Can Open Pores Be Closed? 10 Myths About Large Pores

No, open pores can’t be closed for good, because a pore is a permanent opening with no muscle to shut it. You can make them look much smaller. The way to do that depends on the cause: oil and clogging, loose skin around the pore, or the pore size you were born with.

If you have searched for how to close khule masaam, you have probably met plenty of advice: ice, multani mitti, toothpaste, pore strips. Some of it helps for an hour, and some of it makes pores look worse. Here is what’s true, and what to do instead.

What causes open pores?

A review in Dermatologic Surgery names three main causes: too much oil, loose skin around the pore, and larger hair follicles.¹ Repeated acne, hormones and skin care habits can also play a part. That is why two people with the same “open pores” may need different treatment.

10 myths about open pores

Myth 1: Steam opens pores and cold water closes them

Pores have no muscle, so they can’t open and close. Steam softens the oil inside them, which is why skin can feel cleaner. It doesn’t change their size.

Myth 2: Ice closes open pores

We found no good evidence that it does. Cold can make skin look calmer for a short while, and that’s all you should expect. Never hold ice directly on your skin.

Myth 3: Multani mitti shrinks pores

Multani mitti is a clay, and clay masks can soak up extra oil, so pores may look cleaner for a while.² It doesn’t change their size. Use it no more than two or three times a week, because too much drying irritates skin.

Myth 4: Toothpaste shrinks pores

Toothpaste is made for teeth. Its ingredients can dry and irritate your face, which makes pores more noticeable, so leave it in the bathroom cabinet.

Myth 5: The black in a blackhead is dirt

It’s mostly oil and dead skin that have darkened in the air. Scrubbing harder won’t remove it, and it can irritate your skin. Salicylic acid can help unclog pores.³

Myth 6: Squeezing is the best way to clear them

Picking and squeezing can irritate skin and make pores look more noticeable.³ It can also leave marks. If blackheads bother you, have them cleared in clinic.

Myth 7: Pore strips fix the problem

They pull off what’s on the surface, and the pore fills up again. They can also irritate sensitive skin, so they won’t give you a lasting result.

Myth 8: Large pores always mean oily skin

Oil is a common cause, but not the only one. Genetics and looser skin can make pores visible on dry or combination skin too.¹

Myth 9: A tan hides them

A tan may hide them for a few weeks, but sun damage weakens the skin around pores, and they can look larger over time. Wear sunscreen every day, including in winter.

Myth 10: Nothing can be done

This is the most discouraging myth, and it’s wrong. A review of 19 clinical trials with 591 patients found that repeat sessions and combined treatments improved both pore size and number more than single treatments did.⁴

How to make open pores look smaller at home

• Cleanse gently, twice a day. Use warm water and a non-comedogenic cleanser, because clogging and oil make pores look larger.³
• Use salicylic acid if you’re oily. It helps unclog pores.³ If you’re breaking out, treating the acne also helps.
• Don’t skip moisturiser. Choose a light, oil-free one.
• Wear SPF 30 or higher every day. This protects the skin around your pores.

When to see a doctor about open pores

See a doctor if home care hasn’t helped after a couple of months, if your pores come with repeated pimples or scars, or if you’d like faster results. Choosing the right treatment starts with finding the cause, and the research agrees that treatment should be matched to each person.¹ For younger, oily skin the aim is usually oil control. For older skin it’s also about firming.⁴

• Oil and blackheads: HydraFacial or salicylic acid peel. Clears oil and clogging from the pores.
• Shine and large-looking pores: Carbon laser peel. Lifts oil and dead cells, for less shine.
• Loose skin around the pores: RF microneedling. Builds collagen around the pores over months.

You can compare steps, sessions and prices on our open pores treatment page. Consultations for this are free at all 12 of our clinics, and you can ask for a female doctor. If you’d like to be seen in person, find a skin specialist in Karachi or a skin specialist in Lahore.

Treatments in this article

Sessions, downtime and results for each, on its own page.

HydraFacialAppointment: About 40 minutes · Downtime: None: back to work the same dayMicroneedlingAppointment: 20–30 minutes, plus numbing · Downtime: Redness for a few days

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