Last updated: May 25, 2026

Enlarged Pores in Toronto: The Honest Treatment Guide

By Basil Russo, Founder — Bar Beauty Medical, 46 Fort York Blvd, CityPlace Toronto Medically reviewed by Dr. John David Henneberry-Fudge MD FRCPC (CPSO #95972), Medical Director Phone 416-923-1200 · Book at barbeautymedical.janeapp.com · 5.0 stars across 166+ Google reviews

You stand in front of the mirror in unflattering bathroom lighting and notice your pores — nose, central cheeks, forehead — look like they’ve multiplied. Deepened. Stretched into elongated grooves. That’s enlarged pores.

One of the most-searched skin topics in Toronto and one of the most-misunderstood. Marketing language promises to “close” or “shrink” your pores. Biology says you can’t close a pore — but you absolutely can reduce its visible diameter, depth, and oiliness.

I’m Basil. I run Bar Beauty Medical on Fort York Blvd in CityPlace. Enlarged-pore consults often follow a long history of pore strips, harsh cleansers, over-exfoliation, and Instagram skincare trends that made the underlying issue worse. Here’s the biology-based version.

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What Are Enlarged Pores?

A pore is the visible opening of a pilosebaceous unit — a hair follicle plus its sebaceous gland. You have about 5 million pilosebaceous units on your body, with the highest density on the face, scalp, and upper chest.

Pore visibility is determined by:

1. Sebum production volume — more oil stretches the opening
2. Follicular keratin debris — dead skin cells stuck in the pore make it look darker and wider
3. Surrounding dermal collagen scaffolding — when collagen is robust, the pore is supported and appears smaller
4. Hair follicle diameter — genetically set
5. Sun damage — degraded collagen scaffolding, visibly larger pores
6. Age — collagen scaffolding degrades over time

You can’t change the genetic count or diameter of your pilosebaceous units. You can substantially reduce visible appearance by addressing sebum, debris, and collagen scaffolding.

Why Do Pores Look Larger Over Time?

• Sun damage. UV degrades collagen and elastin in the perifollicular dermis.
• Sebum overproduction. Hormonal (testosterone, androgens), dietary (high glycemic load), genetic.
• Inflammation from acne. Even after acne resolves, the openings stay stretched.
• Smoking and pollution. Chronic free-radical damage.
• Picking and squeezing. Damages the follicular wall.
• Over-exfoliation. Strips the protective layer, paradoxically increasing sebum and pore appearance.
• Heavy occlusive skincare. Comedogenic products clog follicles.
• Genetics. Strong familial pattern.
• Hormonal change. Perimenopause increases facial sebum in some patients.

What’s The Best Treatment For Enlarged Pores?

Microneedling With Exosomes Or PRP — The Workhorse

Microneedling at 1.0-1.5 mm stimulates collagen synthesis in the perifollicular dermis, tightening the scaffold around each pore. Across a 3-4 session course, pores visibly narrow and surface texture smooths.

• SkinPen Microneedling: $400
• Microneedling + ASCE+ Exosomes: $650
• Vampire Facial: price on consult

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Morpheus 8 — Deeper Remodelling

For significant pore enlargement combined with skin laxity, Morpheus 8 RF microneedling tightens the deeper dermis and remodels the perifollicular structure more aggressively across 3 sessions.

• Morpheus 8 Half Face: $600
• Morpheus 8 Face: $900

Aerolase NeoSkin For Sebum And Skin Quality

Aerolase NeoElite reduces sebum production and improves pore visibility across a course. Safe on all phototypes. No downtime.

• Aerolase NeoSkin Custom Facial: $280

Chemical Peels For Surface Texture And Clearance

Salicylic acid peels penetrate sebum and exfoliate inside the follicle — particularly useful for pore-prone, oily skin. Glycolic and lactic peels improve surface texture and brightness.

• Chemical Peel Noon 20 or Noon 30: $240 each
• Green Peel Skin Detox: $260

HydraFacial And Custom Extraction

Deep cleansing and extraction clear pore debris and keratin plugs. Maintenance, not curative.

• Custom Facial / Extraction: price on consult
• Oxygen Glass Facial: price on consult

At-Home Skincare

The non-negotiable foundation:

• Salicylic acid cleanser 2-3× weekly
• Niacinamide 5-10% serum daily — proven sebum-regulating effect
• Tretinoin 0.025-0.05% nightly (Dr. Henneberry-Fudge prescribes)
• Mineral SPF 50 every morning
• Non-comedogenic moisturiser

Hormonal Management

For hormonal acne plus significant sebum production, oral therapy (spironolactone, OCP) can meaningfully reduce sebum and pore visibility. Dr. Henneberry-Fudge prescribes after workup.

Pico Or Fractional CO2 Laser — When We Refer Out

For severe pore enlargement with deep boxcar acne scarring, fractional ablative laser is gold standard. We refer to dermatologic surgeons.

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What Combination Protocol Do You Recommend?

For a 25-45 year old with moderate pore enlargement:

1. At-home regimen — niacinamide, tretinoin, salicylic acid, mineral SPF
2. Microneedling + Exosomes course — 3-4 sessions at $650 monthly
3. Aerolase NeoSkin — 3-4 sessions at $280 alternating with microneedling
4. Chemical peel maintenance — every 6-8 weeks at $240
5. Hormonal management if indicated — Dr. Fudge consult

Year-one investment: $3,000-$5,000.

How Long Until I See Results?

• Week 4: first visible improvement
• Month 3: mid-course change
• Month 6: peak result
• Month 12: maintenance

What you can expect: 40-60% reduction in visible pore appearance over 6-12 months. Smoother texture. Less T-zone oil. Better makeup. Fewer comedones (blackheads/whiteheads).

What you can’t expect: complete “closure” of pores (biologically impossible). Permanent results without maintenance. The poreless skin you see filtered on Instagram (it’s filtered).

When Is Aggressive Treatment A Bad Idea?

• Pregnancy or breastfeeding — defer tretinoin and energy devices
• Active acne flare — treat acne first
• Active rosacea — different protocol
• Recent isotretinoin (wait 6 months)
• Active dermatitis or barrier dysfunction — rebuild barrier first
• BDD concern (Dr. Fudge screens)

How Much Does Enlarged Pore Treatment Cost In Toronto?

Full pricing at barbeauty.ca/price-list.

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What Happens At Your Consult?

Intake — skincare history, acne history, current products. Standardised photos. Skin barrier and oil production assessment. Pore distribution mapping (T-zone vs cheeks vs full face). Treatment plan with home regimen + in-clinic protocol. Topical script if appropriate. BDD screen.

Who Treats You?

Julia Barabas, Glow Specialist, leads microneedling, Aerolase, peels, and facials. Medical therapy and prescribing from Dr. John David Henneberry-Fudge MD FRCPC.

A Note From Dr. Henneberry-Fudge

Enlarged pores is the concern where I most often see patients having actively made the problem worse through aggressive home routines. Over-exfoliation, harsh cleansers, mechanical extraction, pore strips, and trend-driven actives often damage the skin barrier and increase visible pore appearance. The Bar Beauty approach — gentle, biology-based, with appropriate topical and in-clinic treatment — produces durable improvement without barrier compromise.

— Dr. John David Henneberry-Fudge MD FRCPC, CPSO #95972

Who Are Your Typical Patients?

• 28-year-old, King West, oily T-zone, prominent nose and central-cheek pores. Plan: niacinamide, tretinoin, salicylic peels, microneedling course. ~$2,500/year.
• 38-year-old, Liberty Village, photodamaged skin + pore enlargement + hormonal acne. Plan: spironolactone consult + microneedling + Aerolase course + chemical peel maintenance. ~$4,500/year.
• 45-year-old, sun damage + enlarged pores + skin laxity. Plan: Morpheus 8 course + Aerolase + at-home regimen. ~$5,500-$6,500/year.

What Do Real Patient Outcomes Look Like?

These are anonymised composites — patterns we see repeatedly, not specific individuals. Names are made up.

“Anna,” 34, marketing director from Liberty Village. Came in for her wedding ten months out. Concerned about photo-readiness — the camera-flash version of her face was not what her phone showed her in daylight. We ran a written plan: a baseline toxin appointment at the consult, one syringe of conservative cheek filler at month two, an Aerolase series of four sessions for low-grade redness, and a skincare routine built around tretinoin and mineral SPF. She came in for a final pre-wedding tune-up at month nine. Total spend across the year: $2,950. Her bridesmaids asked what gym she joined.

“Marcus,” 41, finance, lives in Yorkville, works downtown. Recovering from a bad experience at a chain spa where he’d been over-treated and looked frozen in client meetings for months. We dissolved the over-injected filler at the first appointment, let his face settle for six weeks, and then started over with a restrained plan: light toxin twice a year, no filler for the first nine months, Morpheus 8 series for skin quality once we’d seen a clean baseline. He’s been a regular for two and a half years. His result is what he’d describe as “nothing visible, just the version of me from five years ago.” Total annual spend: $2,400.

“Priya,” 29, software engineer in North York, Fitzpatrick V skin. Came for post-acne pigment that had haunted her since university. Active acne was already controlled by her dermatologist. We ran a focused Aerolase NeoSkin protocol of six sessions, paired with topical hydroquinone and tranexamic acid under Dr. Henneberry-Fudge’s prescription, plus aggressive daily mineral SPF. Pigment cleared 80-85% by month four. She added two microneedling-with-exosomes sessions for residual texture. Total: $2,200, mostly weighted into the first six months.

“Janet,” 56, retired teacher from Davisville. Significant midface volume loss after a decade of weight cycling. Wanted to look like herself, not like a different person. We ran a staged Sculptra program over six months, three vials total, with a single syringe of HA filler for the chin to balance proportions, and conservative toxin for the forehead. Year-one spend was higher, around $4,800. By month nine her old photographs and her current face were back in dialogue with each other. She refers her friends from her book club every quarter.

Common Misconceptions, Cleared Up

• “More is better.” No. More units, more syringes, more sessions — the over-treated face is the most-recognised face. Restraint is the technique most clinics in Toronto don’t teach.
• “If it’s cheap, it’s bad. If it’s expensive, it’s good.” Wrong both ways. Price tracks rent, marketing spend, and brand position more than it tracks clinical skill. We’ve reversed seven-figure work that came out of Yorkville addresses.
• “I have to commit to a long-term plan today.” No. The first appointment is a single decision. Maintenance schedules are mapped at the second consult, after we see how your face responds.
• “My results will look obvious.” Not if we do it right. The compliment patients hear most often is “you look rested” — not “what did you have done.”
• “I should get the brand my friend got.” Maybe. Maybe not. Anatomy and skin physiology vary. Product choice is your injector’s decision at consult, not a brand-loyalty exercise.
• “Injectables are a slippery slope.” Only if no one is screening for that. Dr. Henneberry-Fudge’s BDD protocol is built specifically to identify the patient pattern where treatment will not help — and we say no.

What Should I Ask at My Consult?

The free consult is twenty minutes. Most patients waste fifteen of those minutes on questions Google could have answered, and then run out of time before getting to the ones that actually predict their outcome. Here’s the list we wish every patient brought in.

About the person treating you

• “How many of this exact treatment have you personally done in the last twelve months?” Volume tracks skill more reliably than years in practice.
• “Who supervises your work, and can I verify their CPSO number?” Dr. Henneberry-Fudge is CPSO #95972 — verifiable on the public register in 30 seconds.
• “Are you the person who will treat me on the day, or will I be handed off?” At Bar Beauty, the injector you consult with is the injector who treats you.

About the product or device

• “What exact product are you using on me, and why that one over the alternatives?” If the answer is “this is what we stock,” that’s a margin answer, not a clinical one.
• “Can I see the box and the lot number before you draw it up?” Any clinic should say yes without hesitation. We do this by default on every appointment.
• “What’s the manufacturer training certification for this device or product?” Real certifications are checkable.

About what happens if things go wrong

• “What’s your protocol for a vascular event with filler?” The answer should include hyaluronidase on the counter, not in a drawer down the hall.
• “Who do I call at 11pm if something feels off?” We have a 24/7 patient line — many clinics do not.
• “What’s your touch-up policy?” Ours is free at the 2-week mark for toxin, included in your initial fee.

About the result you want

• “Is the result I’m describing anatomically realistic for my face?” Patients who don’t ask this end up disappointed.
• “What’s the maintenance schedule and total annual cost if I commit?” The single-session price is the start of the conversation, not the end.
• “What would you say no to today?” An injector who can’t name something they’d refuse is an injector you should leave.

Bring this list. Read it off your phone if you have to. The patients with the best long-term outcomes are the patients who acted like consumers, not patients.

How Do I Spot a Bad Provider for This in Toronto?

Toronto’s aesthetic market is unregulated at the storefront level. Anyone with a business licence and a Square reader can call themselves a medical spa. Here’s the field guide we’d hand a friend.

Red flags before you book

• No medical director name on the website, or “Dr. on call” with no published name and no CPSO number to verify.
• Pricing not published. If you have to ask for a quote, the price is whatever they think you’ll pay when you walk in.
• A single phone number with no online booking. Operationally smaller than they want you to think.
• Stock photo team page. Real teams photograph their real people.
• A Google profile under 30 reviews after more than two years in business. Either nobody knows about them, or they’re suppressing the bad ones.

Red flags during the consult

• They quote you for treatments you didn’t ask about, in the first ten minutes.
• They don’t take a real medical history or screen for BDD.
• The injector can’t name what brand of product they’re about to use, or what the alternatives are.
• They suggest paying in cash for a discount. Indicates off-the-books bookkeeping and almost certainly no real chart on you.
• They press you to commit today with a “package discount” that disappears if you walk out. Real clinics’ prices are stable.

Red flags during treatment

• Product drawn from a vial you never saw or that has no label on it. Counterfeit filler is a real problem in Ontario.
• No emergency kit visible — no hyaluronidase, no epinephrine, no AED.
• They inject without marking your face first.
• They rush. A real injection appointment is 15-30 minutes including conversation, not five.

Red flags after treatment

• No written aftercare. No follow-up text. No 2-week check.
• When you call with a concern, you get a voicemail box that doesn’t get returned for days.
• You ask for your chart and they can’t produce it, or it’s a handwritten sheet in a binder.

The market has matured but the regulatory ceiling hasn’t moved. The patient who screens hard at the booking stage avoids almost every bad outcome we’ve seen.

Common Questions

Can I “close” my pores? No. You can dramatically reduce visible diameter and depth.

Will microneedling actually work? Yes — across a course, in combination with a good home regimen.

How many sessions? 3-4 microneedling + ongoing at-home and maintenance.

Will it hurt? Microneedling with numbing: 2-4/10.

Will my skin get oilier or drier? Aerolase and a good regimen typically reduce sebum.

Can men get this treatment? Yes — common request. Pore enlargement is often more prominent in men due to androgen-driven sebum.

What about pore strips? Counterproductive. They mechanically stretch the follicular opening and damage the surrounding skin.

What about pore “vacuums”? Similar — short-term debris removal at the cost of follicular damage. Honestly, don’t.

Will niacinamide alone fix this? It’s foundational but not standalone-sufficient for moderate cases.

Is tretinoin necessary? For most patients, yes. It remodels follicular keratinisation and reduces visible pore appearance.

How often should I get a facial? Every 4-6 weeks for maintenance is typical.

Will my pores come back if I stop maintenance? Yes, gradually. Pore visibility is chronic and lifestyle-and-biology-driven.

How do I book? Online at barbeautymedical.janeapp.com, by phone at 416-923-1200.

Is this treatment safe for darker skin tones? For most of what we offer, yes — Aerolase NeoElite at 1064 nm is safe across all Fitzpatrick types and is our default for vascular and pigment work in darker skin. Morpheus 8 carries a small PIH risk in Fitzpatrick V-VI that we mitigate with conservative energy settings.

Can I treat this while breastfeeding? Generally no for injectables. Most patients return to treatment three to six months after weaning. Lasers and most facials are fine while nursing.

How does this compare to Yorkville pricing at twice the price? Product is usually the same. Training is comparable. The differential is rent, location, and brand premium — not clinical skill.

Can I do this if I’m on Ozempic or another GLP-1? Yes, but planning matters. Significant weight loss redistributes facial fat. We stage filler decisions for patients in active weight loss.

Do you take insurance or HSA? Aesthetic treatments are not insured under OHIP. Some HSAs cover specific services. We provide itemised receipts on request.

Will my friends or co-workers notice? Not if we do it right. The compliment most patients hear is “you look rested,” not “you look different.”

Book Your Consult Online → Call 416-923-1200 Meet Our Medical Director →

Bar Beauty Medical · 46 Fort York Blvd, Toronto, ON M5V 3Z9 · 416-923-1200 · 5.0 stars · 166+ Google reviews

IMAGES TO COMMISSION/SOURCE (28 images)

1. Anatomy diagram: pilosebaceous unit cross-section
2. Anatomy diagram: perifollicular collagen scaffold healthy vs degraded
3. Anatomy diagram: T-zone vs cheek vs forehead pore density map
4. Anatomy diagram: sebum overproduction loop
5. Before/after photo: microneedling + exosomes 3 sessions, T-zone
6. Before/after photo: Morpheus 8 + Aerolase combo, 6 months
7. Before/after photo: chemical peel Noon 20 mid-course
8. Before/after photo: Aerolase NeoSkin sebum reduction, 4 sessions
9. Before/after photo: tretinoin + niacinamide regimen, 3 months
10. Before/after photo: male patient with androgen-driven oily T-zone
11. Before/after photo: post-spironolactone + topical 6 months
12. Before/after photo: salicylic peel + microneedling combination
13. Treatment-in-progress: SkinPen microneedling on cheek
14. Treatment-in-progress: Morpheus 8 on nose and central cheek
15. Treatment-in-progress: Aerolase NeoSkin handpiece over T-zone
16. Treatment-in-progress: chemical peel application
17. Treatment-in-progress: custom extraction facial
18. Clinic interior: facial treatment bed with steamer
19. Clinic interior: reception at 46 Fort York Blvd
20. Clinic exterior: storefront with Fort York signage
21. Device photo: SkinPen device close-up
22. Device photo: Aerolase NeoElite handpiece
23. Product photo: niacinamide serum + salicylic cleanser + tretinoin flatlay
24. Product photo: mineral SPF 50 with iron oxide
25. Product photo: ASCE+ exosomes vial
26. Team headshot: Julia Barabas, Glow Specialist
27. Team headshot: Dr. John David Henneberry-Fudge MD FRCPC, Medical Director
28. Infographic: home regimen + in-clinic stack with frequency