Enlarged Pores in Your 40s? Skin Peeling Won't Fix This

Enlarged Pores in Your 40s? Skin Peeling Won't Fix This

Last Wednesday,

a 46-year-old woman came into my clinic.

"Doctor, I've been getting

Skin peeling procedures at a dermatology clinic for over a year.

But my Pores actually look even more droopy than before."

She told me that when she wears makeup, the Pores on the sides of her cheeks

look like they're dripping downward like teardrops —

and every time she looks in the mirror, it stresses her out.

Honestly,

I see cases like this all the time in my clinic.

They May Look Similar, but the Root Cause Is Completely Different

Pores in your 20s and Pores in your 40s

share the same name, but they're entirely different problems.

In your 20s, Pores are "enlarged."

Excess sebum production causes

the pore openings to widen.

In your 40s, Pores are "sagging."

It's not a sebum issue —

the Collagen in the Dermis surrounding the pores

has lost its structural support and is drooping downward.

That's why Skin peeling and sebum management work well in your 20s,

but in your 40s, that same approach

delivers little to no results —

and can actually make the sagging look worse.

Why Do Some Patients See Little to No Improvement?

"For sagging Pores in your 40s, the answer isn't Skin peeling — it's Secret RF and Collagen regeneration deep within the Dermis."

— Dr. Wi Young-jin (Beautystone Clinic, Hongdae)

Key Point


Sagging Pores in your 40s are not a surface issue —


the problem lies at a Dermis depth of 1.5–2mm.


Skin peeling simply cannot reach that level.

When I looked at the 46-year-old patient I mentioned earlier

under magnification,

the tissue around her pores was elongated and drooping downward

like teardrops.

This is what we call "teardrop pores" —

a condition that develops when Collagen fibers in the Dermis

break down under the effects of gravity and aging,

leaving the pores without adequate structural support.

Here's the critical point.

Skin peeling and standard Laser toning only act

on the epidermis down to the superficial Dermis — about 0.1–0.3mm deep.

The problem exists at 1.5–2mm,

yet treatment is only reaching 0.3mm —

which is exactly why a full year of procedures left her with no visible change.

The reason Secret RF is well-suited for this issue is that

the needles are inserted directly into the skin,

delivering Radiofrequency (RF) energy precisely

at the desired depth (0.5mm / 1.5mm / 3.5mm).

For sagging Pores in your 40s,

I typically set the depth at 1.5–2.0mm.

This stimulates Collagen remodeling

within the mid-Dermis layer.

I performed three sessions of Secret RF for that patient,

and when she came back one month after her third session,

she said,

"My foundation doesn't settle into my Pores anymore."

She had undergone more than ten Skin peeling sessions elsewhere

with no results —

yet with a procedure targeting the Dermis directly,

she noticed a real difference after just three sessions.

That said, this procedure isn't without its considerations.

Because Secret RF involves needle insertion,

there is a sensation of pricking during the procedure,

and mild Erythema along with fine Scabs

may appear for approximately 2–3 days afterward.

Downtime generally does not exceed one week,

and for sagging Pores in your 40s,

this is currently the approach I trust most.

Dr. Wi Young-jin's Key Takeaways


In your 40s, Pores aren't "enlarged" — they're "sagging."


Skin peeling, which works on the epidermis, cannot reach the Dermis at 1.5mm depth.


What's needed is an approach that actively stimulates Collagen remodeling.

Here's How I Categorize It in My Clinic

Pore sagging varies from case to case,

so I don't take a one-size-fits-all approach.

Here's how I typically break it down.

A common misconception I see often is

that a single procedure can resolve everything.

In your 40s, Pores are rarely the only concern.

Elasticity loss, pigmentation, and Fine Lines tend to come together,

which is why a combined approach is usually necessary.

The Three Questions I Get Most Often in My Clinic

Q1. Will Secret RF make my Pores disappear completely?

A. Honestly, I can't promise they'll disappear entirely.

Pores are structural features of the skin —

they can't simply be eliminated.

What does happen is that sagging Pores

return closer to their original size and orientation,

making them significantly less visible.

Most patients describe the change as

"my makeup applies so much more smoothly now."

Q2. How many sessions are needed, and how long do results last?

A. For patients in their 40s, the standard protocol is

3 sessions spaced one month apart.

Those with more pronounced sagging may need 4–5 sessions.

Results vary by individual, but many patients

enjoy improvements for around 1–1.5 years,

after which a single maintenance session every 6 months to a year

is generally sufficient.

Q3. What are the side effects or precautions I should know about?

A. In the 2–3 days following the procedure,

you may notice mild Erythema and fine pinpoint Scabs.

It's important not to pick at or remove the Scabs —

allow them to fall off naturally on their own.

For one week after the procedure, please avoid saunas, alcohol, and intense exercise,

and be diligent about applying Sunscreen,

as this is important for preventing post-inflammatory pigmentation.

Patients who are pregnant

or who use a pacemaker

are not candidates for this procedure.

If you're curious about the degree of your pore sagging, feel free to send a photo of your skin via KakaoTalk. This has been Dr. Wi Young-jin.