In other words, we can predict that the effect will be maintained up to 6 months.

Skin Botox

• Skin Botox is a procedure that involves injecting lightly concentrated Botox into the shallow layers of the skin.

• In addition to shrinking pores, it can be seen to reduce sebum / improve skin texture and elasticity / lift redness and wrinkles.

Summer Pore Care Doesn’t Have to Be Complicated!

Not all enlarged pores have the same cause. Some are primarily related to excess sebum, while others are influenced by reduced skin elasticity, sun damage, or previous acne.

For this reason, I do not recommend the same treatment for every patient. A proper skin assessment helps identify the underlying cause and allows us to create a treatment plan that matches your skin condition and goals.

At REPIC Clinic in Seoul, we regularly evaluate pore concerns using a personalised approach, combining home care recommendations and professional treatments when appropriate.

If enlarged pores continue to be a concern despite a consistent skincare routine, a consultation may help determine which treatment options are most suitable for your skin.

FAQ: Enlarged Pores and Pore Care