Why pores enlarge, and 3-step care: clearing, tightening, and filling
Pore care is divided into three steps according to what makes pores look large: clearing clogged sebum, tightening the slackened area around pores, and filling the thinned inner skin.
Pores are a normal skin structure through which sebum and hair emerge, so the goal is to make them less noticeable rather than eliminate them. What to address first depends on whether pores look large because of sebum, loss of elasticity, or acne marks.
Three causes of enlarged pores
- Excess sebum: When there is a lot of sebum, the pore opening widens. When trapped sebum is exposed to air and darkens, it becomes a blackhead, and such pores often look round.
- Loss of elasticity: As we age, collagen and elastic fibers in the dermis decrease, weakening the support around pores. Pores then sag downward and look elongated.
- Habits and irritation: Habitually squeezing hard with fingers or nose strips, UV exposure, and recurring acne inflammation damage the tissue around pores. These damaged areas tend to remain as enlarged pores or scars.
The difference between clearing, tightening, and filling
Each step uses different treatments, and the sensation during treatment and daily life afterward also differ.
| Category | Clear | Tightening | Filling |
|---|---|---|---|
| Suited for pores that are | Round, open pores clogged with sebum and blackheads | Pores stretched due to loss of firmness, rough texture and acne scars | Pores that have become noticeable as the skin thins |
| Treatment | Aqua Peel | Potenza | Juvelook, Re2O |
| How it works on the skin | Dissolves and extracts impurities in the pores with a special solution and a device | Radiofrequency emitted from microneedle tips delivers thermal stimulation to the dermis | Ingredients are injected into the dermis |
| Anesthesia | None | Numbing cream for 20–30 minutes | Juvelook uses anesthetic ointment; Re2O uses topical anesthesia |
| After treatment | Any redness or swelling subsides over time | Warmth, redness, and fine scabs may occur | Juvelook may cause temporary bruising and raised marks; Re2O may cause temporary swelling and tightness |
How each step works
- Clearing with Aqua Peel: It proceeds in sequence through exfoliation, pore cleansing, removal of impurities, and hydration. Because it clears out pores without manual squeezing, we consider it first for skin with a lot of sebum and blackheads.
- Tightening with Potenza: Microneedles are inserted to the desired depth, and radiofrequency energy is emitted from their tips. This delivers thermal stimulation to the dermis while minimizing epidermal damage, encouraging collagen regeneration to support the slackened area around pores.
- Filling with Juvelook and Re2O: Juvelook is an injectable combining PDLLA and hyaluronic acid; as the PDLLA breaks down, it stimulates the formation of collagen-like tissue. Re2O directly replenishes the dermis with extracellular matrix derived from acellular allogeneic dermis.
Recommended plans by pore concern
1. Pores where sebum and blackheads are most noticeable
- Recommended treatment: Aqua Peel
- Recommended interval: 1 to 2 weeks
- Characteristics: An option is available in which pores are refined with Aqua Peel solutions 1 and 2, followed by Potenza on the same day.
2. Pores stretched and elongated due to loss of elasticity
- Recommended treatment: Potenza
- Recommended interval: every 4 weeks
- Recommended number of sessions: at least 3–5 or more
- Characteristics: As this approach encourages collagen regeneration, changes are assessed as sessions progress.
3. Pores that become more prominent as the skin thins
- Recommended treatments: Juvelook, Re2O
- Recommended interval: Juvelook every 4 weeks, Re2O every 3–4 weeks
- Recommended number of sessions: Juvelook at least 3 or more, Re2O 2–3 or more
- Characteristics: An option is available in which Juvelook is delivered together using the Potenza drug-delivery tip.
4. Pores with a mix of multiple causes
- Recommended option: 5-Week Pore Package
- Recommended interval: approximately once a week, for 5 weeks in total
- Characteristics: After a skin diagnosis, a week-by-week plan is created and adjusted each week based on progress.
Pore care at home
- Wash with lukewarm water and a gentle cleanser without rubbing.
- Do not squeeze out sebum hard with your fingers or nose strips.
- Choose low-oil products that do not clog pores, and keep up with moisturizing so your skin does not dry out.
- UV rays reduce elasticity, so apply sunscreen when going outdoors.
See more at-home pore care tips
The first few days after treatment
- Do not pick off fine scabs and flakes; let them fall off on their own.
- Dryness comes along with it, so apply moisturizer often and use sunscreen when you go out.
- Scabbing, redness, and swelling mostly subside within 3–7 days.
What to Avoid for One Week
- For 3–7 days after Potenza: heavy drinking, smoking, saunas and jjimjilbang (Korean bathhouses), hot baths, and strenuous exercise
- For about a week after Aqua Peel: high-heat exposure such as saunas and jjimjilbang (Korean bathhouses)
- Functional cosmetics for wrinkle improvement, such as retinol, and functional brightening cosmetics
If oozing or pain persists or worsens, please contact us right away. Please let us know before treatment if you have inflammation or wounds in the treatment area, are prone to keloids, or are pregnant or breastfeeding. The same applies if you have an electronic device in your body, such as a pacemaker, or are taking any medication.
Booking and consultation
Face Filter Clinic Suwon offers Potenza pore treatment in 1-session and 3-session options, an option combining Aqua Peel and Potenza on the same day, and the 5-Week Pore Package. During a personalized consultation, we assess sebum levels, pore shape, skin texture, and scarring together to decide which stage to start from.
View Potenza Treatment Information
This content is provided as general treatment information and is not a substitute for diagnosis or treatment. Always consult a medical professional to decide whether and how to proceed with a treatment.