Thank you for your email about large pores and laser treatment of enlarged pores. Happily, the new non-ablative fractional laser skin resurfacing using the Starlux 1540 laser can be very effective at shrinking large pores. The Starlux 1540 builds new collagen in the dermis of the skin which actually compresses the neck of the Sebaceous glands which cause the large pores when they become distended with excess skin oil. I also recommend continuing the Brevoxyl washes and microdermabrasion. If you have significant acne outbreaks then Retin A, or Tazorac can also be used to reduce oil production. Below I will reproduce an article I recently wrote about reducing and shrinking large pores.

Are you bothered by large pores or enlarged pores around your nose, forehead and cheeks? Large pores or enlarged pores on the face are a very frustrating problem for many people. Large pores are prone to forming blackheads and acne. Large pores also often stand out and are more noticeable when makeup is applied. Treatment of large pores in the past has been primarily directed towards drying agents to reduce oil production in the skin. These treatments do help, but they are temporary measures and do not change the skin structure in a way to reduce enlarged pores and pore size permanently. New combined fractional laser skin treatments using the Starlux 1540 and 2940 lasers is a revolutionary new method to shrink large pores caused by oily skin and by collagen loss associated with skin aging.

What Causes Large Pores or Enlarged Pores?

The pores on your face are small holes in the skin which are the openings of the oil glands on the face. These glands, called the sebaceous glands, form a small sack beneath the skin which produces normal skin oils called sebum. There are two basic causes of large pores, which is enlargement of the opening of the oil gland onto the skin:

• Excess Skin Oil Production- People with oily skin have more oil producing cells in their sebaceous glands, the oil producing glands beneath the skin. As more sebum or skin oil is produced, the oil gland enlarges and becomes distended. As the gland and oil sack become enlarged the opening of the oil gland onto the skin, the pore, becomes stretched and appears on the skin as a large or enlarged pore. Large pores in young facial skin are most common in the areas of the face where the greatest number of oil glands occurs-the nose, forehead and chin. This is often called the T zone, and if you check you will find these areas have more skin oils that the cheeks and eyelids.

• Aging of the Skin- As our face skin ages many very significant changes occur. The most striking aging change is loss of collagen. Collagen is a very important supporting structure in the skin. The oil glands and pores are surrounded and supported by collagen. When collagen is lost with aging, the oil glands and pores loose support and become lax and the pores become enlarged. Interestingly, enlarged pores in aged facial skin also occur on the cheeks, an area which has fewer enlarged oil glands in younger people with oily skin. The pores are there in younger people but oil production is less and the pores are not large. However when the supporting collagen is lost with aging, the large pores can show up in all face areas.

New Laser Treatment for Enlarged Pores

The new laser treatment for enlarged pores works because new collagen is produced which supports the oil glands and actually squeezes or constricts the large pore itself by compressing the opening of the pore onto the skin. This laser treatment is called combined therapy and is a two step process:

• Non-ablative 1540 or 1440 Laser Treatments-We use a 1540 or 1440 Fractional Erbium Laser to treat the facial skin. There is no down time-your face will have some added color immediately after the treatment for about a day or two. These lasers go deep into the skin and stimulate your skin to make new collagen to compress the pores. You will need 3 treatments scheduled about 3-4 weeks apart. Treatments take about 30 minutes and are done by our medical aesthetician. See before and after pictures of shrinkage of large pores and acne scar removal with lux 1540 fractional laser treatments alone below:

Before and after pictures of shrinkage of large pores and removal of acne scars with Starlux 1540 fractional laser treatment

• 2940 Ablative Fractional Laser Resurfacing-At your last non-ablative treatment we do an additional treatment called a Fractional Ablative Laser Resurfacing with the Strarlux 2940 laser. This treatment is an actual laser skin peel. However the new fractional laser is much gentler than the old fashioned CO2 laser resurfacing. Your skin will peel and your skin will be red for 5-7 days. We do use a topical anesthetic for your comfort.

Our results with this new combined laser approach have been very impressive. Older CO2 laser resurfacing actually made pores larger.

The new approach using fractional laser technology is much better at building new collagen to compress the pores. We have seen surprisingly good results in even older aged skin.

Before and after pictures of shrinkage of large pores and skin plumping of aged skin with Starlux 1540 and 2940 combined fractional laser treatemnt. Notice improvement of pebbling in cheek above old scar

Other Supportive Measures

Traditional methods for shrinking large pores include skin oil reduction with Brevoxyl skin washes, microdermabrasion, and oil reducing medications such as Retin A, Differin, and Acccutane. These treatments must be discontinued during the combined laser therapy. However after your skin has recovered, you will be re-evaluated for the need for these traditional supportive therapies.

This new combined fractional laser treatment is a remarkable and truly revolutionary new therapy. The results, especially in aging skin are truly excellent. If you are troubled by enlarged pores on your face learn more about this exciting new treatment which may be what you have been looking for.

For more information on how to shrink large pores and improve your skin texture call 978-369-4499 or email me. Read our free newsletter to learn about new non-surgical skin care methods for facial and body rejuvenation. Read Save Your Face to learn how to prevent facial aging.

Dr. Seckel
Concord, Massachusetts
Boston, Massachusetts

Thank you for your question about laser treatment to reduce enlarged pores and acne scars. There have been many laser therapies and IPL therapies recommended to reduce enlarged pores but few of them have been satisfactory.

I am happy to say that the new non-ablative fractional laser skin resurfacing machines do work and are by far the best laser treatment for enlarged pores and acne scars.

I use the Lux1540 fractional erbium laser to treat enlarged pores and acne scars. The results are much better than any previous laser in my opinion (see photo below).

Above-Photo of forehead before and after Lux1540 fractional laser treatments.

The lux1540 fractional laser is a non-ablative laser which means that the Lux1540 does not ablate or remove skin, thus there is no or minimal downtime. Only a topical anesthesia cream is required.

The Lux1540 fractional erbium non-ablative laser works by actually building new columns of collagen in the deep skin layers. These columns of new collagen actually plump the skin and acne scars and the plumping compresses the walls of the enlarged pores. (See photo below)

Above-Cross section of skin treated with the Lux1540 fractional laser showing new skin plumping columns of collagen (solid pink is new collagen).

The lux1540 fractional non-ablative erbium laser has also been effective for other types of scars and can improve facial skin wrinkles caused by aging.

Be sure to read my other blogs on enlarged pores which cover other very important basic steps you need to take to reduce enlarged pores. It is very important to do deep exfoliation and use drying agents such as Brevoxyl washes to reduce oil content in the skin. Increased oil enlarges pores and can block pore openings.

For more information on skin care and new laser skin technology read Save Your Face or contact me.

Be sure to sign up for my free email newsletter.

Dr. Seckel

Concord, Massachusetts

Boston, Massachusetts

The enlarged skin pores are caused by the atrophy or loss of Collagen in the deeper skin layers that occurs with facial aging. The enlarged pore is the opening to the skin oil gland which lies deeper in the skin in the dermis. New non-surgical facial rejuvenation techniques attempt to stimulate new collagen growth in the deeper skin layers and hopefully compress the the oil gland and enlarged pores and make them smaller. Lasergenisis (see cutera.com) is one laser skin rejuvenation technique which has shown some success.

For more information on laser skin care and non-surgical facial rejuvenation read Save Your Face or contact me.

Dr Seckel

Boston, Massachusetts

For more information on large skin pores, laser skin care, and non-surgical facial rejuvenation read Save Your Face or contact me.
Thank you,
Dr Seckel

Boston, Massachusetts

There are many treatments for oily skin and large pores that I recommend before LaserGenesis. I start patients on microdermabrasion®, brevoxyl washes and prescription creams such as Retin A® first. These are good treatments and less expensive than laser treatments and can reduce the size of enlarged pores.

You need to find a good board certified plastic surgeon who specializes in skin care and who has a good medical aesthetician n the office who can treat you.

The LaserGenesis®, another treatment called Clearlight®, and a laser called Smoothbeam® can also be helpful for acne and enlarged pores. Many doctors have these machines. Treatments cost about $350.00 in my area but it may be less where you live.

I recommend you go to the websites of Cutera®, Lumenis®, and Candella®, to read about these treatments and where you can find them in your area.

For further information read Save Your Face or contact me.

Dr Seckel

Boston, Massachusetts

The most effective treatment to remove one enlarged pore is to remove it with a round surgical cutting device called a skin punch. After the pore is removed, the hole is stitched. The problem with this technique is that it leaves a small scar where the pore once was.

Personally I would not trade an enlarged pore for a scar. If you see a good medical aesthetician perhaps she/he can extract the oil plug that is causing the pore to be enlarged-I would try this first.

For further information read Save Your Face or contact me.

Dr Seckel

Boston, Massachusetts

Please check the many blogs I have written about enlarged pores under the archives section on the right hand side of the screen.

Microdermabrasion®, and drying creams such as Retin A® or Brevoxyl washes are a good place to start. Lasers such as Lasergenesis® and Smoothbeam® can help but I would not move to lasers until I tried the more conservative measures first.

Smoking robs your skin of vital blood supply and interferes with the health of your skin and causes premature aging of the skin. If you stop smoking I am sure your skin will look better and be healthier.

For further information on skin health visit my Boston Plastic Surgery Practice read Save Your Face or contact me.

Dr Seckel

Boston, Massachusetts,

Peabody, Massachusetts,

Concord, Massachusetts