Why have I got large pores?
As we age, our pores get larger. This is because we lose collagen, which supports the skin and the structures within it. The more support is lost, the more pores dilate and appear bigger.
Your skin type also determines pore size. Large pores are more common with oily or thick skin. Pores become larger and more noticeable if they become congested with sebum, the oil we produce to protect the skin. A combination of old dead skin cells and sebum can block the pores and then oxidise into a black plug known as a blackhead.
Can large pores be removed for good?
Unfortunately, no treatment can remove large pores for good.
You can only improve/reduce them, and you will need to continue with treatments to maintain the results.
Do you use laser to treat large pores?
At Cheshire Lasers, we do not currently offer resurfacing laser treatment. If that is specifically what you are looking for, there are specialist clinics in Cheshire that provide it.
We prefer to use our Neogen and radiofrequency microneedling devices, which cause less downtime and fit better with our clients’ lifestyles.
How can I improve my large pores at home?
Good home skin care can make a big difference. Our favourite products are ZO Skin Health and pHformula, but we also use Medik8, Obagi, and many more, which you can view on our online shop.
Products for pores and younger skin
In younger skin, enlarged pores are more commonly associated with excess sebum, congestion and the accumulation of dead skin cells. In these cases, ingredients that regulate oil production, exfoliate and help keep pores clear can be particularly effective. Products such as ZO Instant Pore Refiner, Oil Control Pads, clarifying mask and Exfoliating cleanser can be considered based on individual skin type and concerns.
You can view the products we recommend for enlarged pores.
Products for enlarged pores and ageing skin
In mature skin, simply exfoliating or controlling oil isn’t the answer. Instead, skincare needs to support collagen, elastin, and skin renewal. Improving overall firmness can help the quality and structure of the skin surrounding the pores, making them appear less prominent. Both ZO Skin Health and pHformula offer advanced anti-ageing ingredients such as retinol and growth factors that can support these processes, making them particularly relevant for mature skin.
You can view products we recommend to support ageing skin, which can then support your pores, in the following categories on the shop
Tips to use to prevent pores from looking larger when it comes to skincare
- Don’t overuse moisturisers; they slow down cell turnover and compact dead cells in the pores, which then enlarge.
- Don’t try to cover up the problem with foundation or powders because, again, it can compact dead cells.
- Avoid using fake tan. The tan stains the sebum and dead cells in the pores, making them appear more visible.
Which treatments at Cheshire Lasers reduce large pores?
Microdermabrasion
Microdermabrasion is a facial treatment that blasts your skin with tiny crystals sanding off and removing dead skin cells. This treatment removes just the top surface of the skin and unclogs pores and blackheads. It also helps reduce fine lines and stimulates collagen which gives the pores more support.
Microneedling
Microneedling is another way to reduce pore size. This treatment uses a needling device to create thousands of tiny holes in your skin. The healing process stimulates the release of growth factors and stimulates the production of collagen and elastin, giving firmer skin, which supports the pores so they appear smaller. This treatment also helps resurface and smooth the skin’s surface, which also helps reduce pores.
Skin peels
A skin peel can smooth the surface of the skin making pores appear less noticeable. Cheshire Lasers offers a wide variety of skin peels. Choose from a milder peel which gives little or no downtime but are less effective and the results are short-lasting. Or a more aggressive peel which gives more peeling and more downtime and the results can last a few months. Many people opt for a course of mild peels and step up in strength until they achieve good results and then have a maintenance treatment every month or two.
Our favourite peels for reducing large pores are:
Hydro2 Facial
The Hydro2 Facial begins with a deep cleanse that jet washes the skin to lift away dead skin cells, then uses a solution containing glycolic and salicylic acid to soften the blockages in the pores before drawing them out with gentle suction. Six further technologies can be added to the same treatment, so it can be tailored to oily and congested skin.
Radiofrequency skin tightening
Radiofrequency (also known as RF), involves heating up the skin layers to stimulate collagen production. A course of 6 to 8 treatments can tighten and brighten the skin providing support for the pores, which can reduce their appearance.
Radiofrequency microneedling
Radiofrequency microneedling combines the two treatments above. We use Dermaforce, which passes fine insulated needles into the skin and releases radiofrequency energy from their tips, so the surface is resurfaced and the deeper layers are heated at the same time. It stimulates collagen at a depth ordinary microneedling does not reach, firming the skin that supports the pores so they appear smaller.
Neogen Plasma
Neogen uses nitrogen gas converted into plasma energy. It resurfaces the skin evenly and reaches the deeper layers as well as the surface, improving skin texture as it heals and building collagen over the following months. That combination smooths the surface of the skin and firms the support around the pores.
Microtoxin Glass Skin Treatment
Botulinum toxin is best known for softening expression lines and for reducing sweating. It can also be placed in tiny doses into the surface of the skin, rather than into the muscle beneath, where it causes a temporary reduction in oil production. In some people this makes the pores look smaller and the skin smoother. At Cheshire Lasers this is our Microtoxin Glass Skin treatment.
Which of these treatments should I choose?
The treatments that work under the surface of the skin tend to be the most effective, because they stimulate collagen to support the pores, which causes them to shrink from within. Three of the treatments above do this: microneedling, radiofrequency microneedling and Neogen Plasma.
Of the three, plain microneedling does the least. It creates the tiny channels in the skin, but there is no energy behind it, so it does not achieve as much as the other two.
Neogen and radiofrequency microneedling are about equal. They are different kinds of energy rather than one being better than the other, and the practical difference is in what happens afterwards: radiofrequency microneedling breaks the skin with needles, while Neogen heats the skin and leaves the surface intact until it peels. The aftercare and the reaction differ, so the choice usually comes down to which recovery suits you.
The other treatments here — microdermabrasion, skin peels and the Hydro2 Facial — work on the surface rather than the deeper layers. They keep the pores clear and make them look smaller, and many people use them alongside one of the three above.