A pore is the opening of a hair follicle with a sebaceous gland, and the face has tens of thousands, most on the nose, forehead and inner cheeks where the sebaceous glands are largest. Pore size is determined by genes, hormones and sebum production, and it has no muscles: it can't be "opened" by heat or "closed" by cold, only temporarily swell and contract with the surrounding skin. What makes a pore show is three things. The contents: when sebum and dead skin cells fill the opening it widens, and when the plug oxidises in the air it turns dark, a blackhead, which looks like a black dot in a large pore. The edge: collagen and elastin around the pore keep it round and tight; sun, age and smoking break them down, the edge slackens and the pore becomes teardrop-shaped and larger, which is why pores show more after 35 even though the skin has become drier. The surroundings: an uneven skin surface, dry flakes, shine and redness make the pores stand out; smooth, hydrated skin with an even tone makes them much less visible without them having changed size. This means the strategy has three parts: keep the pores empty, protect and build the edge, and even out the surface. Everything else is cosmetics that hide for the day, which is perfectly fine, as long as you know that is what it is. Here is what works, what doesn't, and a routine.
Why do your pores show? Where says what
| Where | Most common cause | What helps most |
|---|---|---|
| The nose, dark dots | Filled pores, blackheads (oxidised sebum), high sebum production | BHA (salicylic acid) daily, retinoid, mild cleansing twice a day; no squeezing, no strips |
| Inner cheeks by the nose, large round or teardrop-shaped pores | Sebum plus lost elasticity (sun, age) | Sunscreen every day, retinoid, niacinamide, hydration; skin therapist treatments if needed |
| Forehead and chin, small filled pores and bumps | Sebum, hair products, make-up and sunscreen not washed off properly, hormones | Double cleansing in the evening, BHA, non-comedogenic products, keep hair and hands away |
| The whole face, grey and dull skin with visible pores | Dehydration and dead skin on the surface, sleep deprivation, smoking, too little blood flow | Hydration, mild chemical exfoliation, sleep, quitting smoking, face cupping for glow |
| Pores that have grown larger with the years | Broken-down collagen and elastin around the pore, sun damage, gravity | Retinoid, sunscreen, peptides and vitamin C, skin therapist treatments (microneedling, laser), cupping for blood flow and firmness |
| Pores with red bumps and spots | Acne: inflamed pores | Acne treatment first (BHA, benzoyl peroxide, retinoid, a doctor if needed); no cupping over inflamed skin |
What works, according to research
- Sunscreen every day, SPF 30–50. UV radiation breaks down the collagen that keeps the pore's edge tight; sunscreen is the single most important measure against pores getting larger with the years, and the only one that prevents it. Choose a light, non-comedogenic formula if your skin is oily.
- Salicylic acid (BHA), 0.5–2 percent. Oil-soluble, goes down into the pore and dissolves sebum and dead cells, reduces blackheads and makes the pores less filled in two to four weeks. Used as a toner or serum, in the evening, start every other day.
- Retinoids (retinol over the counter, adapalene over the counter in gel, tretinoin on prescription). Normalise skin cell turnover so the pores don't clog, build collagen around the pore and even out the surface; the best documented treatment for both filled and enlarged pores. Effect after eight to twelve weeks, start with a low strength two evenings a week, always with sunscreen. Not during pregnancy.
- Niacinamide, 2–5 percent. Reduces sebum production, strengthens the skin barrier and reduces pore visibility in studies after eight weeks; tolerated by almost all skin types, morning or evening.
- The right cleansing. Mild, pH-balanced cleansing twice a day; in the evening double cleansing (oil or balm that dissolves make-up and sunscreen, then a mild gel) if you use make-up or sunscreen. Neither too little (the pores fill) nor too harsh (the skin compensates with more sebum and the barrier is damaged).
- Hydration, even if your skin is oily. Dehydrated skin looks coarser and often produces more sebum; a light gel cream with hyaluronic acid and glycerin evens the surface. Dry, flaking skin around the pores is what often makes them show most.
- Stop squeezing. Squeezed blackheads return within days, and the pressure damages the pore wall so it becomes permanently larger and sometimes scars. Let BHA and retinoid do the work, or have a skin therapist do extractions with the right technique.
- Treatments at the skin therapist and dermatologist when the routine isn't enough: chemical peels (salicylic acid, glycolic acid), microneedling and fractional laser (build collagen around the pore, effect on enlarged pores), and for high sebum production in severe cases prescription treatment via a dermatologist.
What doesn't work, or makes things worse
- Cold water and ice cubes don't "close" the pores. The skin contracts for a few minutes, then everything is as before. Harmless, but nothing more.
- Steam doesn't "open" the pores, but softens the sebum plug; can make cleansing easier, replaces nothing.
- Pore strips pull out the top of the blackhead and the top layer of skin; the pore refills in days and the edge is irritated. Satisfying to look at, counterproductive.
- Harsh scrubs with grains tear the surface, irritate and give more sebum; mild chemical exfoliation does the job better.
- Alcohol-based toners and drying products make the skin dry and coarse and often increase sebum production.
- Pore-minimising primers and silicone-based products fill the pores optically and are an excellent cosmetic trick for the day, but they do nothing for the pore and must be washed off properly in the evening.
- Skipping moisturiser to "dry out" the skin gives a coarser surface and more visible pores.
A routine that takes five minutes
Morning: rinse with lukewarm water or a mild cleanser, niacinamide serum, light moisturiser, sunscreen SPF 30–50. Evening: double cleansing if you have worn make-up or sunscreen, otherwise mild cleansing; BHA toner or serum (every other evening at first, then daily if the skin tolerates it); retinoid two to three evenings a week on dry skin, on the evenings you don't use BHA until the skin has adjusted; moisturiser. Once or twice a week: face cupping on cleansed skin with oil, followed by cleansing again (see below), and if needed a clay mask on nose and forehead. Allow four weeks for a clear difference on filled pores and three months for enlarged ones; the skin's full turnover takes six weeks. The whole routine with product types is in skincare routine morning and evening with face cupping.
Face cupping and pores: what it does and how to do it right
Face cupping doesn't affect pore size in itself, but it does two of the three things that decide how pores show: it increases blood flow in the skin around the pores so that skin tone evens out and glow increases immediately, and with regular use it stimulates the skin's connective tissue and drainage so that swelling decreases and the skin around the pore becomes firmer over time. Studies on mechanical stimulation of the skin (massage, micro-vacuum) show increased fibroblast activity; for face cupping specifically the evidence is thinner, but the mechanism is the same and the effect on glow and swelling is noticeable immediately. What matters is that you do it cleanly and lightly. How to: wash the face thoroughly, apply the face oil (a thin layer; the cup should glide, not drag), glide the face cup with minimal suction in slow strokes from the centre of the face outwards and upwards, along the jawline, cheeks and forehead, and the mini cup over the nose, the sides of the nose and around the mouth, 5–8 minutes in total, keeping the cup moving at all times. Finish by washing off the oil properly with a mild cleanser (oil left behind fills the pores) and apply serum and moisturiser. Once or twice a week is enough for pores and glow, ideally in the evening before a BHA evening. Don't cup over inflamed acne, red spots, boils, rosacea in a flare, open wounds, eczema, sunburn or fresh fillers (wait two weeks), and not on the same day as a chemical peel or microneedling. If you have acne with many inflamed spots: treat the acne first, cup the calm areas with extra light pressure. The technique in detail: face cupping and lymphatic massage for the face; realistic expectations in facial cupping before and after; comparisons in gua sha or face cupping and red light therapy.
Read more
Skincare routine with face cupping, face cupping, facial cupping before and after, under-eye bags and puffy face, dark circles and sleep deprivation.
Frequently asked questions
Can you shrink large pores?
Not permanently, and pores can't be opened or closed. But they can be made clearly less visible: emptied with salicylic acid and retinoid, tighter at the edge with sunscreen, retinoid and over time skin therapist treatments such as microneedling and laser, and surrounded by smooth, hydrated skin with an even tone. That is the difference between pores that show from a metre away and pores that only show in a magnifying mirror.
Why do I have large pores on my nose?
The nose has the face's largest and densest sebaceous glands, so the pores there are larger to begin with and fill fastest. The dark dots are blackheads: sebum and dead skin cells that have oxidised in the air, not dirt. Salicylic acid every evening, a retinoid a few evenings a week, mild cleansing and stopping squeezing and using strips make a difference in two to four weeks.
Does cold water or ice help large pores?
No. Cold contracts the skin for a few minutes, then the pores are as before; pores have no muscles and can't be closed. It is harmless but does nothing. What works is keeping the pores empty (BHA, retinoid), protecting the edge (sunscreen) and evening out the skin around them (hydration, mild exfoliation, blood flow).
How long before the pores look smaller?
Filled pores and blackheads: two to four weeks with daily salicylic acid and the right cleansing. Enlarged pores with a slack edge: three months with a retinoid and sunscreen before the difference is clear, and continued improvement for up to a year. Glow and more even tone from hydration and face cupping are noticeable immediately and build with regularity. The skin's full turnover takes six weeks, so give each new product at least that long.
Does face cupping help large pores?
Not the pore's size, but how it shows: cupping increases blood flow and glow immediately, evens skin tone and supports drainage and firmness in the skin around the pores over time. Do it cleanly and lightly: washed face, a thin layer of oil, minimal suction in slow strokes outwards and upwards, 5–8 minutes once or twice a week, and wash off the oil afterwards so it doesn't fill the pores. Not over inflamed acne, rosacea in a flare or wounds.
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Written by Curam. Last updated 17 October 2026. This is general self-care information and does not replace medical care. For sudden, severe or unusual symptoms, contact your doctor. Talk to your doctor before cupping if you are pregnant, take blood thinners or have a condition affecting skin, blood vessels or blood.
