How to Minimize the Look of Pores: Match the Step to the Cause

Key Takeaways

• Pore size is mostly set by genetics, so a cream isn’t likely to make pores lastingly smaller. What skincare may change is how visible they look.

• Four things can make pores stand out: extra oil and buildup, skin that looks less firm, sun exposure over the years, and irritation from scrubbing or picking.

• The American Academy of Dermatology’s list includes Salicylic Acid, a Retinol or Retinyl Palmitate product at night, gentle twice-daily cleansing, noncomedogenic products, and daily sunscreen.

• The tiny gray dots on many noses are often sebaceous filaments, a normal part of skin, not clogged pores.

• Give a new routine steady, consistent use before judging it, and see a board-certified dermatologist if you’d like in-office options.

The Short Answer

You can’t shrink pores for good, because their size is largely inherited, though you may be able to make them less obvious. The AAD suggests noncomedogenic products, washing twice a day, a Retinol product at night, a Salicylic Acid cleanser, and daily broad-spectrum sunscreen, since clogged pores, oiliness, and skin that looks less firm can all make pores look larger.

What a Pore Is, and Why Its Size Is Mostly Set

A pore is an opening. Cleveland Clinic describes pores as openings that let sweat and sebum (oil) reach the skin from the glands beneath, and it says genetics mostly determines how big they are. If your parents have large-looking pores, you’re likely to have them too.

Where you look matters as well. Cleveland Clinic notes that pores can look more prominent in the center of the face, where there are more oil glands. So the nose, the inner cheeks, and the forehead tend to get the attention more than the jawline does.

Pores also aren’t a flaw to be sealed off. They’re the route oil takes to the surface, and Cleveland Clinic notes that sebum helps keep skin and hair hydrated. The goal of a pore routine is to keep those openings clear-looking and the skin around them looking firm, and that’s where collagen comes in.

Four Reasons Pores Can Look Bigger

Before choosing a product, it’s worth knowing which of these is most likely behind what you see in the mirror. It’s common to have more than one.

1. Extra Oil and Buildup

According to the AAD, a clogged pore expands and stands out more, and an oily complexion can make pores look larger too. Cleveland Clinic adds that oil production rises at puberty, and that some women notice their pores looking different at points in the menstrual cycle.

2. Skin That Looks Less Firm

Cleveland Clinic explains that collagen and elastin are proteins that give pores structural support, and that as these decline with age, pores can widen. The AAD puts it in visible terms: Pores look larger when skin sags. That’s why pores that once barely registered may start to look more open with age, even when oil isn’t the reason.

3. Years of Sun

The AAD says the more sun exposure skin has had, the less firmness it may have, and that pores look more noticeable as firmness fades. Cleveland Clinic’s explainer makes the same link, noting that ultraviolet rays break down collagen and elastin.

4. Irritation

Scrubbing, squeezing, and digging at pores can all backfire. The AAD notes that when skin is inflamed, pores can look more noticeable, and that picking or squeezing can make them look bigger. Cleveland Clinic’s dermatologist warns that squeezing pores or using an extractor tool can cause scarring.

Pore or Sebaceous Filament?

Look closely at your nose and you may see a grid of small gray, tan, or yellowish dots. These often aren’t blackheads at all. Cleveland Clinic describes sebaceous filaments as thin, threadlike structures that help move sebum from the oil glands to the skin. Everyone has them.

Here’s how Cleveland Clinic tells the two apart:

The practical point is that you can’t remove sebaceous filaments for good. Cleveland Clinic says that if you squeeze one out, the pore fills again within 30 days, and that pore strips can pull them out along with blackheads, which may leave skin dry. The same routine that helps pores look smaller may help filaments look less noticeable, so there’s no need for a separate plan.

What Topicals Can and Can’t Do

A topical product works on how pores look. It won’t change the size you were born with, and any visible change is likely to fade if you stop. Here’s what dermatology sources point to:

• Salicylic Acid: The AAD says studies show Salicylic Acid can unclog pores, and that some Salicylic Acid cleansers are gentle enough for daily use. It’s a Beta Hydroxy Acid (BHA), and the FDA suggests trying any BHA product on a small patch of skin before using it widely, along with daily sun protection. If you’d like to compare formulas, our guide to Salicylic Acid exfoliants is a place to start.

• Retinol or Retinyl Palmitate: The AAD suggests a product with either one at bedtime if you have oily skin or mild acne, or if your skin looks less firm than it once did. If Retinol irritates you, the AAD’s tip is to wash, then let 30 minutes pass before you apply it. The AAD also says not to use these during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.

• Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs): Cleveland Clinic includes AHAs and BHAs among the options that may help clear pores, and its dermatologist says most over-the-counter peels can be used every two weeks, sometimes weekly, depending on the peel. The FDA advises sun protection while using AHAs.

• Noncomedogenic everything: The AAD defines “non-comedogenic” as a product that won’t clog pores. That includes moisturizer, sunscreen, and makeup, not just treatment products. Our roundup of non-comedogenic skincare products covers each step.

What doesn’t help much: Cleveland Clinic says ice or a chilled roller tightens the look of pores for only a few minutes, until skin warms up again, and that red light devices haven’t been shown to reduce pore size.

A Cause-by-Cause Plan

Start with the steps most routines share, then add the one that matches the reason your pores stand out.

Steps for Most Routines

1. Cleanse twice a day: Use a gentle, noncomedogenic cleanser morning and night. The AAD says twice-daily cleansing can help unclog pores and reduce oiliness.

2. Check every label: Swap anything that isn’t labeled noncomedogenic, oil-free, or won’t clog pores, per the AAD.

3. Use broad-spectrum sunscreen daily: The AAD recommends it every day, even when it’s cold or raining. Cleveland Clinic adds that hats help shade the face.

4. Keep your hands off: Don’t scrub, squeeze, or use an extractor tool.

If Oil Is the Main Issue

1. Add a Salicylic Acid cleanser at night: If it feels drying, the AAD suggests a mild cleanser in the morning and the Salicylic Acid one before bed.

2. Take makeup off every night: Cleveland Clinic includes removing makeup at the end of each day in its routine for sebaceous filaments.

If Skin Looks Less Firm

1. Add a Retinol product at night: Cleveland Clinic suggests starting with a thin layer twice a week and building up, since Retinol can cause some early irritation and may increase sun sensitivity. Cleveland Clinic’s sebaceous filament guide adds that using a Retinoid alongside a moisturizer may ease side effects. Our guide to serums to layer with Retinol covers gentle companions.

2. Count sunscreen as part of the plan: The AAD links sun exposure to a loss of firmness, so daily sunscreen is doing double duty here.

If Irritation Is in the Mix

1. Cut back before adding anything: Drop scrubs and pause acids until your skin’s settled down. The AAD says inflamed skin can make pores more noticeable, so calmer-looking skin may also mean less visible pores.

How Long to Give It

You may notice less shine from twice-daily cleansing and oil-free products well before any change in how pores look. Changes from Salicylic Acid and Retinol take longer, and Cleveland Clinic’s advice to build Retinol up slowly from twice a week means the first few weeks are mostly about getting used to it. Give each step steady, consistent use before deciding whether it’s earning its place.

One more note from Cleveland Clinic’s dermatologist: People tend to study their pores in a magnifying mirror and judge them as far larger than anyone else sees them. Her advice is to put that mirror away.

When to See a Board-Certified Dermatologist

Pores that still bug you after a few months of consistent use are worth showing to a board-certified dermatologist, who can work out what’s behind them. The AAD notes that a dermatologist can exfoliate skin during an office visit and talk through procedures that may help skin look firmer. Cleveland Clinic names prescription Retinoids, microneedling, and laser treatments among the options a dermatologist may suggest.

It’s also worth booking a visit if:

• Pores sit alongside painful, deep, or widespread breakouts

• A new bump grows, bleeds, or changes color

• Every product you try stings or leaves your face red

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I minimize pores?

It’s worth starting with why they look large. For most people, the routine is gentle cleansing twice a day, noncomedogenic products, daily broad-spectrum sunscreen, and one targeted step: Salicylic Acid if oil and buildup are the issue, or a Retinol product at night if skin looks less firm. Avoid scrubbing and squeezing, and give it steady, consistent use.

Are the dark dots on my nose clogged pores?

Often they’re sebaceous filaments. Cleveland Clinic describes them as small, flat, and gray, light brown, or yellow, while a blackhead is a darker plug in a raised bump. Filaments are normal and refill within about a month if squeezed out.

Does a face scrub help pores look smaller?

Usually not. The AAD says scrubbing doesn’t make skin any cleaner and can irritate it, which can make pores look larger. A leave-on or rinse-off Salicylic Acid product may be a gentler way to help keep pores looking clear.

Is it okay to squeeze my pores?

It’s best avoided. The AAD says picking and squeezing irritate skin and can make pores look more noticeable, and Cleveland Clinic’s dermatologist warns it can lead to scarring.

Why do my pores look bigger at certain times of the month?

Hormones may play a part. Cleveland Clinic’s pore explainer notes that oil production rises at puberty and that some women see their pores look different during the menstrual cycle, a time when breakouts are also more common.

Related Reading

• How to build a skincare routine from scratch

• The best AHA exfoliants

• How to get glowing-looking skin

• How to Reduce the Look of Dark Circles: Start With the Cause