Your pores are most likely getting bigger because of one or more of three things: increased oil production, age-related loss of skin firmness, or sun damage. Of these, oil output is the single strongest predictor of pore size. The good news is that while you can’t shrink a pore back to its original size, you can meaningfully reduce how large and visible they appear.
Oil Production Is the Biggest Factor
Each pore is the opening of a tiny hair follicle, and attached to that follicle is an oil gland. The more oil a gland produces, the wider the opening stretches to accommodate it. A study analyzing the relationship between sebum output and pore size found that oil production correlated more strongly with pore size than any other variable, including age and sex. Men showed a stronger correlation (r = 0.47) than women (r = 0.38), which helps explain why men tend to have more visibly enlarged pores overall.
If your skin has become oilier recently, whether from a change in climate, stress, diet, or a new skincare routine that’s irritating your skin and triggering rebound oil production, that shift alone could explain why your pores look bigger than they used to.
Hormones Can Change Pore Size Month to Month
For women, pore size isn’t static throughout the month. Research shows pores are significantly larger during ovulation, when estrogen peaks and oil glands become more active. This means the enlargement you’re noticing may be cyclical rather than permanent. If your pores seem to fluctuate, tracking where you are in your cycle can help you figure out whether hormones are the main driver.
Interestingly, the same study found that acne severity was not significantly associated with pore size. So even if your skin is relatively clear, you can still have enlarged pores if your oil glands are active.
Your Skin Loses Its Frame as You Age
Pore enlargement follows a fairly predictable age pattern. Across multiple ethnic groups, pore size increases gradually between ages 18 and 40, then tends to plateau. In some populations, particularly Indian and Brazilian skin, pores continue to grow steadily with age. In others, including Caucasian, Japanese, and Chinese skin, the increase levels off around 40 to 50.
What’s happening underneath is straightforward: collagen, the protein that gives skin its structure, breaks down over time. Think of collagen as scaffolding around each pore. When that scaffolding weakens, the pore walls lose support and the opening sags wider. You’re not producing more oil necessarily; the skin around the pore just can’t hold its shape as well. This is why pores on the cheeks (where skin is thinner and more prone to sagging) often look larger than those on the forehead.
Sun Damage Accelerates the Process
UV exposure speeds up collagen breakdown significantly. UVA rays, the kind that penetrate through clouds and windows, generate free radicals that ramp up the enzymes responsible for breaking down collagen. Over time, this leaves the collagen network around your pores disordered and degraded. Airborne pollution compounds the problem by triggering inflammation and weakening the skin’s protective barrier, leading to rougher texture and more visible pores.
If you’ve spent years without consistent sun protection, accumulated UV damage is likely contributing to the pore enlargement you’re seeing now. The effects are cumulative, so the changes can seem to appear suddenly even though the damage built up gradually.
Hot and Cold Water Won’t Help
One persistent myth worth clearing up: pores don’t open with hot water or close with cold water. Pores have no muscles. They can’t contract or relax in response to temperature. Steam might loosen surface oil and make extraction easier, but it does nothing to change the actual diameter of the pore. If someone told you to splash cold water on your face to “close” your pores, you can stop. It makes no difference.
What Actually Reduces Pore Appearance
Since oil production is the top factor, controlling it is the most direct route to smaller-looking pores. Niacinamide, a form of vitamin B3, is one of the most studied ingredients for this. Clinical studies show that topical preparations with 2% to 5% niacinamide effectively reduce oil production. It’s gentle enough for most skin types and widely available in serums and moisturizers. Retinoids (vitamin A derivatives) work differently, by increasing cell turnover and preventing the buildup of dead skin and oil inside the pore that stretches it out.
Consistent sunscreen use is the other non-negotiable. You can’t rebuild collagen if UV exposure keeps destroying it. A broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher, applied daily, slows the structural decline that makes pores look progressively larger.
In-Office Procedures
For more noticeable results, microneedling and fractional laser treatments both work by stimulating new collagen production around the pores. A clinical trial comparing the two found that microneedling actually outperformed fractional radiofrequency laser for pore improvement and skin lightening. Microneedling also had a shorter recovery period and caused less pain for most patients. Given that laser treatments typically cost about three times more than microneedling, the less expensive option turned out to be the more effective one in this case. Most people need a series of three to six sessions spaced several weeks apart to see meaningful results.
Why Your Pores May Look Worse Than They Are
Pore size is partly an optical illusion. When pores are filled with a mix of oil and dead skin cells, they appear darker and larger than they actually are. Regular use of a gentle chemical exfoliant, like salicylic acid, keeps the inside of the pore clear, which can make a noticeable difference in how large pores look without changing their actual diameter. Dehydrated skin can also exaggerate pore visibility; when the surface is dry and uneven, pores cast tiny shadows that make them more prominent. A simple hydrating routine can sometimes reduce the appearance of enlarged pores more than any targeted “pore minimizing” product.
The bottom line: genetics set your baseline pore size, oil production stretches them, aging loosens the skin around them, and sun damage accelerates the whole process. You likely can’t get back to the pores you had at 20, but managing oil, protecting collagen, and keeping pores clean can make a real, visible difference.