Red Light Therapy for Pores: What It Can and Cannot Change
Early research suggests red light therapy can make pores look smaller, but it cannot close them. In one uncontrolled study of 20 people, cheek pore diameter measured 32.8% smaller after 12 weeks of twice-weekly sessions with a 630 nm mask. Below: the three causes of visible pores, what each light colour does for each, the studies, skincare pairings, and which mode of our mask suits oily or ageing pores.
Key takeaways
- Pore size is largely inherited, and Cleveland Clinic advises that "you can't permanently shrink them", only make them look smaller. Cleveland Clinic, 2022
- In a study of 60 adults, oil output was the factor most closely linked to pore size. British Journal of Dermatology, 2006
- In an uncontrolled study of 20 adults using a 630 nm LED mask twice a week, cheek pore diameter was 32.8% smaller after 12 weeks. Skin Research and Technology, 2023
- In the same study, sebum fell 70.3% after 12 weeks in the 10 participants with mixed to oily skin. Skin Research and Technology, 2023
- In a sham-controlled trial of a blue and red home device, the light group produced less sebum and had smaller oil glands in skin samples. British Journal of Dermatology, 2013
Does red light therapy shrink pores?
Early research suggests it can make pores measure smaller, but it does not close them or change how many you have. The one light study we found that measured pore diameter reported a drop of about a third over three months, without a comparison group.
Pore size is mostly genetic, and the realistic goal is pores that look smaller, kept clear and supported by firm collagen and elastin. Cleveland Clinic, 2022 It notes that research has not yet proven red light reduces pore size. The clearest measured data come from one small study.
That study gave 20 healthy volunteers aged 45 to 70, 15 women and 5 men, an LED mask at 630 nm. Each session ran 12 minutes at 21.7 mW/cm², twice a week, 72 hours apart, for three months. A magnifying camera measured cheek pores.
Pore diameter was 28.5% smaller at day 28, 30.7% at day 56 and 32.8% at day 84. There was no control group. The study was linked to and funded by the mask's developers. Skin Research and Technology, 2023 Read it as an encouraging first measurement, not as proof.
Why do pores look large in the first place?
The main causes are oil, loss of firmness around the pore and larger hair follicles, and sun damage adds to the loss of firmness. The best approach depends on which cause leads.
A dermatology review names excess sebum, reduced elasticity around pores and larger hair follicles as the main causes, and matches treatment to cause. Dermatologic Surgery, 2016 In a study of 60 Korean adults, "Enlarged pore sizes are associated with increased sebum output level, age and male sex." Sebum had the strongest link, with a correlation of 0.47 in men and 0.38 in women. British Journal of Dermatology, 2006 On sun, the American Academy of Dermatology is direct: "The more sun damaged your skin, the less firmness it has." AAD
| Cause | What happens | Who it affects most | What dermatologists suggest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oil | Busy oil glands fill and stretch the pore opening | Oily skin, men, the centre of the face, where oil glands are most numerous | Gentle cleansing twice a day, non-comedogenic products, salicylic acid |
| Loss of firmness | Collagen and elastin around the pore weaken, so pores lengthen, widen and can merge | Older skin | Retinoids, firming procedures in a clinic |
| Sun damage | UV disrupts the collagen and elastin framework that holds the pore in shape | Skin with years of sun exposure | Daily broad-spectrum SPF 30 or higher, retinoids |
Sources: Cutis, 2016; Current Issues in Molecular Biology, 2024.
What do red and blue light do for each cause of large pores?
Blue and red light have both been studied for the oil side, and red light for the firmness side. Sun damage overlaps with firmness, but no light replaces sunscreen.
| Cause | Red light | Blue light | Kivorla mask mode |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oil | 630 nm cut fat production in oil-gland cells; sebum fell in the mask study | 415 nm slowed oil-gland cell growth; blue with red reduced sebum and gland size against sham | Blue mode (blue and near-infrared) |
| Loss of firmness | Skin density and roughness improved alongside pore size in the mask study | Not the band used in firmness research | Red mode (red and near-infrared) |
| Sun damage | Same firmness research; red light is not UV and does not protect from it | Not the band used in firmness research | Red mode, plus daily sunscreen |
The cell findings come from cultured human oil-gland cells. Archives of Dermatological Research, 2015 The firmness figures come from the same 20-person study: at day 84, dermal density was up 47.7% and cheek roughness down 23.8%. Skin Research and Technology, 2023 It cannot show that firmer skin caused the smaller pores.
Does red light therapy reduce oily skin and sebum?
Early evidence says it can lower oil output. A lab study, a small uncontrolled mask study and a sham-controlled blue and red trial all point the same way.
- In the lab: 630 nm red "strongly downregulated lipid production" in human oil-gland cells, and 415 nm blue slowed their growth. Archives of Dermatological Research, 2015
- In the 630 nm mask study: in the 10 participants with mixed to oily skin, sebum was 34.9% lower at day 28, 63.9% lower at day 56 and 70.3% lower at day 84. Skin Research and Technology, 2023
- Against a sham device: 35 people with mild to moderate acne used a 420 nm blue and 660 nm red home device for 2.5 minutes twice a day for 4 weeks. Sebum fell and oil glands were smaller in skin samples; the sham group showed no significant change. British Journal of Dermatology, 2013
A lab study at 650 and 830 nm found no significant drop in oil production, so wavelength and dose may matter. Annals of Dermatology, 2015
Which studies measured pore size or oil, and what routine did they use?
One light study measured pore size and sebum, one measured sebum and oil glands against sham, and two counted blackheads and whiteheads. Their schedules ran from twice a week to twice a day, over 4 to 12 weeks.
| Study | People | Light | Dose or session | Sessions | Length | Measured |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Couturaud 2023 | 20 healthy adults aged 45 to 70, no control group | 630 nm LED mask | 21.7 mW/cm², 12 min, 15.6 J/cm² | Twice a week, 72 hours apart | 12 weeks | Pore diameter 32.8% smaller; sebum 70.3% lower in 10 people |
| Kwon 2013 | 35 people with acne, sham-controlled | 420 nm blue and 660 nm red home device | 2.5 min per area | Twice a day | 4 weeks, checked at week 12 | Less sebum, smaller oil glands; blackheads and whiteheads 54% fewer |
| Papageorgiou 2000 | 107 people with acne, four groups | 415 nm blue and 660 nm red | 15 min | Daily | 12 weeks | Blackheads and whiteheads 58% fewer with blue and red |
| Park 2025 | 60 adults, sham-controlled | 630 nm and 850 nm mask | Up to 10 mW/cm² each, 9 min | 5 times a week | 12 weeks | Crow's feet improved in 86.2% vs 16.7% with sham; pores not measured |
Sources: Skin Research and Technology, 2023; British Journal of Dermatology, 2013; British Journal of Dermatology, 2000; Medicine, 2025.
Our red light therapy for acne guide covers the inflamed spot results from the same trials.
Does red light therapy help nose pores and blackheads?
It may reduce the oil behind them, but it does not lift out a plug. Trials of blue plus red light also counted fewer blackheads and whiteheads, though dermatologists treat blackheads mainly with products such as salicylic acid.
Nose pores look large mostly because of oil, since the centre of the face has more oil glands. Cleveland Clinic, 2022
- Blue and red, 12 weeks: blackheads and whiteheads fell 58% (95% CI 45 to 71), the best of the active treatments, though the differences between groups were not significant. British Journal of Dermatology, 2000
- Blue and red against sham: blackheads and whiteheads fell 54%, with no significant change in the sham group. British Journal of Dermatology, 2013
The AAD notes that "Studies show salicylic acid can unclog pores", and warns: "Never scrub, rub, pick at, or squeeze the skin on your face." AAD Cleveland Clinic adds that extraction can leave scars. Skip light sessions on broken skin or open spots. Our blue light therapy guide covers the blue band and breakouts.
Why do pores look bigger as you get older, and can red light help?
With age and sun, the collagen and elastin around each pore weaken, so the opening stretches and sags. Red and near-infrared research focuses on that support layer, which makes red the better fit for pores that have widened with age.
A 2024 paper describes how, with age, pores lengthen, expand and merge. Current Issues in Molecular Biology, 2024 Aged, sun-damaged skin has a disrupted collagen and elastin framework. Cutis, 2016
The 630 nm mask study recruited people aged 45 to 70. Alongside smaller pores, crow's feet depth was 38.3% lower and dermal density 47.7% higher at day 84. Skin Research and Technology, 2023 For the wider firmness research, see red light therapy for skin over 50 and red light therapy for loose skin.
Can you use red light with retinol, niacinamide, BHA and sunscreen for pores?
Yes. Use the light first on clean, bare skin, then apply your products, with retinoids at night and sunscreen every morning.
- Retinoids: these have the strongest topical pore data. In 568 patients over 24 weeks, pore size improved by at least one point in 42% with tazarotene 0.1% and 20% with placebo. Cutis, 2016 The AAD suggests retinol at bedtime, not during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
- BHA (salicylic acid): after the session, or on alternate nights at first.
- Niacinamide: apply after the session, as you normally would.
- Sunscreen: the AAD advises daily broad-spectrum, water-resistant SPF 30 or higher. Red light is not UV and does not replace it. Remove mineral or tinted sunscreen before a session.
- Prescription treatments: if you use a prescription retinoid, ask your prescriber before adding a light device. Retinoid tablets and some acne antibiotics raise light sensitivity, and neither device should be used with photosensitising medication.
The full ingredient order is in red light therapy before or after skincare.
How long does it take for pores to look smaller, and do results last?
In the one study that measured pore diameter, most of the change appeared within the first 4 weeks. The authors reported that results held 14 and 28 days after sessions stopped, but gave no figures.
Pore diameter was 28.5% smaller at day 28 and 32.8% at day 84. Sebum moved more slowly: 34.9% lower at day 28, 70.3% at day 84. Skin Research and Technology, 2023 The acne trials above were read over 4 to 12 weeks.
Take photos at weeks 0, 4, 8 and 12, in the same light, at the same distance and angle. Oil output and age keep changing after you stop, so cleansing, sunscreen and non-comedogenic products still matter. See how long red light therapy takes to work for other goals.
What can change about your pores, and what cannot?
Pore size is mostly genetic, and Cleveland Clinic says pores cannot be permanently shrunk. What can change is how much oil fills it, how firm the skin around it is, and how clear it stays.
- Can change: oil output, clogging, and firmness around the pore.
- Cannot change: the number of pores, the size you inherited, or the pore itself closing for good.
- Short-lived tricks: ice works for minutes only. Cleveland Clinic, 2022
Should you use the red mode or the blue mode of the Kivorla mask for oily or ageing pores?
Use the blue mode, blue with near-infrared, when oil and blackheads drive your pores, and the red mode, red with near-infrared, when pores have widened with age or sun. If you have both, alternate the modes on different days.
The 4-Wavelength Red Light Therapy Mask is a full-face silicone shell with one eye opening and no diodes over the eyes. It covers the forehead, nose and cheeks. The red mode is 665 nm red with 850 nm and 1064 nm near-infrared. The blue mode is 460 nm blue with 850 nm. Output is 50 to 103 mW/cm², with brightness at 50, 70 or 90% and a timer of 5, 10 or 15 minutes. The studies used 630 nm red and 415 to 420 nm blue, so the mask shares their colour bands, not their exact wavelengths.
- Prepare: cleanse, pat dry and remove tinted products.
- Start low: the pore study ran 12 minutes at a modest output, twice a week. Start with the 5-minute timer at 50% brightness, twice a week, and build up within the manual's limits if your skin is comfortable.
- Stay within the manual: 10 minutes up to four times a week at high brightness, or 15 minutes up to three times a week, and no more than 20 minutes a day. If you run the red mode and the blue mode on the same day, their total stays within 20 minutes.
- Blue mode on skin that darkens easily: start short and low, as our blue light guide advises.
- Jaw, neck, chest and back: the mask does not reach them, but the 9-Spectrum Red Light Therapy Panel does. It carries 630, 660 and 670 nm red and a 480 nm blue band. To stay near the studied range, dim each wavelength from 1 to 100%, set the timer from 1 minute, and step back from 6 to 12 inches. Goggles are included. The panel is not for Fitzpatrick skin types V or VI.
Read the precautions before ordering: neither device is for use in pregnancy, with epilepsy, a thyroid condition or thyroid medication, photosensitising medication, or on broken skin. Standard shipping to the US, UK and Germany is free. Returns are accepted within 30 days: an unopened device with its seals intact is refunded less a 10% restocking fee, and an opened device that is undamaged and complete is refunded less 20%.
Kivorla devices are general wellness devices, not medical devices. Show a dermatologist any breakouts that are severe, cystic or scarring, and ask your prescriber before adding a light device to acne medication.