Pore botox in Korea can make oil-stretched pores look smaller for some months, but the research behind it is a handful of small studies rather than settled evidence. A 2025 split-face trial by Vachiramon and colleagues in Toxins found pore volume fell on cheeks given toxin alone and on cheeks given toxin plus hyaluronic acid filler, with the plain toxin side slightly ahead at six months. A 2024 review by Maden gathered nine studies, eight of them positive, mostly in small groups. It is an off-label use. Expect numbing cream, many shallow pricks and short-lived bumps, and treat any promise of lasting closure with caution.
Guide
How much research sits behind pore toxin?
Not much, and most of it small. When Maden reviewed the literature for the Journal of Skin and Stem Cell in 2024, nine studies qualified. Two looked at acne, four measured oil output alone and three measured both oil and pore size. Group sizes ran from 10 to 50 people.
Eight of the nine reported a benefit. The one that did not was among the three that measured pores directly, the outcome most visitors care about. Maden called low-dose intradermal toxin promising for oily skin, while noting that dose and duration still need work.
That places pore toxin in a middle ground: plausible, with early results leaning positive, but not a standard first-line pore treatment and not a labeled indication of any toxin product.
Guide
Toxin alone versus toxin plus filler: the 2025 cheek trial
Vachiramon and colleagues treated 32 Asian adults with visibly enlarged pores on both cheeks. One cheek received intradermal onabotulinumtoxinA, the other the same toxin plus intradermal hyaluronic acid filler, with follow-up to 24 weeks. Because the trial was randomized and split-face, each face served as its own comparison.
Both cheeks improved in pore volume and roughness, and at six months the toxin-only side was slightly ahead. The filler added no clear gain for the group, but it did add side effects: more redness, bruising and swelling, and a palpable lump in 18 of the 32 participants. Most lumps settled within a few months.
| Cheek | What was injected | Pore result at six months | Side effects reported |
|---|---|---|---|
| Side A | Intradermal toxin only | Slightly larger gain | Fewer reactions |
| Side B | Toxin plus hyaluronic acid filler | Slightly smaller gain | More swelling; lumps in 18 of 32 |
Guide
Does your skin history change the likely response?
The same trial hints that it does. Participants with a history of facial oiliness tended to respond to toxin alone, while those without it did better on the combined side. The authors tie this to the several causes of enlarged pores: oil output, visible hair shafts and lost skin elasticity.
This is a subgroup pattern from 32 people, a prompt for the consultation rather than a rule. It does give you one question to answer before booking: is shine the main problem, or do your pores look wide even on a dry day?
- Shiny by midday, pores stretched by oil: the group that did well with toxin alone
- Pores visible without much oil: the group that leaned toward the mixed side, with more lumps to accept
- Oily and acne-prone: two small acne studies in the Maden review were positive, but toxin does not replace acne care
Guide
What the studies have not settled
Several practical questions still lack a firm answer.
| Question | What the two papers show | Still open |
|---|---|---|
| How long does the change last? | Lower pore volume at the six-month visit | Beyond six months, and how repeat rounds behave |
| What dose works? | Low intradermal doses across the reviewed studies | No agreed dose or point spacing |
| Does it help acne? | Two small positive acne studies | No large trials |
| Is adding filler worth it? | Not on average, and side effects rose | Whether some non-oily skin gains enough |
Guide
Questions to settle before injections on a Jeju trip
The change builds gradually, and a lump from a filler mix can take months to settle, so most follow-up happens after you leave the island. Neither paper compared toxin with lasers or peels. Ask before treatment:
- Is the syringe toxin alone, or mixed with filler or another product?
- Which toxin brand, and how many units per zone?
- If filler is added, what is the plan if a lump appears after I fly home?
- Can a small test zone be treated first?
Guide
Who should wait, and what is common afterward
Redness, pinpoint bruising and small raised bumps are the usual effects, with swelling more likely when filler is in the mix. Pregnancy, breastfeeding, infection or inflamed acne in the zone and nerve-muscle conditions are reasons to postpone or skip treatment.
Evidence
Research behind this page
- A Study of Combined Onabotulinumtoxin A and Hyaluronic Acid Filler for the Treatment of Enlarged Facial PoresToxins · 2025 · doi:10.3390/toxins17010038
In a split-face trial of 32 Asian adults, toxin alone and toxin plus filler both reduced pore volume, with toxin alone slightly ahead at six months and more lumps on the combined side.
- Facial Acne Management and Sebum Reduction via Botulinum Toxin Type a Treatment: A ReviewJournal of Skin and Stem Cell · 2024 · doi:10.5812/jssc-145639
Of nine small studies reviewed, eight reported less sebum or acne after low-dose intradermal toxin, while one pore-size study found no significant effect.
FAQ
Questions about Botox in Jeju
Do I need oily skin for pore botox to make a difference?
Oily skin appears most likely to show a change. In the 2025 split-face trial by Vachiramon and colleagues in Toxins, people with a history of facial oiliness responded more often to toxin alone, while those without it leaned toward the cheek that also received hyaluronic acid filler. With only 32 participants, a doctor should still look at your pores in person and say which cause seems to dominate.
Why would a clinic mix hyaluronic acid filler into a pore treatment?
The idea is to address two causes at once: toxin for oil output and filler for the skin around each opening. In the 2025 trial the mix did not beat toxin alone on average and brought more redness, bruising, swelling and frequent lumps. If a mixed version is offered, ask what extra effect is expected for your skin and how a lump would be handled once you are home.
Are the lumps after a filler-mixed pore injection long-lasting?
In the trial, most palpable lumps faded within a few months, although they appeared in more than half of participants on the mixed side. A lump that turns tender, red or larger should be examined promptly rather than waited out. Factor this in before a short island stay, since the clinic that treated you will be far away while it settles.
Can pore toxin replace my acne medication?
No. It is an experimental extra for oily, acne-prone skin rather than a replacement. Maden's 2024 review in the Journal of Skin and Stem Cell found two small positive acne studies and no large trials. Acne medicine belongs with your own doctor; inflamed breakouts usually mean postponing. Mention any acne medicine at the consultation, since some affect how skin heals after needle work.
Is a pore toxin session uncomfortable?
Most people describe a run of quick stings rather than deep pain. Clinics usually apply numbing cream first, then place many small, shallow injections across the zone, which takes only minutes once the skin is numb. The 2025 trial recorded pain scores as an outcome, a reminder that comfort varies. Ask for ice or a pause if needed, and expect small bumps that flatten within hours.