Enlarged Pores: Why They Happen and How to Minimize Them

What pores are and why they look bigger

A pore is the opening of a hair follicle onto the skin surface. Each one is connected to an oil (sebaceous) gland that releases sebum to keep the skin supple. Pores have no muscles, so they do not open with heat or close with cold water.

Pores look larger when:

• oil and dead skin fill them, stretching the opening and making a dark or shiny plug (a blackhead is oxidized oil, not dirt)
• the skin around them loses support, so the opening sags into an oval or teardrop shape
• the skin surface is thicker or rougher, which casts small shadows around each pore

Causes of enlarged pores

Oily skin and genetics

The size of your oil glands is largely inherited. People with oily skin, often with darker or olive skin types, tend to have larger pores, especially in the T-zone (forehead, nose and chin), where oil glands are densest. Androgen hormones increase oil output, which is why pores often become more visible at puberty and can change with the menstrual cycle, pregnancy and polycystic ovary syndrome.

Aging and sun damage

Collagen and elastic fibers hold pore walls firm. Both decline with age and are broken down by ultraviolet light, a process called photoaging. Pores on the cheeks then sag and elongate. This type of pore often lines up in rows, following skin creases.

Acne and picking

Acne blocks and inflames follicles. Inflammation and repeated squeezing damage the pore wall, which can leave permanently widened openings and pitted acne scars.

Other contributors

• heavy, pore-clogging (comedogenic) cosmetics and hair products
• rosacea, especially the type that thickens the skin of the nose
• long-term use of strong steroid creams on the face

Types of enlarged pores

How to minimize enlarged pores

Daily skin care

• Cleanse twice a day with a gentle, non-soap cleanser. Harsh scrubbing irritates the skin and can increase oil.
• Use a retinoid at night. Adapalene 0.1% gel is available over the counter. Retinoids keep pores clear, thicken collagen and improve sun damage. Expect dryness at first and results after 8 to 12 weeks. Do not use retinoids during pregnancy.
• Use salicylic acid (a beta hydroxy acid) 0.5% to 2% in a cleanser or leave-on product. It dissolves oil inside pores.
• Try niacinamide, which may reduce oil and improve the look of pores with little irritation.
• Wear broad-spectrum sunscreen SPF 30 or higher every day. It prevents further collagen loss, the main driver of sagging pores.
• Choose "non-comedogenic" or "oil-free" moisturizers and makeup.
• Use clay masks once or twice a week if your skin is oily. They absorb surface oil and temporarily make pores look smaller.

Things that do not help

• Steam or hot water to "open" pores and cold water to "close" them. Pores do not open or close.
• Pore strips remove the top of blackheads, but the pore refills within days, and frequent use irritates skin.
• Squeezing. It stretches the pore and can cause scarring and infection.
• Alcohol-based toners dry the surface, which can trigger more oil.

Treatments from a dermatologist

When home care is not enough, a dermatologist may offer:

• Prescription retinoids such as tretinoin or tazarotene, which are stronger than over-the-counter adapalene
• Chemical peels with glycolic or salicylic acid
• Microneedling, which stimulates collagen around pores and acne scars
• Laser and light treatments: non-ablative fractional lasers, and ablative lasers for deeper scarring or sun damage
• Oral isotretinoin for severe acne. It markedly shrinks oil glands, although it is not prescribed just for pore size
• Hormonal treatment such as certain birth control pills or spironolactone for women with hormone-driven oily skin and acne
• Removal of a single dilated pore of Winer by a small excision

Results from procedures are gradual and usually need several sessions.

When large pores are something else

Some spots are mistaken for enlarged pores:

• Sebaceous hyperplasia: small yellowish bumps with a central dip, common in middle age.
• Dilated pore of Winer: a single large pore with a blackhead plug, usually on the face or upper back of an older adult.
• Milia: tiny white keratin cysts, not open pores.
• Basal cell carcinoma: a pearly bump with a central dip or sore that bleeds or does not heal. Any changing or non-healing spot needs a skin check.

Frequently asked questions

Can you permanently shrink enlarged pores?

You cannot permanently change the number or basic size of pores, which is mostly genetic. You can make them look much smaller by keeping them clear, controlling oil, protecting collagen from sun damage and stimulating new collagen with retinoids or procedures. Stopping these treatments lets pores gradually look larger again.

What causes large pores on the nose?

The nose has the densest, largest oil glands on the face. Sebum and dead skin collect in the openings and stretch them, and blackheads make them more visible. Oily skin, genetics and humid weather all play a part. Salicylic acid and a retinoid are the most effective home treatments.

Do pores get bigger with age?

Yes, they often do. With age and sun exposure, the collagen and elastic tissue supporting pore walls weaken, so pores sag and stretch, particularly on the cheeks. Daily sunscreen and retinoids help slow and partly reverse this.

Does drinking water or diet shrink pores?

No food or amount of water directly shrinks pores. Some people find that high-glycemic diets or dairy worsen acne, which can make pores look worse, so limiting them may help if acne is part of the problem.

Are open pores the same as enlarged pores?

Yes. "Open pores" is a common term, especially outside the US, for visibly enlarged pores. The same causes and treatments apply. Pores are always open; the term simply describes how visible they are.