Pore botox in Korea is a set of very shallow, diluted botulinum toxin injections that reduce oil output in treated zones, so pores widened by sebum can look smaller for a few months. It does not shut pores, clear blackheads or lift loose skin. The evidence is modest. A 2020 split-face trial by Sayed and colleagues in the Journal of Dermatological Treatment found lower sebum and pore scores on toxin-treated cheeks than on saline-treated ones, and a 2013 forehead study by Rose and Goldberg recorded less sebum for three months. Expect numbing cream, many fine pricks, brief bumps and possible pinpoint bruises. This is an off-label use, so ask how the dose and spacing are chosen for your skin.
Guide
Which pores respond, and which do not
Openings stretched by heavy sebum on the nose, forehead and inner cheeks are the ones toxin can influence, because the droplets are thought to dampen the nerve signals that drive the oil glands. Pores that look wide because cheek skin has lost firmness, or because acne left pitted scars, have a structural cause that diluted toxin does not reach.
A self-check helps before a consultation. If your face is shiny by midday and the largest pores sit in the T-zone, sebum is likely the main driver. If the openings look oval and run along the outer cheeks, laxity plays a larger part, and collagen-focused treatments are usually discussed instead.
- Likely to respond: shine-driven pores in the T-zone and inner cheeks
- Little change expected: oval pores from loose skin on the outer cheeks
- Not addressed: rolling or boxcar acne scars
- Not addressed: blackheads already lodged in the pore
Guide
What the two trials measured
The split-face design is the stronger of the two, because each person served as their own control. At one month both cheeks improved, saline side included, which hints that the needle passes alone do something. The toxin side improved more and kept its gain at four months. Skin thickness on optical coherence tomography rose on both sides, with no meaningful difference between them.
The forehead study had no comparison side, so part of the change could reflect expectation or season. It still recorded lower sebum at every visit up to three months, and Rose and Goldberg called for larger randomized, blinded trials.
| Point | Sayed and colleagues, 2020 | Rose and Goldberg, 2013 |
|---|---|---|
| Design | Split-face, saline on the other cheek | Single group, no control side |
| Participants | 20 people with oily skin and large pores | 25 people with oily skin |
| Area | Cheeks | Forehead |
| Measures | Sebum and pore scores, dermoscopy, skin imaging | Sebometer readings, photos, satisfaction |
| Follow-up | One and four months | One week to three months |
Guide
How a session is planned for oily zones
The doctor first marks where shine and open pores cluster, often the nose, the center of the forehead and the inner cheeks, while keeping a margin from the muscles that raise the brows and shape the smile. Numbing cream goes on, then the product is diluted further than for wrinkle work and placed as many tiny droplets just under the surface.
Ask how many units the plan uses per zone and which brand is drawn up, since clinics price it per session or per zone. Menu prices are before VAT, and 10% VAT is added at payment.
Guide
Side effects and who should wait
Small raised bumps at each entry point usually settle within hours, and pinpoint bruises may take several days. Some people notice tightness or a drier feel in treated areas. If droplets spread toward expression muscles, a smile or brow can move slightly differently until the effect fades, which is why spacing and dilution matter more than speed.
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding
- A neuromuscular disorder, or medicines that affect nerve-muscle signaling
- Active cysts, infection or an eczema flare in the area
- A past reaction to any toxin product
Guide
Planning repeat rounds when you visit Busan again
The oil drop builds over one to two weeks and fades over months, so a single Haeundae stay is enough for the injection, but the real verdict comes after you fly home. Take a photo in the same window light and note how shiny your skin is at midday before treatment, then repeat that check at two weeks and again later.
In the cheek trial the toxin side still held its improvement at four months, while the forehead study followed people for three. If you return to Busan regularly, a repeat round can be timed to when shine comes back rather than to a fixed calendar.
Evidence
Research behind this page
- The efficacy of intradermal injections of botulinum toxin in the management of enlarged facial pores and seborrhea: a split face-controlled studyJournal of Dermatological Treatment · 2020 · doi:10.1080/09546634.2019.1708241
In 20 patients, cheeks injected intradermally with botulinum toxin showed greater reductions in sebum and pore scores than saline-injected cheeks, with the improvement maintained at four months.
- Safety and Efficacy of Intradermal Injection of Botulinum Toxin for the Treatment of Oily SkinDermatologic Surgery · 2013 · doi:10.1111/dsu.12097
In 25 patients, intradermal forehead injections of abobotulinumtoxinA significantly lowered measured sebum production from one week to three months, and the authors called for larger controlled trials.
FAQ
Questions about Botox in Busan
Can pore botox shrink the pores on my nose?
It can make sebum-stretched nose pores look smaller for a while, but it will not close them or empty blackheads. The nose is a frequent target because oil output there is high, and less sebum lets the opening sit less stretched. Pores that stay wide because of thick, congested skin may also need extractions or a chemical peel to look clearer.
Is pore botox an approved use of the product?
No, reducing oil or pore size is generally an off-label use of botulinum toxin, meaning it sits outside the indications printed on the label. Doctors use it on the basis of published studies, such as the small trials by Sayed and colleagues and by Rose and Goldberg. Off-label use is common in aesthetic practice, but dose and dilution then rest on the doctor's judgment. Ask how both are chosen for your skin type.
How does pore toxin compare with a pore-tightening laser?
They work on different things: toxin lowers oil output for a few months, while lasers and radiofrequency microneedling remodel collagen around the pore over a longer period. A toxin session is short and its bumps pass quickly, whereas collagen treatments often need several sessions and leave redness for some days. People whose pores come from both oiliness and laxity sometimes have both, spaced apart, after a consultation that sets the order.
Is pore toxin worth fitting into a short Busan trip?
It can fit a short trip, because the injecting takes minutes and visible marks usually fade within a day or two, but results build after you leave. Book the session early in the stay so any bruise has time to settle before flights or photos. Since the change shows over one to two weeks, judge it at home in the same light as your before photo.
Does pore toxin change how my face moves?
It should not when placed correctly, because the droplets sit in the skin rather than the muscle, yet spread toward forehead or smile muscles can soften movement for a while. This is easier to notice on the forehead, where small changes affect brow lift. Any such effect wears off as the toxin does. Telling the doctor how much you rely on brow expression, for example on camera, helps them keep a wider margin.