Is IPL Effective for Reducing Enlarged Pores?

asked 3 years ago by Polka in Austin, Texas
Latest answer by Nick Slenkovich, MD
Question viewed 20,382 times
Tags: large pores

I have large pores and am looking for a way to make them smaller or at least less noticeable? Do you think IPL would work?

5 answers to Is IPL Effective for Reducing Enlarged Pores?

Be Careful about promises for pore tightening

Pore tightening is one of the most advertised benefits of everything from over-the-counter rejuvenating creams to light treatments to lasers. The truth is that it can be very difficult to shrink pore size. As with many issues that require skin tightening, permanent shrinkage of pores requires an aggressive treatment. To get the job done you should look for either a fractional CO2 (Lumenis Total Fx) or a fully ablative CO2 laser. These are not easy procedures in that they require 1-2... more

Edgar Franklin Fincher, MD, PhD
Beverly Hills Dermatologic Surgeon

IPL does not affect pore size.

First of all, pore size is related to oil production, and although this is affected by other factors, it is primarily determined by one’s genetics. Individuals who are genetically “programmed” to produce more oil will naturally have a larger pore size. Therefore, having larger pores does not necessarily mean that the pores are “enlarged.” However, pores may become even larger over time if they have been stretched by prolonged congestion with oil and debris. For... more

Nick Slenkovich, MD
Denver Plastic Surgeon

Not great

IPL is not great for reducing poresize. I have a Thermascan laser that can improve pore size better.

Steven Wallach, MD
Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Active FX is much better for reducing pore size

IPL is not great for reducing the pore size. The pore size is determined by our genetics, and it usually gets worse with age. On the brighter size, as I tell all of my patients: Everybody thinks they have huge pores. Everybody, even people with tiny pores. In reality, most people have reasonable size pores, and nobody else notices your pore size other than you. In rare instances that they are indeed large, fractional CO2 laser, like Active FX, is probably the best option to reduce them. It... more

Stella Desyatnikova, MD
Seattle Facial Plastic Surgeon

Q-switched Lasers for reducing pore size

We do not use IPL for reducing pore size. In fact, of all the lasers that we have at our practice (we use more than 20), we have found that the best one for reducing pore size is the q-switched Hoya Conbio Medlite C6. In conducting trials related to Melasma treatment with the Medlite C6, we have noticed a tremendous improvement in the texture of the skin. This included greatly reduced pore size after 4-6 high energy Medlite treatments over a 4 week period. In addition to the Medlite laser... more

Harold J. Kaplan, MD
Los Angeles Facial Plastic Surgeon

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