Pores and Shine That Grow in Summer — How We Manage Them in Gangnam

Hello. This is Dr. Kim Yeon-jin, director of UHCELL Clinic Gangnam, where we focus on each person’s own beauty.

When summer arrives, I hear these in the clinic far more often:

• “My pores look bigger when I look in the mirror.”
• “By afternoon I get shiny and my makeup falls apart.”
• “The pores on my nose and cheeks stand out so much.”

Everyone has pores, but depending on the season and how they’re cared for, they can look far more prominent — or barely noticeable.
Summer, in particular, is the season when pores bother people the most.

Why do pores stand out more in summer?

There’s a reason pores look bigger in summer.

When temperature and humidity rise, sebum (the oil that protects your skin) is produced more.

More sebum makes the pore openings look wider, and when sweat and debris are added, shine increases and pores stand out more.

• Heat and humidity raise sebum production
• The extra sebum makes pores look wider
• Shine makes makeup lift and break down

So summer pores often haven’t “suddenly grown” — they just look more prominent because of sebum and your skin’s condition.

Are there different types of pores?

Not all pores are the same. When the cause differs, the approach changes too.

• Sebum-type pores: openings widened by heavy sebum, mainly on the nose and inner cheeks
• Laxity (sagging) pores: with age and UV, collagen decreases and pores stretch into an elongated shape
• Scar-type pores: left as small dents after acne and the like settle

They may look similar, but because the cause and depth differ, they don’t all shrink the same way.

So rather than self-diagnosing them as “just pores,” it matters to first distinguish which type they are.

Will home care shrink pores?

This doesn’t mean home care is meaningless. The basics are built at home.

• Gentle cleansing to clear sebum and debris
• Balancing oil and moisture to curb excess sebum
• Daily UV protection (UV is a cause of skin laxity)

Still, there are clear limits.

Temporary shine from sebum may settle to some degree with home care.
But pores already stretched by laxity, or dented scar-type pores, are hard to reverse with topical products alone.

That’s exactly why so many people say, “I manage my sebum, but the pore size stays the same.”

How does a clinic approach pores?

The core of clinical pore care isn’t “strong, all at once” but “matched to the cause, in stages.”

One often-discussed option is Potenza (delivering radiofrequency heat into the dermis with fine needles). It’s used on the idea of helping collagen production with heat and regulating overactive sebaceous glands to firm up the area around the pores.

Here is something I want to share honestly.

• Pores don’t disappear in one session. It’s usually approached over several sessions, a few weeks apart
• Energy that’s too strong can leave post-irritation pigment or marks, so a conservative design is safer
• Results and the number of sessions needed vary widely from person to person

Type	Key point
Sebum-type pores	Mainly regulating sebaceous glands and shine; needs upkeep
Laxity pores	An approach that refills collagen; slowly, over several sessions

That’s why I believe the most important thing in pore care isn’t the name of the device, but the process of first reading “what type your pores are and why they stand out.”

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Is pores looking big only in summer just temporary?

They often look more prominent because of sebum and shine, so they can appear milder once the season passes. However, pores already stretched remain regardless of season, so it’s necessary to identify which type they are. There is individual variation, so we recommend a consultation.

How many Potenza sessions are needed?

It varies with the pore type and skin condition, so it’s hard to state definitively. It’s usually done over several sessions a few weeks apart, and the number and interval are best decided after a specialist’s diagnosis.

Will squeezing pores make them smaller?

Forcing them out can actually make pores more prominent through irritation and scarring, so we don’t recommend it. Manage sebum and dead skin gently, and consult a specialist if needed.

I have oily skin and big pores — can I never shrink them?

Even with an innate tendency toward sebum, you can reduce how prominent pores look by regulating sebum and caring for firmness. That said, results and maintenance vary by individual, so it’s best to set a direction suited to your condition together.

※ Results and recovery time vary from person to person; for an accurate diagnosis, please consult a specialist.