Pore Strips: Do They Work?
Yes, they pull gunk out. No, they don't stop it coming back. Here's how to use them, and what to use alongside them.
Quick Summary
Pore strips remove material immediately. The effect is temporary, and much of what comes off is a normal sebaceous filament that refills.
What pore strips are
Pore strips are adhesive cloth. You wet the skin, press the strip on, let it dry for about 10–15 minutes (follow the package), then peel it off. The adhesive grips the tops of plugged pores. Bioré’s Original Deep Cleansing Pore Strips are the best-known version and the product in the 1999 study.
What the research shows
Pagnoni, Kligman, and Stoudemayer tested Bioré pore strips and reported that they removed follicular plugs without causing inflammation with repeated use (J Dermatol Treat 1999). It is one older, small study. Little has been published since.
Not everything on the strip is a blackhead. Sebaceous filaments are thin columns of oil and skin cells that line pores. Cleveland Clinic says strips pull these out too, which can dry the skin, and that they refill within about 30 days (Cleveland Clinic).
Blackhead vs sebaceous filament
| Feature | Blackhead (open comedone) | Sebaceous filament |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | A clogged pore whose plug darkens at the surface | A normal oil-and-cell lining in the pore |
| Look | Dark, raised, or plugged | Gray or tan dots, often in a grid on the nose |
| Acne? | Yes, mild comedonal acne | No |
| What a strip does | Can lift the top of the plug | Pulls it out for a while. It refills within about 30 days. |
Source: Cleveland Clinic, sebaceous filaments.
How to use them
- Cleanse first and apply the strip to wet skin, as the package says.
- Leave it on only as long as the package says, then peel slowly from the edges toward the center.
- Stay inside the label frequency. Many packages say no more than every few days.
- Moisturize afterward with a noncomedogenic moisturizer.
- Do not squeeze the pores afterward.
Who should skip them
- Sunburned, broken, inflamed, or very dry skin.
- Inflamed pimples or cysts under the strip.
- Rosacea, eczema, or very sensitive skin.
- Prescription retinoids or strong exfoliants, unless your dermatologist says the skin can handle a strip.
What lasts longer than a strip
| Feature | What it does | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Salicylic acid (BHA) | Dissolves the dead cells that clog follicles | Cleveland Clinic; AAD |
| Adapalene | An OTC retinoid that helps prevent new clogs. Give it 6–8 weeks. | AAD |
| Noncomedogenic moisturizer and SPF 30 | Fewer new clogs, less irritation | Cleveland Clinic |
| A dermatologist’s extraction | For stubborn comedones if nothing changes in 6–8 weeks | AAD |
See the Paula’s Choice 2% BHA review, retinoids explained, and a skincare routine for acne.
Pore strips and pimple patches are different. A strip pulls plugs from blackhead-prone skin such as the nose. A hydrocolloid patch covers one pimple to absorb fluid and keep fingers off it. See do pimple patches work? and the best pimple patches. Neither one is an acne treatment.
Bioré’s collection page was live on Oct 26, 2026. The star rating loads in a client-side widget and was not in the HTML, so this page does not print one.
Our verdict
Pore strips are an occasional, immediate peel of surface plugs. They do not prevent blackheads, and they also pull out normal filaments that come back within weeks. For fewer blackheads over time, dermatology groups point to salicylic acid and a retinoid, given 6–8 weeks.
Sources
How we checked
On Oct 26, 2026, biore.com/en-us/products/pore-strips did not include a star rating in the HTML. The widget is client-side, so no rating is printed.
We did not print a Bioré pack price. The collection page lists several products, and we could not tie one dollar amount to the original nose-strip SKU from the HTML alone.
Frequently Asked Questions
They remove the tops of plugs and filaments immediately. The effect is temporary.
Occasional use is generally fine on skin that is not sensitive or broken. Overuse can irritate and dry the skin.
We found no good evidence that they do. The AAD says clogged pores, oil, and less-firm skin are what make pores look larger.
Follow the package. Many people stay at once or twice a week at most.
Sebaceous filaments are normal structures. Cleveland Clinic says they refill within about 30 days.
A salicylic acid product and adapalene, given 6–8 weeks. That is prevention, not a claim that a strip treats acne.
This is not medical advice and not a claim that pore strips or patches treat acne. Strips lift surface plugs. They do not clear inflamed acne. Evident does not sell these products and uses no affiliate links.