10 Ways for How to Unclog Pores That Come Dermatologist-Approved
Meet the Expert
Dr. Connie Yang – Board-certified dermatologist and member of Dermstore's Medical Advisory Board
Dermatologist Tips for How to Unclog Pores
1. Use a Glycolic Acid Cleanser
Cleansing is your skin’s first defense against clogged pores, especially when your cleanser-of-choice is infused with a gentle yet powerful exfoliating ingredient like glycolic acid. As an AHA, glycolic acid prevents old skin cells from sitting on your skin, which can lead to dullness and pesky comedones. It works by chemically dissolving the substance that binds dead skin cells to the skin’s surface, making them easier to slough off and leaving you with a glowing, more refreshed complexion.
Featured Product: NEOSTRATA Resurfacing Foaming Glycolic Wash AHA 20
87 reviews
$60.00
With its high AHA concentration, this foaming face wash is best for advanced AHA users or those whose skin is already well-adapted to more potent ingredients. Its high-performing formula delivers equally powerful results: visibly clearer and more refined pores and a healthier, more glowing complexion.
Key Ingredients: 18% Glycolic Acid, Grapefruit Extract
Skin Type:
Skin Benefits: Delivers gentle exfoliation minus the irritation, preps skin for better product absorption, enhances tone and texture
Beauty Insider Tip: Make sure to arm your skin with proper sun protection when using AHAs to prevent sensitivity and sunburn.
2. Exfoliate with Salicylic Acid
Salicylic acid is one ingredient you shouldn’t miss out on if you’re wondering how to clear pores. “Salicylic acid is a hero ingredient for clearing pores as it’s oil-soluble and penetrates deeply to clear out oil and dead skin cells,” Dr. Yang explains. Best used in tandem with BHAs like glycolic acid, which works on the surface of the skin, salicylic acid goes deeper into the pores to dissolve excess oil and other impurities while also tackling acne-causing bacteria. It helps keep your pores free of debris, minimizing their appearance and helping them return to their normal size and functions
Featured Product: Dr Dennis Gross Alpha Beta Universal Daily Peel
30 reviews
$153.00
These exfoliating pads form an easy-to-follow two-step exfoliation routine that is gentle enough for daily treatment and first-time peelers. Perfect for minimizing the look of fine lines and wrinkles, fading acne scars, and refining pores, these exfoliating pads combine not one, not two, but seven AHAs and BHAs with retinol and green tea to visibly improve skin quality and impart natural radiance.
Key Ingredients: Salicylic Acid, Glycolic Acid, Lactic Acid, Mandelic Acid, Malic Acid, Citric Acid, Resveratrol, Green Tea, Retinol, Chamomile
Skin Type: All Skin Types
Skin Benefits: Exfoliates gently but effectively, accelerates cell turnover, prevents skin dullness, smooths fine lines and wrinkles
Beauty Insider Tip: Step one of this daily peel addresses dullness, large pores, fine lines, and uneven tone and texture. Meanwhile, step two focuses on hydrating the skin and delivering anti-aging benefits.
3. Switch to a Non-Comedogenic Moisturizer
Keeping skin moisturized is super important not only for preventing dryness but also to regulate oil production. However, certain ingredients and the wrong formula for your skin type can cause blockages in your pores, creating a domino effect of skin concerns. Make sure you choose a moisturizer that is labeled non-comedogenic and formulated for your skin type. Steer clear of rich, oil-based creams if you’re already dealing with oily skin, and opt for water- or gel-based ones instead.
Featured Product: SENTÉ Dermal Repair UltraNourish
14 reviews
$179.00
For dry and sensitive skin that seeks plenty of moisture, this derm-tested, hypoallergenic, and non-comedogenic moisturizer delivers intense hydration with its patented HSA technology. It alleviates redness and irritation and softens fine lines and wrinkles, all while mimicking the skin’s natural lipids to strengthen barrier activity.
Key Ingredients: Heparan Sulfate Analog (HSA), Lipid Blend
Skin Type: All Skin Types
Skin Benefits: Delivers deep and long-lasting hydration; smooths texture, fine lines, and wrinkles; soothes visible redness and sensitivity
Beauty Insider Tip: This deeply hydrating moisturizer is also ideal for nourishing men’s complexion and comforting post-treatment skin.
4. Don't Forget Toner
Toners often keep a low profile compared to more buzzy skincare products, but they’re the savior of skin that’s coping with prominent pores. A toner helps keep skin’s pH levels balanced, which is crucial if you want to prevent dryness, oiliness, and sensitivity, as well as removes leftover impurities and residue after cleansing. It also helps tighten and minimize pores, especially when infused with niacinamide and astringent ingredients like witch hazel and green tea.
Featured Product: SkinCeuticals LHA Toner
222 reviews
$44.00
Looking for your new pore-refining go-to? This toner’s triple-action formula features a low pH blend of purifying acids to decongest pores and blur visible signs of aging, revealing a clearer, more youthful complexion.
Key Ingredients: Lipo Hydroxy Acid (LHA), Glycolic Acid, Salicylic Acid
Skin Type: Acne-Prone, Combination, Mature, Oily
Skin Benefits: Targets clogged pores and breakouts, promotes natural exfoliation, low pH
Beauty Insider Tip: Use this toner to help prep the skin for aesthetic procedures and professional treatments.
5. Invest in a Pore Extraction Tool
Impurities and blackheads that are stuck deep inside the pores may require a bit of help to remove, and that can come in the form of a pore extraction tool. Unlike pore strips, which only work on surface impurities and can be irritating to the skin (and even contribute to pore enlargement), pore extractors can penetrate deeper to remove stubborn debris and are considered less irritating. It also allows you to target specific areas of your skin while minimizing the risk of scarring and infection.
Featured Product: DERMAFLASH DERMAPORE+ Pore Extractor and Serum Infuser - Stone
Dirt, oil, whiteheads, and blackheads don’t stand a chance against handy pore-clearing device that also does double duty as a serum infuser. Using ultrasonic vibrations, this sensitive skin-friendly extractor gently coaxes stubborn debris, excess oil, and other impurities out of your pores, leaving you with a smoother and clearer canvas. Meanwhile, it’s infuse mode works to deliver active ingredients deeper into your skin and boost circulation with its micro-massage function.
Skin Type: All Skin Types
Skin Benefits: Unclogs pores deep-seated impurities without redness or irritation, improves product absorption and blood flow
Beauty Insider Tip: For best results, use the extractor with the DERMAFLASH Mineral Pore Refining Mist, which contains negatively charged ions that work synergistically with the device’s positively charged custom spatula, for a magnet-like effect in drawing out pore-clogging dirt and debris.
6. Make Clay Masks Part of Your Routine
One of the best tips for how to unclog pores is by treating your skin to a clay mask once or twice a week. Clay masks can be an effective way to draw out deep-seated impurities, calm inflammation, and absorb excess oil, promoting a more thorough cleansing. Not to mention, regular masking allows you to enjoy a relaxing spa-like treatment at home that leaves your skin extra smooth, radiant, and rejuvenated.
Featured Product: Revision Skincare® Pore Purifying Clay Mask
113 reviews
$56.00
Cleanse, exfoliate, and soothe your skin in one go with this purifying clay mask. Infused with the highest quality earth clay, skin-resurfacing salicylic acid, and soothing and antioxidant-rich extracts, it deeply cleans the skin and leaves it looking smoother and more polished.
Key Ingredients: Salicylic Acid, Tea Tree Leaf Oil, Larch Arabinogalactan, Sage Extract, Cucumber Extract, Oat Kernel Extract, Bisabolol
Skin Type: All Skin Types
Skin Benefits: Purifies and soothes skin, unclogs pores and absorbs excess oil, refines and minimizes the appearance of enlarged pores
Beauty Insider Tip: Avoiding the eye area, apply a generous amount of the mask and leave on for 15 to 20 minutes before rinsing with warm water. Mask twice weekly and increase frequency if skin is extra oily.
7. Get a Cleansing Device
There’s no better way to level up your pore-clearing routine than with a cleansing and massaging device. This skincare tool uses advanced technology and gentle vibrations to draw out skin impurities, dirt, oil, and product residue. The best part? A cleansing and massaging device also stimulates and promotes better circulation, which supports cell generation and allows nutrients, antioxidants, and oxygen to be transported to the skin more effectively.
Featured Product: FOREO LUNA 4 Smart Facial Cleansing and Firming Massage Device – Sensitive Skin
8 reviews
$199.00
Meet your skin’s new best friend. This version of the award-winning cleansing and firming device takes advantage of the latest technology to lift away surface impurities, debris, and excess oil. Using 16 adjustable T-Sonic™ vibrations, it lets you switch cleansing modes from gentle to deep while delivering a range of low-frequency massages to firm and plump your skin and improve circulation. It’s also crafted with specially soft silicone that’s 35 times more hygienic than nylon brushes, making it a safe choice for even the most sensitive skin.
Skin Type: All Skin Types
Skin Benefits: 16 adjustable settings to fit your needs; removes dirt, debris, and excess sebum; improves product absorption and circulation; promotes firmer and plumper skin
Beauty Insider Tip: Download the FOREO For You app and register your LUNA™ 4 to unlock app-guided massages.
8. Consider a Facial Peel
Facial peels, which are typically done by a professional, can do wonders for your pores and the overall appearance of your skin. Aside from sloughing off dead skin cells, facial peels can also improve skin texture, brighten dark spots and discoloration, promote faster cell turnover, and allow skincare products to penetrate more effectively. No time for an in-office treatment? No problem. Try an at-home peel instead, which lets you recreate professional results and achieve a post-peel glow with formulas powered by fruit enzymes, AHAs, and soothing extracts.
Featured Product: Lancer Skincare Caviar Lime Acid Peel with Glycolic Acid 10 Phytic Acid 10 Retinol
14 reviews
$99.00
Packed with everything you could ever want in refining and purifying your pores, this acid peel boasts of an advanced formula that works hard on renewing the skin’s surface, diminishing signs of aging, and protecting the skin against free radical damage.
Key Ingredients: Caviar Lime Extract, Fruit Enzymes, 10% Glycolic Acid, 10% Phytic Acid, Retinol
Skin Type: Combination, Dry, Mature, Normal, Oily
Skin Benefits: Improves skin tone and texture, minimizes fine lines and wrinkles, brightens dark spots and hyperpigmentation, regulates oil production, supports cell turnover
Beauty Insider Tip: Make sure to avoid the eye area, lips, and broken skin when applying the product. Use once or twice weekly based on your skin’s tolerance and leave on for 10 to 15 minutes before rinsing.
9. Use a Pore Treatment
A pore treatment allows you to go straight to targeting visible pores and shrink their size, making sure they don’t become home to acne-causing bacteria and pore-enlarging debris and excess oil. Targeted pore treatments often contain exfoliating properties that discourage surface buildup while enhancing cell turnover and giving your skin a much-needed boost.
Featured Product: PCA SKIN Pore Refining Treatment
17 reviews
$72.00
If enlarged and clogged pores are overwhelming your skin, then it’s time you add this exfoliating treatment to your routine. With mandelic acid at the forefront, it gently draws out impurities, soaks up excess oil, and refines and purifies pores.
Key Ingredients: Mandelic Acid, Papain, Rice Powder, Kaolin and Bentonite Clay, Bisabolol
Skin Type: Acne-Prone, Combination, Oily
Skin Benefits: Gently exfoliates and brightens skin; sloughs away surface buildup and lifts away impurities
Beauty Insider Tip: After cleansing, apply the product using circular motions over the face, then rinse and pat dry. Follow with your toner, serum, moisturizer, and SPF during daytime.
10. Try a Retinoid
The undisputed skincare MVP, a retinoid is “your best friend when it comes to clogged pores and blackheads,” says Dr. Yang. As the ultimate multitasker, it hastens collagen production, brightens dark spots and discoloration, improves scarring, and prevents acne and clogged pores by regulating oil production. Adding a retinoid also provides an exfoliating effect as it speeds up the shedding of old skin cells and encourages the production of new ones.
Featured Product: Medik8 Bakuchiol Peptides Serum
3 reviews
$58.00
Powered by bakuchiol, a plant-based retinol alternative, this serum packs plenty of punches and effectively delivers the same retinoid benefits while minimizing unwanted side effects often associated with retinoid use. It promotes collagen production, which not only softens visible signs of aging but also lifts and firms sagging skin, helping pores appear tighter.
Key Ingredients: Bakuchiol, Peptides, Cica Extract, Inka Omega Oil
Skin Type: All Skin Types
Skin Benefits: Blurs fine lines and wrinkles, evens tone and texture, promotes firmness, sensitive skin-friendly, supports the skin barrier
Beauty Insider Tip: Gentle enough for day and night use, this retinol alternative is also safe to use while pregnant or nursing.
FAQs
Is it Safe to Squeeze Pores?
According to Dr. Yang, clogged pores often look like smooth, white or skin-colored bumps or whiteheads or as small dark spots or blackheads. When a clogged pore leads to acne, it often appears red, swollen, and may contain pus because of bacteria and inflammation.
What Do Clogged Pores Look Like?
Squeezing or picking at a clogged pore is a major no-no. “I advise against squeezing the pores as this can cause increased inflammation, irritation, and even scarring,” says Dr. Yang.
Can You Shrink Your Pores?
While we’re all for pore-less, porcelain-like skin, there’s no product or ingredient that will fully get rid of pores. You can, however, take steps to shrink them. “You can minimize their appearance by keeping them clear and encouraging collagen production in the surrounding skin to keep them fight,” Dr. Yang explains.
Can Makeup Clog Pores?
Makeup residue is one of the top causes of clogged pores, which is why it’s important to choose products that are labeled non-comedogenic or oil-free, says Dr. Yang. This is especially important for those with acne-prone skin.
The Bottom Line
Clogged pores can lead to plenty of skin concerns—like whiteheads, blackheads, and acne—that impact the texture, smoothness, and overall appearance of your skin. Knowing how to clear pores starts with addressing the main factors that cause congestion. That means curating a well-rounded skincare routine that makes sure your skin is properly cleansed, regulates and balances oil production, and sloughs off dead skin cells and other impurities thoroughly and regularly. It also helps to incorporate ingredients that promote collagen production to refine and tighten the appearance of pores and take advantage of skincare devices that let you draw out stubborn debris safely and effectively.
Janeca Racho is a Journalism graduate with over 15 years of writing experience. After getting her start in public relations and advertising, she made the switch to freelance writing and began working for various lifestyle, fashion, and travel brands. Her love for all things skincare has led her to beauty reporting and research for the last ten years. Writing for several hair and beauty blogs, she reports on anti-aging staples, trending brands and products, must-have ingredients, and health and wellness.
