Pore botox in Korea means diluted botulinum toxin placed just under the surface of oily zones so the oil glands produce less sebum and openings look smaller. It does not close or remove pores. Treatment usually targets the nose, inner cheeks and forehead, where shine and stretched openings cluster. In a split-face trial by Sayed and colleagues, toxin-treated cheeks showed lower sebum and pore scores than saline-treated cheeks, with the gain still present at four months. Expect numbing cream, a quick series of shallow pricks, small bumps that flatten within hours and possible pinpoint bruising. The oil drop builds over one to two weeks. Clinics usually price it per session or per face zone, before VAT, with 10% VAT added at payment.
Guide
Why the oil gland is the real target
A pore is the opening of a hair follicle, and the sebaceous gland empties into it. When a gland is very active, oil fills and stretches the opening, and the edge catches light.
Sebaceous glands respond partly to nerve signals that use acetylcholine, the same messenger toxin blocks in muscle. Placed shallow, a small dose quiets those signals near the gland. Less oil means less stretch, so the opening can look tighter. The structure of the pore is unchanged, which is why the effect wears off as nerve endings recover.
Guide
What the split-face cheek study measured
The most direct evidence comes from a 2020 split-face controlled pilot study by Sayed and colleagues in the Journal of Dermatological Treatment. Twenty people with enlarged facial pores and seborrhea had botulinum toxin injected into the skin of one cheek and saline into the other. Both sides improved at one month, but the toxin side improved significantly more on sebum and pore scores, and dermoscopy showed smaller average pore size. At four months the toxin side had kept its gain.
A 2023 roundtable led by Fabi in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal describes how practitioners use microdroplet toxin for pore size, sebum, acne and fine lines. It reflects expert practice rather than new trial data. Taken together, the evidence is encouraging but small, so results vary from person to person.
- Strongest signal: less surface oil and a lower pore score on treated skin.
- Duration in the trial: improvement held at the four-month check.
Guide
How a pore session is mapped on the face
The doctor first looks at where oil actually collects, often by asking how the face looks by midafternoon. A typical map covers the nose, the inner cheeks beside it and the central forehead. The outer lower face is often treated lightly or skipped, because droplets that drift into the smile muscles can make a grin feel uneven for a few weeks.
Numbing cream sits for roughly half an hour. The injections themselves take a few minutes, with points spaced close together in a grid. Ask which toxin product is used, how it is diluted and which zones are included, and get that written down.
Guide
Toxin compared with other pore options
Pore toxin mainly changes oil output. Treatments that remodel the skin around the opening work differently and can be paired with it on separate days.
| Option | How it works | Main effect on pores | Typical recovery |
|---|---|---|---|
| Intradermal toxin | Injectable; quiets oil-gland signals | Less sebum, openings look smaller | Bumps for hours, possible small bruises |
| Fractional laser | Laser; heats columns of skin | Firms skin around openings | Redness for a few days |
| RF microneedling | Radiofrequency via fine needles | Collagen remodeling, scar texture | Redness and dots for days |
| Chemical peel | Acid exfoliation | Clears debris inside the opening | Flaking, depends on depth |
Guide
Timing it with Busan's humid summers and beach days
Coastal Busan gets warm, sticky summers, and many visitors notice their T-zone shining faster there than at home. Because the oil reduction takes one to two weeks to show, booking it early in a longer stay lets you judge the effect before leaving, or schedule it a couple of weeks ahead of a summer trip.
For about a day afterward skip the sauna, bathhouse, hard workouts and pressing or rubbing the face. Sea swimming can wait until the next day, once the injection points have closed.
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, the cheek injected intradermally with botulinum toxin showed significantly greater reduction in sebum and pore scores than the saline-treated cheek, with improvement maintained at four months.
- Microtoxin for Improving Pore Size, Skin Laxity, Sebum Control, and Scars: A Roundtable on Integrating Intradermal Botulinum Toxin Type A Microdoses Into Clinical PracticeAesthetic Surgery Journal · 2023 · doi:10.1093/asj/sjad044
An expert roundtable describing patient selection, injection technique and safety for intradermal microdoses of botulinum toxin type A used for pore size, sebum, acne, fine lines and scars.
FAQ
Questions about Botox in Busan
Will pore botox make my pores disappear?
No, pores stay; the treatment aims to make them look smaller by reducing the oil that stretches them. Each opening is part of a hair follicle, so it cannot be removed by an injection. In the split-face study by Sayed and colleagues, dermoscopy showed a smaller average pore size on the toxin side, not closed pores. Think of it as a shine and texture change you notice in photos and at midday.
How soon will my face feel less oily?
Most people notice less shine within one to two weeks, not on the day of treatment. The toxin needs time to block nerve signals near the oil glands, and the change builds gradually. If you are visiting Busan for only a few days, you may see the result only after returning home. Taking a photo in the same light at the same time of day before treatment makes the comparison easier.
Can intradermal toxin help with acne-prone skin?
It may help some people whose breakouts are driven by heavy oil, but it is not an acne treatment on its own. The 2023 roundtable by Fabi and colleagues in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal lists acne among the uses in expert practice, though controlled data are limited. Active inflamed spots on the area are usually a reason to wait. Ongoing acne care from a doctor still matters alongside it.
How often do people repeat the injections?
Many people repeat it every three to four months if they liked the first result. In the split-face trial the improvement was still present at the four-month check, and the effect then fades as the nerve endings recover. Spacing sessions out gives a clear view of how long your own skin holds the change. Keep the product name and dilution so a later session can match or adjust it.
Should I stop retinoids or exfoliating acids before treatment?
Pausing strong retinoids and acid exfoliants for a few days before and after is a common precaution. Irritated or peeling skin bruises and stings more under many shallow needle points. Gentle cleanser, moisturizer and sunscreen are usually fine to continue. Tell the doctor about everything on your skincare shelf, including prescription creams, so the timing can be set for your skin.
Who should avoid pore toxin injections?
People who are pregnant or breastfeeding, or who have a neuromuscular condition such as myasthenia gravis, should not have it. A known allergy to a toxin product, an active skin infection on the area or toxin elsewhere in the past few months without a known dose are also reasons to pause. Very dry or easily irritated skin may gain little, since oil is not the problem there.