All About Large Pores & How To Reduce Their Size

When it comes to skincare, there’s a lot of skin issues that are discussed. From rosacea to aging skin, breakouts and of course… large pores. We find that many of you in the KAPLAN MD Skincare community want to learn more about large pores and how to minimize them.

Before we get started on all things large pores, it’s important to remember that they are completelynormal. They’ve developed a bit of a bad reputation over the years and there are ways to reduce them, but they’re by no means something to be highly concerned about if you have them.

So, are you ready to dive in? Let’s talk about large pores.

What Are Large Pores?

This may sound like a silly question because you may be thinking “well, they’re just large pores,” but it’s good to know what pores are, the different kinds and how they work.

To start, there’s two kinds of skin pores; oil pores and sweat pores. 

Oil pores are connected to (surprise!) your oil gland and they’re found over the whole entire surface of the skin on your body -- except for the palms of your hands and the soles of your feet. These are the pores people often are referring to when talking about large or blocked pores as they’re the ones that can be seen.

Sweat pores are also all over the skin on your body, however these ones are incredibly tiny. They can’t be seen with the naked eye and they’re the pores you have to thank for excessive sweating.

How Pores Work

Your oil pores (or the larger pores) are very important. They actually let the oil that’s generated by the sebaceous glands (oil glands) to reach the surface of the skin and lubricate it so your skin stays moisturized and supple. Trying to stop the production of this oil can end up harming the skin, so it’s better to keep them functioning and working with what your skin’s giving you.

Sweat pores work in a very similar way, as they allow for your sweat to reach the top of the skin and maintain body temperature. 

But, we’re not here to talk about sweat pores, we’re here to talk about large pores which are the oil-based ones.

What Causes Large Pores?

There’s more causes for large pores than you think and oftentimes, you just can’t avoid them. That’s why it’s important to remember that if you have them, it’s completely normal.

One of the biggest reasons for having large pores is your genetics. If you have large pores, it’s quite likely that a number of your family members do too. This isn't exactly something you can avoid so it’s important to understand what large pores really are.

Age is also a determining factor. Since your skin loses elasticity year over year, it causes your skin to stretch which makes your pores appear larger than they did when you were younger. As you age, your skin also gets thicker which causes small skin cells to gather around your pores which also makes them look larger. This is a huge reason why anti-aging products are a great way to help prevent pores enlarging year over year.

We all love being out in the sun but that damage from those rays can actually make your pores appear larger. Sun exposure for long periods of time can also remove collagen, elastin and water from skin which makes skin appear to age faster -- thus making pores look larger.

Clogged pores and blackheads, can also lead to pores appearing larger since they expand the area of the pore. Plus, blackheads tend to draw further attention to the pores due to their color.

How To Reduce The Size of Large Pores

There’s a number of ways you can work to prevent and reduce the size of large pores so even if they’re genetic or due to aging, you can try some of these methods to help. 

Always cleanse your face

Cleansing is extremely important when it comes to reducing and preventing larger pore sizes. Why? Because by cleansing, you’re able to remove dirt, oil and anything else that isn’t wanted on your face that leads to clogged pores. By cleansing, you’re avoiding this happening to your pores.

We recommend using our Purifying Foam Cleanser for it’s gentle, but powerful cleansing abilities.

Exfoliate

Having an exfoliator as a part of your regular skincare routine is beneficial for many reasons -- and one of those reasons is to help reduce pore size. By removing those dead skin cells from the upper skin layer, it helps to unclog pores on a deeper scale. 

However, you want to make sure you’re using an exfoliator that’s gentle on the skin, like our Cell Renewing Microfoliant that works to also purify your pores.

Moisturize

Your moisturizer has a lot of benefits to say the least, and one of those benefits is helping to reduce the appearance of large pores. By using a moisturizer each day, it can reduce the chances of developing dry or oily skin which can often make pores stand out more. On top of this, the massaging nature of rubbing in your moisturizer helps with blood flow and promotes cell generation.

By moisturizing twice a day, once in the morning with something like our Daily Moisture SPF30 Concentrate and at night with our Night Replenishment Concentrate, you know that these products are working to help hydrate and reduce pore size.

Use SPF30

Even in the winter, you’ll want to use an SPF30 to avoid sun damage which makes the appearance of pores look larger. That’s why including our Daily Moisture SPF30 Concentrate into your morning routine is important. 

Face Masks

The use of face masks with the right ingredients and gentle exfoliation can also really help with reducing pore size. Specifically, ones that dry on the skin, like our Firming Mask, help to eliminate blackheads which reduces the look of large pores.