No. Pore strips won't make your pores look bigger, but they often don't work, so sometimes pores are simply getting fulleron their own despite using pore strips," says Dr. Schaffran. Purvisha Patel, MD, FAAD, FASDS, FACMS, is a board-certified dermatologist, a cosmetic surgeon, and the founder of Visha Skincare. People who are allergic to adhesives, those that have sensitive skin, and those that are on an Rx retinoid are not good candidates for pore strips," says Dr. Patel, warning that substantial irritation or potential skin damage could occur.

After trying several of today's best-selling pore strips, Mighty Patch was a clear winner. This single-ingredient nose strip is made of nothing more than hydrocolloid (the stuff most often used to make pimple patches). When left on overnight (or for at least six hours), the soft, fluid-absorbing substance soaks up the gunk from your pores like a sponge. Still, removal was virtually painless, and once she pulled the strip off, our tester's nose was gunk-free and oh-so-smooth. There was some minor redness shortly afterward, but her skin wasn't irritated. This depends on the type of pore strip. Hydrocolloid patches can be left on for several hours or overnight. However, traditional pore strips that attach to wet skin should be removed once they're completely dry and stiff—usually about 10 to 15 minutes after applying them. Dr. Patel says that those with particularly oily complexions might benefit from charcoal, which can help minimize greasiness. However, she tells Byrdie that "a lot of added ingredients are just marketing." Adhesive

Pharmacy product

With their advice, we compiled a list of 7 promising pore strips and sent nine testers to try them out in our lab and at home. Following the products' instructions, the testers rated each strip on ease of use, comfort, and efficacy. Hero's Mighty Patch for the Nose earned a perfect score and our Best Overall spot since there was no pain or irritation involved and it left our tester's skin poreless.

Many pore strips are made of hydrocolloid, a healing substance that seals the skin absorbs fluids, and draws out impurities. Others contain a blend of hydrocolloid and other absorbent ingredients, like kaolin and lava clay. Some patches are infused with natural soothers, such as aloe vera and witch hazel. Another common ingredient in pore strips is charcoal, which is supposed to further help draw out oil and impurities from the skin. However, Dr. Schaffran says it's not clear how effective charcoal really is at absorbing oil. "There is little to no evidence to substantiate the claims that skincare companies are making about the use of activated charcoal in products." she says. While it is too early to confirm the benefits of charcoal, it is unlikely to be truly harmful. You can determine your own level of comfort with this ingredient. The Byrdie team carefully researched today's top-rated, best-selling pore strips before selecting 14 to try out first-hand. After inspecting the ingredients lists, intended uses, and guidelines, each option was applied according to the instructions.

Using a pore strip is fairly straightforward — you put it on the desired area, wait the recommended amount of time, and then slowly pull it off and stare in wonder at all the gunk it pulled out. For the best results, board-certified dermatologist, Sandra Lee, M.D. (aka Dr. Pimple Popper) recommends taking a hot shower first to steam your face and loosen the gunk in your pores. You can also use a facial steamer.

This charcoal-infused strip from Ulta impressed our tester all around, especially when it came to the fit. " It's designed with small slits which allow the strip to fit snugly and contour my nose more than others," says our tester. "While wearing the strip, I felt no discomfort whatsoever. I could talk without noticing I had the strip on my nose. As I removed it, there was no discomfort at all," they add. Because the strip reached every angle, it pulled out small and large filaments alike on the top and sides of the nose, leaving our tester smooth and very satisfied. Plus, there was no redness — only a slight residue that easily came off with water. We first consulted several dermatologists to learn how to safely use pore strips and what features to look for and avoid. With their advice, we rounded up 14 promising products in a range of sizes and ingredients to suit different skin types and needs. Our nine testers then put these products to the test by replicating the process one would follow at home — cleansing their skin, then following the specific instructions on how to apply the strips. After waiting the recommended amount of time and removing each strip, they rated every product on a scale of 1 to 5 on ease of use, comfort, irritation, and how much gunk the strips actually removed. Once all the numbers were in, we narrowed down the original selection to the seven best pore strips.Because you'll be using these all over your face, they should feel comfortable. "I'm used to strips that feel stiff and uncomfortable, but I would say this is a kinder, gentler pore strip," says our tester. "There was no redness, irritation, or tightness." Some pore strips can make you feel like a mummy, but our tester was able to talk and emote even with these on. She did slightly struggle with figuring out the correct placement on the forehead — the instructions could be clearer — but that was her only complaint. There can be potential risks with basically any skin care product, but Stevenson said that with pore strips it tends to be relatively low. Some people may experience irritation or inflammation from the adhesive, though. Hadley King, MD, FAAD, is a sought-after board-certified dermatologist in New York City. She specializes in cosmetic and medical treatments. But even though they provide such a gratifying end result, we still can't help but question if they really work, and if they're safe for our skin. That's why we tapped two dermatologists, Dr. Julia Tzu, founder of Wall Street Dermatology in New York City and Dr. Mary L. Stevenson, associate professor at the NYU Langone Medical Center, to get the facts. What are pore strips and how do they work?