What Are Pores, and How Can You Minimize Enlarged Pores?
UpdatedPore size is largely set by your genes, but your skin's health, your habits and the right skincare can dramatically change how they look. Here's what pores actually are, why they look bigger, and what really refines them.
- What pores are: the openings of your hair follicles and sweat glands. Oil pores are the ones you can see.
- Why they look bigger: extra oil is the biggest factor, followed by collagen loss with age. Dehydrated skin can make it worse.
- Can you shrink them? Not permanently, but you can make them look much smaller by keeping excess oil in check, firming the skin around them and keeping skin hydrated.
- La Luer's approach: Detox and Tone help clarify and balance oil, Lift firms the skin around each pore, and Infuse pushes hydration in.
What are pores, and why do they matter?
Pores are the tiny openings on your skin's surface. Each one opens onto a hair follicle or a sweat gland, and they come in two main types.
Connected to sebaceous glands, they release sebum, an oil that keeps your skin moisturized and protected. These are the pores that can look enlarged.
Much smaller and usually invisible to the naked eye, they help control your temperature through sweat.
Without pores, your skin would be dry, irritated and easily damaged. They only become a concern when they get clogged or stretched, and that's when they look bigger.
Inside a pore.
Skin anatomyEach oil pore sits on a sebaceous gland. When oil and dead skin build up inside, the pore stretches, and it can clog and become inflamed.
What causes enlarged pores?
Pores look bigger for a few connected reasons. In a study that measured the pores of 60 people, oil output was the factor most closely linked to pore size, followed by being male and getting older. Here are the three most common causes.
Overactive oil glands make extra sebum. It mixes with dead skin cells and debris, stretching the pore wall so it looks larger. That's why pores are most noticeable on the nose, cheeks, chin and forehead, where oil glands are most concentrated.
Young skin is rich in collagen and elastin, which hold pores tight. Collagen drops by about 1% every year in adulthood, so the skin around each pore loses support. Researchers have found that conspicuous pores come with structural changes in the skin around them, which is why they don't snap back like they used to.
Oil and water are two different things, and skin that's low on water often looks shiny and congested too. Hydrated skin is plumper and smoother, so pores look less obvious. Here's how to tell if your skin is thirsty.
Can you actually shrink your pores?
You can't permanently change the size your genes gave you. But you can make pores look much smaller. Oily skin naturally tends to have larger pores, and the right routine keeps them clean, firm and smooth-looking.
You can't change the pores you were born with. You can change how they look.
How do you minimize the appearance of pores?
Dermatologists treat enlarged pores by targeting what's behind them, mainly extra oil and aging skin. Here's how to do that at home.
- 1Unclog and purifyClearing out excess oil lets stretched pores settle back toward their normal size. Exfoliate consistently, but gently, with acids like salicylic acid, which dissolves oil inside the pore. Be careful not to over-exfoliate.
- 2Strengthen the skin around themFirmer skin holds pores tighter. In-office radiofrequency like Thermage®, at-home microcurrent devices like NuFACE® and LED light systems like LightStim® are known for supporting collagen and elastin. La Luer's Lift treatment combines radio frequency, EMS and red LED in a single treatment.
- 3Hydrate and restore your barrierWell-hydrated skin is plumper and more resilient. Look for humectants like hyaluronic acid and barrier helpers like ceramides.
- 4Wear sunscreen every dayYears of sun exposure break down collagen, and that's one of the known factors behind enlarged pores.
- 5Cool it down for an instant fixCold temporarily tightens the look of pores, which is perfect before makeup or an event. Our CryoSculpt stays ice-cold for exactly this.
The La Luer approachEvery cause, one device
How does La Luer's technology target enlarged pores?
The La Luer Facial Treatment System has 4 treatments. Each one goes after a different cause of enlarged pores.
One device, four treatments.
Detox, Tone, Lift, InfuseEach treatment targets a different cause of enlarged pores: oil, lost firmness or thirsty skin.
Detox and Tone
Blue LED, ultrasound and EMS help clarify skin and balance oil.
Blue light helps clarify blemish-prone skin, so pores look more refined. In lab studies on human oil-gland cells, blue light slowed the cells' growth and red light lowered the oil they made.
They boost circulation, calm inflammation and help balance oil, for smoother, more even skin.
Lift
Red LED, radio frequency and EMS firm the skin around each pore.
RF gently heats deeper skin. That tightens existing collagen fibers right away and prompts your skin to make new collagen, for better elasticity and texture over time. In a 12-week trial of an at-home RF device, the treated side of the face had significantly fewer wrinkles and thicker skin than the side that used an anti-aging cream.
EMS tones the facial muscles underneath. In an 8-week split-face trial, it significantly improved wrinkles and sagging.
Red light calms inflammation, supports collagen and elastin and protects against oxidative stress. In one 3-month study of 20 women, a red LED mask reduced pore size by about a third and oil by 70%. That study had no comparison group, so take it as promising rather than proven. Read more about red light and collagen.
Infuse
Galvanic current and ultrasound push hydration in, while green LED calms.
Negative ions push the hyaluronic acid in our conductive gel deeper into the skin, instead of leaving it on the surface. That's called iontophoresis. See how Infuse works.
Gentle sound waves boost hydration and moisture retention, and stimulate circulation in the face.
Green light soothes the surface of the skin and helps brighten the look of marks left behind by blemishes.
By addressing every major cause of enlarged pores, from extra oil to lost elasticity, La Luer delivers both instant refinement and results that build over time.
See it in action.
From our InstagramThe pore routine
The La Luer Facial Treatment System covers Detox, Tone, Lift and Infuse in one device. Pair it with our gel, and keep CryoSculpt in the freezer for an instant fix.
Quick questions
Can you permanently shrink your pores?
No. Pore size is largely genetic, so you can't permanently make them smaller. But you can make them look much smaller by keeping excess oil in check, firming the skin around them with collagen support, and keeping your skin hydrated.
What causes enlarged pores?
The biggest factor is oil. In one study, the amount of oil skin produced was most closely linked to pore size. Collagen loss with age, sun damage, genetics and hormones play a role too, and dehydrated skin can make pores look more obvious.
Does dehydrated skin make pores look bigger?
It can. Skin that's low on water often looks dull and congested, and it can be shiny at the same time. Hydrated skin is plumper and smoother, so pores look less obvious.
Does blue light help with pores?
Blue light is used to clarify blemish-prone skin, and in lab studies on human oil-gland cells, blue and red light both affected oil production. Keeping excess oil in check helps pores look more refined. La Luer's Detox treatment uses blue LED.
Does red light therapy help with enlarged pores?
It may. Red light supports collagen, which helps firm the skin around each pore. In one small 3-month study, a red LED mask reduced pore size by about a third and oil by 70%, though that study had no comparison group.
Does ice shrink your pores?
Cold temporarily tightens the look of pores and calms redness, which is great before makeup. The effect doesn't last, so pair it with a routine that controls oil and supports collagen.
How often should I use La Luer for pores?
We recommend about 6 minutes: Detox or Tone to clarify, then Lift and Infuse, 2 minutes each. Do it 2 to 3 times a week for the first month, then 1 to 2 times a week to maintain, and no more than once a day. Always use a thick layer of Hyaluronic Conductive Treatment Gel.
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This article is general education and isn't medical advice. If you have a medical condition or concerns about your skin, talk to a dermatologist or your healthcare provider.