In the skin, the structure of the pore consists of the hair follicle and the sebaceous oily gland. The pore is enlarged due to genetic physiological factors, skin aging, or inappropriate usage of makeup and skincare products.

Genetic physiological factors:

1. Hormonal disturbances causing too much oily secretion
2. Abnormal metabolism of skin cells, with the keratin accumulating at the opening of hair follicles and oily glands. The oily secretion mixes with the keratin, causes blockage and enlarges the pores.
3. The skin ages both intrinsically and extrinsically, and the supporting tissues surrounding the hair follicles will degenerate and shrink, making the pores look bigger.

Skincare factors:

1. Environmental pollution or inadequate cleansing allows dirt to deposit in the already enlarged pores, and the black colour will make the pores more obvious.
2. Inappropriate skincare makes the skin dry and lack of hydration, and the cells surrounding the pores will contract and shrink. This makes the keratinization worse, causing more blockage.
3. Too much inappropriate makeup and skincare, at too long interval, and inadequate cleansing and removal at night. The most common culprit is foundation powder and sunscreen. They prevent the metabolites from inside the pores to be excreted naturally, cause more blockage and enlarge the pores.

To manage and improve enlarged pores, it is common sense to work from the basic and do simple things first. Avoid using too much thick greasy skincare products, and use with the shortest time possible, and do a thorough cleansing afterwards. When less time is spent on the wrong stuffs, more time can be spent on using the correct skincare products to reduce pores.

1. To do the cleansing, it helps to use a mild Glycolic Acid Cleanser to remove excessive oily secretion and dissolve the keratin stuck at the pore openings
2. 2.After cleansing, replacement of hydration is neeedd and Hyaluronic Acid Serum is more suitable as it is non greasy.
3. 3.A sparingly thin layer of retinoid can be applied to correct the metabolism of skin cells in the pores and reduce keratin accumulation.
4. 4.Once every 1 to 2 weeks a mild chemical peeling can be done at home to soften and remove the keratin already accumulated in the pores.

If the pores enlargement problem is more severe, then perhaps a series of more aggressive treatments can be arranged at a medical aesthetic centre. There are plenty of these treatments, and one needs to consider their own requirement, the downtime, the pain, the risks, as well as the costs.

1. Moderate to strong level of Chemical Peel
2. Micro-dermabrasion
3. Fractional CO2 Laser
4. Micro-needling Cryo-electrophoresis
5. Micro-needling Radio-frequency