How to Minimize Pores: Skincare & Treatment Guide

Fed up with how much your pores stand out? While there are some myths around the idea that you can actually shrink them, we’re happy to report that there are ways to make your pores look smaller. In this guide, we cover the at-home products and professional treatments that’ll help you achieve smoother skin and smaller-looking pores. 

What Are Pores? 

The pores you see on your skin are hair follicles. Their job is to act as an opening for hair and to release sebum (i.e., the oil produced by human skin) onto your skin’s surface, helping keep your barrier intact. 

We also have sweat pores, which are openings that release sweat — but these pores are microscopic and not visible to the human eye. 

What Causes Visible Pores? 

There are many things that can make your pores seem larger, depending on your age and skin type. 

• Genetics is often the biggest factor — to a large extent, the size of your pores is biologically determined. 

• Oily skin (typically caused by hormones and influenced by genetics) results in pores becoming larger to accommodate greater amounts of sebum. 
• Aging and sun damage result in loss of firmness and elasticity, leading to texture and Seeing your best results will likely require a mix of interventions. Combining the right skincare at home with professional treatments is the best way to minimize pores quickly and ensure those results last for the long-term. 

Choose Non-Comedogenic Products

The American Academy of Dermatology highlights the importance of using non-comedogenic products when working to minimize the look of pores. 

Look for the terms “non-comedogenic” or “won’t clog pores” when shopping for skincare or makeup. These products are specifically formulated not to bind with dead skin cells and sebum, preventing the blockages that stretch out pore walls and make them look larger.

Exfoliate

The best exfoliants for minimizing facial pores are gentle acids: 

• Salicylic acid (also known as BHA) is great if your pore size is related to having oiliness, as it can cut through the sebum. 
• Glycolic acid (a type of AHA) is fantastic if your skin isn’t oily, as it is a powerful, thorough exfoliant known for its firming and collagen-boosting effects. 
• Lactic acid (an AHA) is a great option if you have sensitive or dehydration-prone skin, as it’s very gentle and hydrating.

Clinical note: If you’re also getting facial laser or microneedling treatments to reduce the size of your pores, you may need to take a short exfoliant break. Check in with your provider or review the pre-care instructions for the treatment you’re getting. 

Cleanse Properly

Keeping your skin clean is a no-brainer, as it’s the best way to keep your skin and pores free from excess oil and impurities. 

• Oil-based cleansers are often the best for clearing out pores, as they help any buildup slide out easily and gently.
• Foaming cleansers are still useful, and can be especially nice as a second step.
• You can look for acid-based cleansers with BHA or AHA if you’d prefer fewer steps in your skincare routine. Consider leaving them on your skin for 2-3 minutes to allow the exfoliation to occur. 

Choose a Hydrating Moisturizer

Keeping your skin properly hydrated is essential for minimizing the appearance of pores. Dehydrated skin loses its typical plumpness and bounce, which can actually make your pores look much more noticeable. 

Make sure your moisturizer includes ingredients like glycine, hyaluronic acid, or panthenol — these are humectants that pull water into the upper layers of the skin for immediate hydration. 

If you have oily or acne-prone skin, look for moisturizers labeled as “non-comedogenic” or “won’t clog pores”. You can also look for moisturizers formulated with niacinamide, which helps reduce sebum production and visibly minimizes pores on the face while repairing the skin barrier.

Use Sunscreen

Protecting your face with sunscreen every single day is a vital step in keeping your pores looking small. 

As the sun’s rays hit the skin, the damage builds up over time and causes the skin to lose its firmness. When your skin sags and loses elasticity, your pores will naturally look much more noticeable. 

Dermatologists recommend applying a broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher, rain or shine, to prevent this sun damage. If you receive facial laser treatments, strict sun protection is even more crucial.

Consider a Retinoid

Incorporating a retinoid into your routine can be a game-changer if your pores appear larger due to oily skin, mild acne, or a loss of skin firmness. 

Skin care products containing retinol or other retinoids help firm the skin and unclog pores, making them look smaller. For the best results, dermatologists recommend applying these products before going to bed. 

Please note that anyone pregnant or breastfeeding should avoid using products containing retinol, tretinoin, or retinyl palmitate.

Include Niacinamide 

Niacinamide, also known as vitamin B3, is an excellent skincare ingredient for pores. Studies show it can visibly minimize pores and reduce sebum production.

It’s great for oily skin, but it also has antioxidant, barrier-repairing, and skin-soothing properties that make it an excellent option for sensitive, dry, and aging skin. 

In other words, it’s the skincare world’s do-it-all, and it’s effective at just 2-4%, so you don’t have to shell out for a 10% niacinamide serum. 

It’s best used in leave-on products, such as moisturizers, sunscreens, serums, or toners/essences.

Try Microneedling

Microneedling is an excellent professional treatment for minimizing enlarged pores on the face and achieving smoother skin. 

This minimally invasive procedure creates thousands of controlled micro-channels in the skin and triggers your body’s natural wound-healing cascade, remodeling the tissue and stimulating fresh collagen and elastin production. 

Because mature skin is thinner and loses collagen, this collagen induction therapy helps firm the skin structure, ultimately reducing the appearance of pores, fine lines, and acne scars with little to no downtime.

At SEV, we use the FDA-cleared SkinPen, a medical-grade device that ensures precision treatments that are safer for the skin. 

Find a Great Primer 

While skincare and laser treatments fix the root cause of large-looking pores over time, a makeup primer offers an instant cosmetic blur. 

Silicone-based primers typically work best, as they temporarily fill in the microscopic indentations of your pores, creating a perfectly smooth canvas for makeup application. 

Sunscreens with silicone, like Supergoop’s Unseen Sunscreen, are a great option that also protect you from the sun’s effects.

Consider Pore-Minimizing Laser Treatments

Professional laser treatments are incredibly effective at minimizing facial pores by stimulating skin rejuvenation and targeting sebum production. 

Lasers like the Nd:YAG we use for the Laser Facial at SEV penetrate the dermis to gently activate collagen and elastin production, which improves skin texture, firmness, and pore size slowly over time. Regular treatments help maintain optimal collagen levels, keeping your skin youthful and your pores tight.

More intensive types of laser treatments, such as CO2 lasers, can also decrease the count of dilated pores by resurfacing the outer layers of the skin more aggressively. While highly effective, these treatments do typically cause longer downtime. 

Pore Minimizing Solutions at SEV 

At SEV, we offer powerful, minimally invasive treatments to help you achieve your smoothest skin. Our Laser Facial utilizes Nd:YAG energy to gently stimulate the dermis, purifying the skin and activating collagen and elastin production to refine texture. 

It takes just 15 minutes and requires no downtime, although you will likely need consistent treatments over a long period of time to see a dramatic change. 

We also offer SkinPen microneedling, an FDA-cleared collagen induction therapy that creates micro-channels in the skin. This triggers a natural healing response that produces fresh collagen and elastin, noticeably minimizing enlarged pores and improving overall skin firmness and texture. 

If you’re new to these treatments at SEV, visit our booking portal to find our intro offers, including your first laser facial free and your first SkinPen treatments for just $129.