Enlarged Pores
Dr. Melanie Palm is a nationally recognized dermatologist and cosmetic surgeon specializing in the treatment of enlarged pores and oil glands called sebaceous hyperplasia. Her offices are located in Solana Beach, CA just north of San Diego. Dr. Palm lectures on facial rejuvenation including pore size treatment. She offers many effective treatment options for sebaceous hyperplasia and enlarged pores.
Enlarged Pores: Why do they occur?
Enlarged pores occur with age and are determined due to our genetics, although environmental, work, or chemical exposures as well as chronic sun exposure may worsen the appearance of skin texture. Enlarged pores are more common on the nose, cheeks, chin, and central forehead. They can bother patients due to their unsightly appearance and because they can be difficult to conceal with cosmetics. A single enlarged pore sometimes occurs on the face and is referred to as a Dilated Pore of Winer.
Treatment Options for Enlarged Pore Size
There is no treatment that will permanently reduce pore size but a combination of topical treatment and in-office procedures can improve skin texture and minimize the appearance of large pores. Treatments rely on collagen building and stimulation, which improves and camouflages pore size.
Treatment options for minimizing pore size include the following:
- Topical treatment: Collagen-stimulating agents like tretinoin and glycolic acid can help keep pores clean and minimize some the appearance of enlarged pores. They are best used in conjunction with office procedures for better results.
- Lasers & Lights:
- Intense Pulsed Light (IPL or photofacial): Although IPL photofacials target mainly red and brown in the skin, they do encourage a small amount of collagen stimulation and skin texture improvement. As a series of no-downtime treatments, some patients may notice a modest improvement in pore size. It may be combined with lasers such as ResurFX or CO2 laser resurfacing for further collagen stimulation and pore size shrinkage.
- ResurFX: ResurFX is an infrared laser very similar to Fraxel Re:Store. It offers a comfortable, minimal downtime procedure for collagen growth and pore minimization. It is best done as a series of treatments.
- CO2 laser resurfacing: CO2 laser treatment is an ablative treatment meaning it selectively removes and resurfaces a portion of the skin. It requires typically a week of downtime and is may effectively improve pore size. It is better used in lighter skin types.
- Microneedling and Radiofrequency microneedling:
- Rejuvapen: Microneedling can provide a limited amount of improvement for very mild enlarged pores. Rejuvapen is performed after topical numbing for increased patient comfort and has very little to no downtime. During treatment, thousands of needle pokes stimulate collagen growth that may minimize the appearance of large pores.
- Punch excision: Punch excision is typically reserved for a single, large pore called a “Dilated Pore of Winer.” After local numbing, a stitch is placed in the area of pore excision. Laser resurfacing may be performed at the time of suture removal to improve the appearance at the site of pore removal. Due to the risk of an unacceptable scar, Dr. Palm does not typically recommend this treatment near highly mobile areas of the face such as around the mouth.
A combination approach is sometimes ideal to improve enlarged pores and oil glands. Non-invasive and minimally invasive techniques are often combined with topical skin care regimens at Art of Skin MD to achieve the aesthetic goals of our patients in regards to sebaceous hyperplasia and large pores.
If you are looking for a dermatologist to treat your enlarged pores in the San Diego area, call Dr. Melanie Palm at 858.792.SKIN (7546) to schedule your appointment.
