Pore botox in Korea is a grid of tiny, diluted botulinum toxin droplets placed in the upper skin to turn down oil output, which can make sebum-stretched pores look smaller for roughly four months. Clinics around Seoul offer it either as a standalone session or paired with superficial focused ultrasound. Each format has one small study behind it: a 2020 split-face trial for toxin alone and a 2023 Seoul retrospective for the combination. Neither proves one format beats the other. The injections are an off-label use of the product, so the dose, the spacing and the product brand should be written down before treatment. Expect numbing cream, many shallow pricks, short-lived bumps and occasional pinpoint bruises.
Guide
What a microdroplet does to an oily pore
A pore looks wide when the oil gland beneath it is busy and the opening is stretched by sebum. Toxin placed in the dermis is thought to quiet the signals that drive that gland, so less oil reaches the surface and the opening relaxes. The droplets sit far shallower than a frown-line dose, which is why the muscles underneath should keep working normally.
That mechanism sets the ceiling. Pores widened by loose skin, sun damage or old acne scars have a different cause, and toxin barely touches them.
Guide
Toxin on its own: the Cairo split-face trial
In a 2020 split-face pilot study in the Journal of Dermatological Treatment, Sayed and colleagues injected one cheek of 20 patients with intradermal botulinum toxin and the other with saline. At one month both cheeks had improved in sebum and pore scores, but the toxin side improved significantly more, and dermoscopy showed a smaller average pore size. At four months the toxin-treated cheek had kept its improvement.
The saline cheek also improved early, so part of the first-month change may come from the needle pricks themselves. The effect also faded over months, which makes the session maintenance, not a one-off fix.
Guide
Toxin plus superficial ultrasound: the Seoul retrospective
Park and colleagues reported 20 Asian patients in Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology in 2023. Each had a single combined session of superficial micro-focused ultrasound with visualization and intradermal incobotulinumtoxinA. A 3D scanner counted pores at 1, 4, 12 and 24 weeks. In the Park series, pore count and density fell from the first week and decreased by up to 62% by week 24, and all adverse events were transient.
With no control group and a look back at records, the study cannot show how much came from the ultrasound and how much from the toxin.
| Point | Toxin alone (Sayed 2020) | Toxin with ultrasound (Park 2023) |
|---|---|---|
| Design | Split-face, saline on the other cheek | Retrospective, no comparison group |
| Patients | 20 | 20 Asian patients |
| Follow-up | 1 and 4 months | 1, 4, 12 and 24 weeks |
| What was measured | Sebum and pore scores, dermoscopy | Pore count and density by 3D scanner |
| What it cannot tell you | Long-term repeat effect | Which component did the work |
Guide
Choosing between a solo session and a combined one
For someone living in Seoul, the decision is about how often the routine repeats across a year. A solo toxin session is shorter, with a few hours of small bumps afterward. Adding superficial ultrasound lengthens the appointment and raises the cost per visit, so it fits mainly when mild laxity sits alongside oiliness.
- Mostly shine on the nose and inner cheeks: toxin alone is the simpler test.
- Oiliness plus early softening of the cheek skin: ask whether the ultrasound step targets that laxity.
- Scar-type or sun-damaged pores: neither format is the right tool; ask about resurfacing instead.
- Ask which toxin brand, how many units across the face and the spacing between droplets.
Guide
Off-label use, side effects and who should wait
Intradermal toxin for pores is not a labeled indication of the products, so the technique varies from doctor to doctor. Common effects are redness, pinpoint bleeding, small raised bumps for a few hours and bruises that can take several days to fade. Placed too deep or too low on the cheek, toxin can briefly weaken a smile or make one side feel stiff.
Delay treatment during pregnancy or breastfeeding, with a neuromuscular condition, an active infection or flare in the area, or after a past reaction to toxin.
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 toxin-injected cheek improved more than the saline cheek in sebum and pore scores at one month and held the gain at four months.
- Combined Treatment with Micro-Focused Ultrasound with Visualization and Intradermal Incobotulinumtoxin-A for Enlarged Facial Pores: A Retrospective Study in AsiansClinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology · 2023 · doi:10.2147/ccid.s402001
After one combined session in 20 Asian patients, 3D-scanned pore count and density decreased by up to 62% over 24 weeks, with only transient adverse events.
FAQ
Questions about Botox in Hongdae
How soon does shine drop after intradermal toxin for pores?
Most people notice less shine within one to two weeks, as the toxin takes several days to start acting on the oil glands. In the split-face trial by Sayed and colleagues, the first assessment at one month already showed lower sebum scores on the toxin side. Plan a check in front of the same mirror and light at around two weeks before judging the result.
Does the ultrasound step make the injections hurt more?
The ultrasound adds a separate sensation, often described as warm pulses or brief sharp spots, on top of the needle pricks. Numbing cream is usually applied for both parts, and the superficial setting used for pores is gentler than deep lifting passes. Ask the clinic to explain each step, and say so during treatment if a pulse feels too strong so the setting can be reviewed.
Can I wear makeup or sunscreen the next morning?
Usually yes, once the tiny entry points have closed, which is often by the next day. On the treatment day, skip makeup and avoid rubbing or massaging the face so the droplets stay where they were placed. Use a gentle sunscreen from the following morning, and wait a few days before exfoliating acids, retinoids, a sauna or a hot yoga class.
Will my face feel dry or tight once oil output drops?
Some people notice slightly drier skin in treated zones, especially in a cold Seoul winter when indoor heating is on. The effect is usually mild because the goal is less oil, not none. Switch to a lighter moisturizer rather than a heavy cream, and tell the doctor at the next round if dryness was bothersome so the dose can be lowered.
Is it sensible to start with a test area?
Yes, treating one zone such as the nose and inner cheeks first is a reasonable way to see how your skin responds. It lowers the dose, shows how long shine stays reduced for you and reveals any smile stiffness before a full-face round. Keep a note of the product, the units and the date so the next session can be adjusted rather than guessed.
What signs after treatment mean I should call the clinic?
Contact the clinic if bruising spreads, if a smile looks uneven, or if a bump turns red, warm and painful after the first day. Brief swelling and pinpoint marks are expected, but infection and lasting weakness are not. Sudden allergic signs such as hives, facial swelling or breathing difficulty need urgent medical care straight away, wherever you are.