Visible Pores on Nose: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment

Have you ever struggled with visible pores on your nose? Pores on the nose can often feel incredibly frustrating – not only are they more prone to infection, but they can also be a source of frustration for many of us!

However, if you have been struggling with pores and blackheads on your nose, don’t panic; even the worst cases can be combatted with a few simple tricks and ideas.

How to Know if You Have Large Pores on Your Nose?

Everyone has pores on their nose which are openings to the skin ducts that transport sweat and oil from eccrine and sebaceous glands. Enlarged nose pores are holes or divots on the surface of your skin that are easily noticeable. Large pores can be clear, dark (closed comedones or blackheads) or contain white puss-filled spots (open comedones or whiteheads). 

Some common signs of visible pores on your nose include an oily T-zone (the section of your face containing your nose and between your eyebrows) and frequent blackheads or whiteheads. 

The former is especially common if you have enlarged pores on your nose and don’t clean and exfoliate your skin regularly or thoroughly, which can result in oils, sebum, debris, pollutants, and dead skin cells clogging your pores. 

What Can Cause Visible Pores on Your Nose? 

We first need to outline what can cause visible pores on your nose. There are several different things that could predispose you to visible nose pores, and what this might mean for your skincare routine.

Before going any further, we should point out that pores on your nose are normal – we all have them! Our pores are crucial as part of your body’s natural cleansing and maintenance routines, serving a highly important role in naturally moisturizing your skin and getting rid of impurities.

They also allow your skin to sweat, which is one of our bodies’ best defense systems against overheating.

However, there are numerous reasons why your nose pores might become bigger than normal – which may make clogged pores (and blackheads) more noticeable overall.

Some of the most common causes include excess oil production (more common with oily skin types) and increased humidity, which can result in your pores opening – allowing your skin to breathe but also enlarging pores.

Other common causes of enlarged pores include

• High temperatures. For the same reason as humidity, high temperatures can make your pores open to allow for your body’s natural cooling process.
• Lack of exfoliation leads to a build-up of dead skin cells, which makes your pores appear larger.
• Acne means your pores are clogged with dead skin cells, bacteria and oil thus inflaming pores and increasing their size
• Sun exposure without SPF can thicken your skin which makes your pores wider
• Alcohol causes hormonal imbalances which can lead to increased sebum production
• Stress and caffeine consumption can increase stress hormones such as cortisol and androgens which increase sebum production leading to larger pores
• Pore diet (while no food has been proven to cause acne, a lack of vitamins and minerals can result in an increased risk of skin issues such as large pores)

Plus, to a degree, enlarged pores can also just be a genetic trait – so this is well worth keeping in mind. If your family members tend to have larger visible pores, there’s a much greater chance of you also experiencing this.

Similarly, imbalances caused by medications, menstruation, puberty or calorie restrictions could also result in larger, more visible pores on your nose.

Do Large Pores Affect Skin Appearance? 

You may feel incredibly frustrated or even self-conscious about enlarged pores.

However, having large pores doesn’t make you ugly!

With that being said, it is worthwhile to keep in mind that larger pores can be at greater risk of developing blackheads and whiteheads than normal pores.

And bigger pores often mean your skin is unbalanced and in need of some TLC. Moreover, while blackheads are non-inflammatory and don’t have a bacterial cause, they can become deep if left untreated for a more extended time making them harder to treat.

8 Simple Options to Help Combat Large Pores on Your Nose

At this point, we’ve clarified some of the main things you need to know about visible (enlarged) pores on your nose and how these can increase the risks of developing acne and blackheads.

Of course, while visible pores are unlikely to put your health at risk, they can contribute to feelings of low self-esteem or poor self-worth.

With this thought in mind, you may want to try several simple tricks and ideas to help combat pores and blackheads on your nose. Fortunately, the following eight ideas could be ideal in this regard.

#1 Wash Your Face Regularly

One of the most important tips for managing the appearance of visible pores on your nose is simple: wash your face regularly!

Since heat, humidity, and oily skin can all be significant causes of enlarged pores, washing your face often – at least twice a day, or potentially more if needed – with a gentle, skin-kind cleanser can be a great way to help reduce their size.

Washing your face with cool or cold water may further help in this regard, keeping your skin clean, free of bacteria, and less likely to develop acne (which would make your visible pores appear more noticeable).

Regular cleansing with cool water may also help reduce the size of your pores slightly, in combination with other methods.

Ideally, look for a skin cleanser that also includes fruit enzymes, if possible, as these are often effective for reducing pore size, increasing your skin’s natural collagen production, and lowering the amount of sebum and oils produced by your skin.

#2 Exfoliate Regularly

One of the most common issues you might experience that could increase your chances of visible pores, or clogged pores is dead skin cells accumulating in hair follicles. As such, regular (gentle) exfoliation is often highly effective for reducing the visibility of your pores. 

Exfoliating even just several times a week could be enough to see a significant difference in terms of your skin’s health and the appearance of your pores – but be careful not to use exfoliants too aggressively, as doing so may just harm your skin further.

Exfoliants should ideally be gentle and nourishing for your skin to see the best results without putting your skin at risk of severe aggravation.

Look for ingredients that exfoliate without irritating your skin such as gentle AHAs (Alpha-Hydroxy-Acids) fruit acids and lactic acid.

If you don’t have sensitive skin, a BHA (Beta-Hydroxy-Acid) like Salicylic Acid is a great ingredient to reduce pore size because it not only removes dead skin cells but actually dissolves excess oil within your pores.

To prevent adverse reactions we recommend using the natural form of Salicylic Acid called Willow Bark Extract, Sweet Birch or Wintergreen Oil.

Benzoyl Peroxide (BP) kills pore-enlarging bacteria but doesn’t exfoliate dead skin cells. If your skin can’t handle Salicylic Acid then consider mixing BP with gentle fruit acids, Poly-Hydroxy-Acids (PHAs) or Lactic Acid.

Cica Extract is an excellent natural alternative to BP with incredible anti-bacterial properties. 

Lastly (but not least) Retinoids such as Retinol is a superpower skincare ingredient when it comes to decreasing pore size. Standing in a category of its own, this Vitamin-A derivative works in a similar way to exfoliating acids, with a key difference. 

Retinol speeds up your skin’s natural skin cell renewal process, clearing pores from dead skin cells, normalizing oil production and thus dramatically reducing pore size.

For sensitive skin types, we recommend the gentlest Retinoid: Retinyl palmitate which might take a bit more time to see results but still works a treat. 

The best part? Retinoids can be used with BHAs, AHAs, PHAs, BP and Cica Extract for even more pore-shrinking power.

Just make sure you use these ingredients in separate parts of your routine (morning vs night) or on alternating days to avoid irritation.

An alternative method is using a cleanser with exfoliating acids and then following with a serum containing retinoids. This means you’re washing off the exfoliating acids, reducing the risk of skin reactions. 

#3 Try a Clay Mask

Have you ever thought about trying a clay mask for your skin? Clay masks are products that have been used for hundreds of years since the clay is able to gently unplug and cleanse your pores while simultaneously removing excess sebum and moisture from your skin.

Simply apply the clay mask to your face and relax as the chemicals gently draw out impurities and oils from your skin. It’s really that easy, which makes clay masks incredibly common options for many people wanting to reduce the severity or expression of their visible pores.

However, it’s well worth considering here that a clay mask can be incredibly effective for drying the skin if you’ve been struggling with severely oily skin.

However, if your skin is already dry, it may be a good option to only apply your clay mask over the affected area to reduce the visibility of pores on your nose.

This will also help the clay mask last longer, and let’s face it – any chance to save money is always welcome!

#4 Give Moisturizers a Go

In most cases, we tend to think about using moisturizers exclusively with dry skin. However, this isn’t entirely the case, and almost anyone struggling with visible pores on the nose could benefit from specialist products. 

#5 Professional Treatments 

Did you know that, if you’re feeling self-conscious about your large pores and want a more professional approach at this point, you could consider professional treatments.

There are numerous professional treatments available that may help with your pore-shrinking efforts, which may include the following.

We’ve outlined these briefly, but be sure to discuss them with your healthcare provider if you think they might work for you.

•  Chemical peels: Chemical peels use trichloroacetic acid and work similarly to exfoliants but provide instant benefits. Dissolving old skin cells and removing them gives your skin a rapid boost in terms of collagen production, thereby tightening your skin and reducing pore size.
• Microneedling: Microneedling is an increasingly popular option to decrease pore size by encouraging greater collagen production. This is achieved through a series of minute incisions, which trigger the body to begin producing collagen – further tightening your skin and reducing the visibility of pores.
• Non-ablative laser treatments: If chemical peels or microneedling don’t sound like good options to you, non-ablative laser treatments may be more appropriate. Non-ablative laser treatments are designed to heat up the tissue below your skin, increasing collagen production in this manner without significantly harming or removing the top layer of your skin. It’s commonly used in wrinkle, fine line, and scar healing and can also be effective for resurfacing large pores.

#6 Apply Face Lotions

In some cases, you might find that the cause of your enlarged pores is simply because your skin isn’t healthy, which can increase the appearance of wrinkles, visible pores, and the like.

In a rarer number of cases, dry skin can also be a contributing factor for visible skin pores on your nose, which is important to tackle.

However, even if you have oily skin, ensuring your skin receives proper care and nourishment is nevertheless still vital. 

Face lotions are designed to provide a wide range of nutrients and minerals for your skin, while simultaneously soothing and nourishing.

Moisturizing properties help alleviate dry skin, which reduces the risk of your pores getting inflamed due to a build up of debris and dead skin cells.

Accordingly, this can help reduce the visibility of your pores significantly.

#7 Try a Skin Balancing Cream or Foam

Did you know that, in many cases, visible pores can be the result of excess sebum production on your skin?

With this thought in mind, trying a skin-balancing cream or foam can be an excellent way to help reduce the size of your visible pores.

This may make them less noticeable while simultaneously boosting the health and balance of your skin.

Skin-balancing creams and foams contain numerous different ingredients that are designed to help manage and control your skin’s natural production of oils, thereby reducing the size of your visible pores accordingly.

They also boost your skin’s shine and health, often through a combination of moisturizing products and nourishing vitamins and minerals, such as vitamin E.

As part of this goal, you may want to look for a product that contains a-glucan oligosaccharide, which is well-known for its skin balancing and soothing properties; it helps support skin health, vitality, and youthfulness too.

As such, not only will you help combat your visible pores, but skin-balancing creams could also be effective for slowing the signs of aging, giving your skin an amazing shine and strength for as long as possible.

#8 Don’t Leave Makeup On Your Skin

We’ve already mentioned the importance of cleaning your face regularly (ideally with cold water) to reduce the visibility of pores and blackheads on your nose.

However, one common mistake many people make is leaving makeup on their skin, which can easily increase the risk of developing acne and blackheads.

Furthermore, leaving makeup on your skin for extended periods may also reduce your skin’s ability to breathe and cleanse naturally while increasing the risk of clogging up your pores.

As such, even if you’re using skin-friendly makeup products (always a good idea for skin vitality), make sure to clean it off as soon as you’re comfortable doing so.

At a minimum, try not to leave makeup on your skin overnight, as this can significantly increase the chances of your pores getting more visible with time. 

Recommended Products to Help With Large Pores

At this point, we’ve clarified some of the main options you could consider to help reduce the appearance of large pores. However, it’s not necessarily clear which products may help as part of your skincare routine, which is (of course) well worth considering.

AMARANTH APO-C Moist Peeling

Products such as the AMARANTH APP-C Moist Peeling solution are designed with concerns such as enlarged pores on the nose in mind – which may make them more effective than any other product on the market for managing your visible pores.

However, it’s worth keeping in mind that, while products such as this are designed with visible pores in mind, they can also be exceptionally effective for managing other conditions – such as fine lines, wrinkles, acne spots, a dull skin tone, or uneven skin texture.

In short, these products can provide an excellent “all in one” solution, giving your skin a boost right when it needs it most! 

Importantly, we should point out here that the AMARANTH APP-C Moist Peeling product is designed to help deeply moisturize the skin while simultaneously boosting collagen production – both of which may help your visible pores. 

As well as including 16 different natural plant extracts for antioxidant properties – helping protect your skin from sun exposure – this product also includes vitamin C to boost collagen production and strengthen the skin.

It also includes sake sediment extract packed with enzymes to help impressively nourish your skin. What’s not to love? 

VIEW AMARANTH APO-C MOIST PEELING

LIOVERITE Balance Control Foam

Skin-balancing creams, such as the excellent LIOVERITE Balance Control Foam, are designed to help nourish and soothe your skin.

By working with natural ingredients, these products focus on restoring your skin’s normal microflora while simultaneously removing excess sebum.

This reduces the overall severity of your visible pores, making it much harder to see them on your skin.

VIEW LIOVERITE BALANCE CONTROL FOAM

Meeth More Rich Essential Face Lotion

Fortunately, this is where face lotions, such as the amazing Meeth More Rich Essential Face Lotion, come in. Face lotions are incredibly easy to apply and can potentially work wonders for your skin’s health, strength, and vitality.

These seemingly simple products include complex and powerful combinations of ingredients, such as deep sea water, grape seed oil, tremella snow mushroom extract, water-soluble collagen, hyaluronic acid, tilia cordata flower extract, and more.

All of these ingredients work together to restore your skin’s shine, health, and strength. They also help maintain or restore your skin’s natural barrier, which can potentially reduce the chances of your pores getting clogged and infected. 

Meanwhile, the ingredients’ anti-aging, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant properties help create a more even skin tone, making your skin glow for all the right reasons.

It is a simple way to tackle multiple different concerns at once -  and giving your skin the right nourishment can help reduce the size or visibility of enlarged pores on your nose, too.

VIEW MEETH ESSENTIAL FACE LOTION

Final Thoughts

Living with pores and blackheads on the nose doesn’t have to be a long-term “curse,” no matter how hopeless it might feel right now! With this thought in mind, we strongly recommend that you give some of today’s eight key tips a try if you’ve been struggling with pores on your nose.

After all, pores and blackheads – though not dangerous, typically – are frustrating to live with, so taking steps to reduce their appearance can be incredibly motivational for many people!