[Pore Concern Survey] The Cause of 'Unimproved Pores' is a 'Mismatch Between Pore Type and Care' | Blackhead Pores Prevalent in 20s, Sagging Pores in 50s

About 70% of women feel that their pore care does not lead to improvement. The cause may lie in a mismatch between their pore type and care method.

Seishin Aesthetic Clinic (Medical Corporation Bishokai; Main location: Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo; 11 clinics nationwide), which upholds the slogan "Seriously dedicated to aesthetic medicine," surveyed 400 women aged 20-59 regarding "pore concerns and self-care."

The results revealed that blackhead pores are the primary concern for those in their 20s, while sagging pores are the main concern for those in their 50s. Furthermore, it became evident that many women are practicing self-care that is ill-suited to their age or pore type.

A dermatologist points out that "required pore care fundamentally differs depending on age."

*This release was created under the supervision of Dr. Miyuki Kobayashi, a dermatologist and clinical instructor in aesthetic dermatology.

What are pore types? Causes differ by age

Pore types are broadly classified into "blackhead pores," "open pores," "sagging pores," "clogged pores," and "crater pores." In the 20s and 30s, blackhead pores caused by sebum secretion are common, while from the 40s onwards, "sagging pores" caused by reduced collagen and dryness increase. Therefore, pore care that does not match one's age may not only fail to improve the condition but can even have the opposite effect.

What are blackhead pores? Blackhead pores appear black due to the oxidation of sebum and keratin plugs. Common in the 20s and 30s, they are related to high sebum secretion and clogged pores.

What are sagging pores? Sagging pores are pores that have elongated vertically and become visible due to the loss of skin elasticity caused by aging and dryness. They tend to increase from the 40s and are difficult to improve with care focused solely on sebum removal.

[Survey on Women's Pore Concerns] Key Topics

- Primary concern for 20s is "blackhead pores (44-52%)," and for 50s is "sagging pores (42-44%)." - About 70% of women feel their pore care does not improve the condition. - In their 50s, despite sagging pores being the primary concern, 28% still use "scrub face wash" at a high rate. - More than half of women performing self-care have reviewed their routine within the last 4 years. - Despite this, overall improvement satisfaction is only 30.7%. In the 45-49 age group, 78.8% report "no change." - Among those in their early 40s, 9.1% reported the condition "actually worsened," showing a segment for whom even reviewed self-care has counterproductive effects. - A dermatologist points out that "diagnosis of pore type and treatment suited to age are important."

Blackhead pores in the 20s, sagging pores in the 50s are the primary concerns.

When asked about "the most concerning pore issue," it was found that the concerns differ significantly by age despite all falling under "pore concerns."

- Top concern for 20s is "blackhead pores (44-52%)" — mainly due to excess sebum and keratin plugs. - Top concern for 50s is "sagging pores (42-44%)" — mainly due to collagen reduction and dryness.

This survey revealed that even though these two categories require fundamentally different care, the same categories of care continue to be selected.