The Big Pore Myth Broken Down by Experts

Pores remain one of the most misunderstood features in skincare. They are routinely blamed for uneven texture, shine, congestion and the failure to achieve the smooth, refined finish that has become shorthand for healthy skin. In reality, pores are not cosmetic accidents. They are functional openings within the skin, closely tied to oil production, thermoregulation and the skin’s wider protective system. The problem is not that pores exist, but that they continue to be discussed in language that is anatomically inaccurate and commercially over-simplified.

Few ideas have persisted as stubbornly as the belief that pores can be opened with heat and closed again with cold. It is a familiar line in treatment rooms, on product packaging and across social media, yet it does not reflect how skin physiology actually works. Pores do not behave like valves or doors. What changes is not whether they are open or shut, but how prominent they appear, how congested they become and how well the surrounding skin is functioning. That distinction matters, because once pore care is framed properly, the focus shifts from quick-fix rituals to sebum management, barrier health, exfoliation strategy and long-term support for skin quality.

As Advanced Facialist Mariam Abbas notes, “Pores have earned a bad rep for destroying skin texture and coming in the way of a glass skin complexion - if we look a little deeper, they are more than just pesky openings on the surface of the skin.” That is the right place to begin, because pores are a normal part of skin physiology. They are openings connected to appendages in the skin, and their role depends on what sits beneath them. Abbas explains: “Our entire surface is covered with pores, each pore is attached to an appendage, and it is there to serve a purpose! There are 3 main types of pores in the human body, the pores attached to apocrine glands and eccrine glands are both responsible for sweat secretions and regulating body temperature. The pores attached to sebaceous glands (responsible for oil production) are the ones that are constantly under attack by beauty enthusiasts. These are most abundant in the T-Zone of the face, the chest and back. These play a very important role in lubricating the surface of the skin.”

In aesthetic practice, when patients complain about “large pores”, they are usually referring to visible openings of the pilosebaceous unit, particularly across the nose, cheeks and central face. The medical literature is fairly clear on the main drivers. A widely cited review in Dermatologic Surgery identifies three major clinical causes of enlarged facial pores: high sebum excretion, decreased elasticity around the pore, and increased hair follicle volume. Chronic acne, hormonal influence and skincare habits can all add to the picture. In other words, enlarged pores are not a single-condition issue. They are a visible outcome shaped by oil flow, follicular structure, inflammation and skin ageing.

That is why the old “open and close” narrative does not hold up. Abbas puts it directly: “Pores don’t open and close like elastic bands. Thankfully we know more about skin physiology now than when facials consisted of steaming the face to enlarge pores and following with ice cubes or a clay mask to shock them into constriction.” Custodio d’Avó, Swissline Global Brand Director, highlightes “Pores don’t open and close like windows. The belief that heat opens pores and cold closes them is a skincare myth—pores have no muscles to contract or expand.” Anatomically, that is the crux of it. Steam may soften hardened sebum and debris on the skin’s surface, making extractions easier, while cold can reduce superficial swelling and create a temporary feeling of tightness, but neither alters pore size in any lasting structural sense.

That does not mean these steps do nothing. It means they have been misdescribed for years. As Abbas explains, “Steam has the effect of softening the congestion within the pores to ease extractions, it isn’t really relaxing the pore. Ice cubes and cold water can temporarily make the skin look clean and tight because they constrict the blood vessels and skin tissue around the pores. Similarly clay masks help to dry up excess sebum and remove congestion, so the pores are less obvious. These aren’t long term solutions to manage skin texture and enlarged pore concerns.” D’Avó echoes that nuance: “What steam can do is temporarily hyper-hydrate and plump the skin’s surface, which may help facilitate cleansing and extractions. However, targeted treatments and formulations can improve the appearance of pores by reducing excess oil and debris, and by enhancing overall skin firmness.”

So why do pores become more visible? Excess sebum is one of the main reasons. Abbas explains that “pores can appear enlarged primarily because of excessive sebum production. If our skin is producing too much oil or dead skin cells are not being shed as well as they should be, together they get trapped in the pore, which naturally appears stretched to house the build-up. Oxidation on the skin’s surface creates the blackhead appearance.” This aligns closely with the published research, which links visible facial pore size to increased sebum output and reduced elasticity. One reason the myth persists is that patients often assume the pore itself enlarges first and then becomes blocked. In reality, congestion and oil accumulation are often what make the opening appear more obvious in the first place.

There is another important distinction to make here, especially in clinic conversations: not every visible pore is a blackhead. Sebaceous filaments are a normal part of skin function and are particularly noticeable in oilier skin and in areas such as the nose. Blackheads, by contrast, are true comedones formed when oil and dead cells accumulate and oxidise at the pore opening. Not every patient trying to “clear out” their pores is dealing with acne. Sometimes they are seeing normal anatomy through the lens of increasingly unrealistic texture standards.

Ageing changes the conversation again. Abbas notes that “pores can also start to appear more visible as the skin loses elasticity and the dermal matrix breaks down because of the natural ageing process and from sun damage. The sun doesn’t only cause pigmentation and skin cancer; UV rays also damage dermal proteins causing the skin to become lax.” That point matters because pore visibility is not just a sebum story. It is also a collagen and elastin story. As peri-follicular support weakens, pores can look elongated, softer at the edges and more prominent under certain lighting. This is one reason enlarged pores are often more difficult to address in mature skin unless treatment plans account for skin quality more broadly.

So What is the Right Pore Care?

For sensible pore care, the evidence points away from harsh stripping and towards consistent, barrier-aware management. The American Academy of Dermatology advises gentle cleansing, avoidance of aggressive scrubbing, the use of salicylic acid where appropriate to help unclog pores, and daily sunscreen because sun damage can make pores look more noticeable over time. Retinoids also have an established role, particularly where congestion, cell turnover and age-related textural change intersect.

Abbas is right to widen the frame beyond one ingredient or one product category. “To make the skin appear smoother, we can’t ‘shrink’ pores but we can focus on using suitable skincare to prevent sebum build up. If your skin is naturally oily or leans towards the oilier skin type, use products designed to help balance the sebum production. Remember, you can never change your genetic skin type, but you can always work with it!” She also points to the value of looking at sebum quality, not just quantity: “If you suffer from enlarged pores and pore congestion it is important to ensure the skin lipids are balanced and good quality. Nutritional intake of Omegas and Fatty Acids will also play a big role in sebum viscosity to make sure the sebum isn’t thick or sticky. A strong skin barrier function requires a healthy lipid production to keep the skin balanced. Hormonal levels i.e. testosterone will also have an impact on sebum production. Overall, managing enlarged pores requires a more holistic approach rather than overwhelming the skin barrier with drying agents like Salicylic acid washes and toners.”

That last point is increasingly relevant. Over-treatment remains common, especially in younger oily skins that are repeatedly exposed to foaming cleansers, exfoliating acids, drying masks and high-strength actives layered without much restraint. Congestion may improve briefly, but irritation and rebound oiliness can follow, leaving skin looking shinier, redder and no smoother. Pore care has to be precise. Reducing excess oil and build-up matters, but so does maintaining barrier integrity and preventing inflammatory cycles that make texture look worse.

Where pores are more visible because of age-related laxity or cumulative UV damage, treatment planning needs to shift accordingly. Abbas says: “If the pores are enlarged and lax because of chronological ageing and / or environmental damage; it is important to consider the health of the skin, protect the skin from sun damage and incorporate skin regenerative treatments to rebuild skin texture and strength. Rebuilding dermal collagen, detoxing elastin fibres and replenishing hydration levels will help to diminish the appearance of pores.” The treatment literature supports that more tailored approach. A 2023 review covering 19 clinical trials and 591 cases found that multiple modalities can reduce facial pore number and area, with combination approaches often performing better than single treatments, particularly when both sebum control and skin quality are addressed together.

Microneedling sits naturally within that discussion. As Abbas notes, “Microneedling treatments can help immensely with improving skin texture, skin tone, and stimulating collagen production. These treatments can give the skin a smooth appearance and feel, making the pores less visible.” That wording is important. Less visible, not erased. Better texture, not pore removal. The most credible clinic messaging is the messaging that reflects the biology.

The industry would do well to retire the language of “opening” and “closing” pores altogether. It belongs to an earlier, less precise era of skincare communication. Pores can become congested. They can appear enlarged. They can look more obvious when sebum output is high or collagen support is low. Their appearance can improve with sensible skincare, photoprotection and well-chosen professional treatments. What they do not do is behave like shutters. The more accurate conversation is also the more useful one, because it gives practitioners a clearer route to treatment and patients a more realistic understanding of what healthy skin actually looks like.

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