Why pore lasers rarely solve everything in one session: an honest explanation
"I had one pore treatment, but my pores look the same." "How many sessions do I need?" "Am I just wasting money?"
These are the doubts I hear most often in pore consultations.
Let me be frank. Pores do not shrink with a single treatment. What has stretched is a structure, and a structure does not change all at once. A promise of definite pore reduction in one session is not accurate.
I present pore treatment as a program rather than a single procedure. Judging it after just one session usually leads to disappointment.
What type of pores do I have?
Some patients ask, "Aren't all pores the same?" The answer is no. In practice, I broadly distinguish three types. First is the sebum-related type: pores remain enlarged because of high sebum production, and improvement is difficult to sustain without addressing the sebaceous glands themselves. Second is the loss-of-elasticity type. As dermal elasticity declines with age, pores become vertically elongated, commonly around the cheeks and nasolabial folds. Third is the scar-related type, where inflammation such as acne damages the surrounding tissue and leaves pores fixed in a scar-like form.
Different causes require different tools. Using only a lifting device for sebum-related pores, or only controlling oil for scar-related pores, misses the target. You can make some observations at home: if pores become more noticeable with oiliness in the afternoon, sebum may be the main factor. If they look noticeably less prominent when you gently lift your cheek with a finger in the mirror, loss of elasticity may be contributing. These are only observations for reference, however. In practice, a mixture of two or three types is more common than a single type alone. The forehead and nose may be sebum-related while the cheeks show loss of elasticity, for example. It is therefore not unusual to use different combinations in different areas.
There is another misconception I want to address. Some ask, "Won't scrubbing my face thoroughly shrink my pores?" The answer is no. Pores do not have muscles that open and close them, so they are not structures that can be 'tightened' with cleansing or a face mask. Excessive scrubbing and frequent peeling can instead irritate the skin barrier, encourage sebum production, and leave redness and sensitivity. Gentle cleansing, moisturizing, and sun protection are reasonable limits for home care. Beyond that, the issue is structural and belongs in a clinical assessment.
Why can't one treatment change the structure?
Some patients say, "It definitely looked better right after treatment, but then it went back." The reason is that the immediate change is closer to temporary heat-induced contraction and smoothing; structural changes begin afterward. Skin tissue needs biological time to reorganize. Collagen formation and remodeling occur over weeks to months. There is also a limit to the stimulation one session can safely provide. Pushing too hard at once can create more irritation and recovery burden than improvement, so repeating an appropriate intensity at intervals of several weeks is more reasonable for the skin. To use a construction analogy, this is closer to reinforcing sections in stages than demolishing and rebuilding an entire wall in one day.
How is a treatment program designed?
The criteria are pore type and location. For sebum-related pores, I consider Gold PTT to regulate the sebaceous glands. For loss-of-elasticity pores, lifting devices such as Ultherapy, Thermage FLX, or Sofwave may be considered. For scar-related pores, I consider inducing dermal regeneration using PicoWay's pico-fractional mode. Skin boosters such as Rejuran or Juvelook may also be combined to support the underlying skin condition. The order matters too. Stimulating regeneration first in skin that needs sebum control may increase breakouts, so the type assessment determines what comes first. If you would like to understand the differences between lifting devices, please see the separate column.
A program, not a single session
I design pore treatment as a program with spaced sessions after identifying the type, rather than as a one-off procedure. At every session, I personally assess the skin's response and adjust the next step's intensity and combination. Progress and response vary from person to person, so the skin's condition that day takes priority over a fixed formula. Our clinic operates with one doctor: I personally handle consultation, treatment, and aftercare. With Ultherapy, Thermage FLX, Sofwave, and PicoWay available, I can combine tools within the clinic to suit the pore type. We are a one-minute walk from Exit 4 of Apgujeong Rodeo Station, which also makes repeated visits for a program reasonably convenient.
In closing
If you are considering laser treatment for pores, ask not only how many sessions are needed, but also what changes between sessions. Any clinic that can explain that is worth considering, even if it is not LUNN.
Related column: Acne scar treatment: should scars be resurfaced? Why I choose rebuilding Treatment information: Pores and fine lines program
