Enlarged Pores: What Actually Works

"How to shrink pores" is a common request with a false premise. Pores cannot be closed or removed permanently: their size is largely genetic. But their visibility can genuinely be reduced — if you stop doing what makes them more noticeable.

01Pores cannot be "closed"

Pores have no muscle to open and close them. Their size is largely genetic, and visibility is also affected by the skin's oiliness and by age: over the years the skin loses firmness and sags, making pores look larger. So the honest aim is not to "remove" them but to make them less noticeable.

Congested pores and excess sebum make them look wider. So what works is whatever keeps the pores clear and does not overload the skin with oil.

02What reduces visibility

• Gentle cleansing twice a day — with warm, not hot, water (hot irritates and visually widens pores).
• Regular exfoliation: salicylic acid (BHA) cleans the pore from within.
• Retinoids — improve skin renewal (introduce carefully, with sunscreen).
• Niacinamide — sebum regulation and a more even texture.
• Only non-comedogenic products — so as not to clog the pores again.
• Sunscreen daily — photoageing increases sagging and pore visibility.

03What not to do

• Rubbing with scrubs and brushes. Irritation makes pores more noticeable, not less.
• Squeezing and "cleaning" pores with the nails. Injury and enlargement.
• Believing in "tightening" toners and ice. The effect is short-lived; pores do not close.
• Hot water and steam "to open" them. Irritates the skin.
• Blackhead strips as a method. They remove the top but not the cause.

04Common questions

This material is educational and does not replace a consultation with a dermatologist.