A tell-tale sign of vitamin c over-use can be increased blackheads or a development of blackheads. General skin irritation and breakouts can also occur if you are using your vitamin c too much or too often.
7 vitamin C serums to consider
Sometimes it can be too strong for your skin, causing it to react via purging, breakouts, or itchiness. You don't want the product to sting and itch even after you apply moisturizer.
Acne can be caused or aggravated by supplements, even seemingly innocuous supplements. The main culprits causing breakouts are supplements containing Vitamins B6/B12, iodine or whey, and 'muscle building supplements' that may be contaminated with anabolic androgenic steroids.
Retinoids, vitamin C, AHAs and BHAs (glycolic, malic, lactic, and salicylic acid) can also activate the skin's purging. Retinoids are the major ingredient that can cause Skin purging. Retinol is found in most of acne skin care products, is an active ingredient that is known to cause a skin purge.
Dr. Chiu warns that because vitamin C is a skin-care “active”—meaning it's particularly potent—applying too much of it on your face can potentially lead to more breakouts or irritation. Keep it to a max of two applications a day when a formula that has no more than 10% vitamin C each time.
Sudden acne breakouts can be because of numerous reasons, including hormonal changes or hormonal imbalance, an unhealthy diet including lots of deep fried and junk food, release of cortisol hormones because of excessive stress, excessive production of sebum and much more.
How to treat skin purging. “If the skin barrier is compromised when you see purging then start ingredients which help with barrier repair, such as ceramides and hyaluronic acid in a non-comedogenic formulation. If you are using a treatment or product continue with a slower approach.”
Vitamin C contains anti-inflammatory properties and helps reduce the redness and swelling that comes with acne. The results are more pronounced when you use the vitamin topically. It, therefore, helps improve the appearance of acne wounds.
Purging is a sign that the product is working and you should continue with the treatment as prescribed. After a few weeks of purging, your skin and acne will have noticeably improved. Breaking out is when your skin is reacting because it is sensitive to something in the new product.
While not a direct cure for hormonal acne, Vitamin C supplements can help with the immune component to acne. Aside from oral supplements, good sources of Vitamin C in foods include citrus fruits (oranges), peppers, strawberries, broccoli, brussel sprouts, and potatoes.
Anything that makes your skin cells turn over faster can cause skin purging, so generally those with exfoliating benefits, such as retinoids (Vitamin A), Vitamin C (a very gentle acid that can slough off dead superficial skin) and hydroxy acids (glycolic acid, malic acid and salicylic acid).
While this often occurs in old formulas within a bottle, vitamin C can also oxidize on your skin when it comes into contact with oxygen. This creates hydronium ions, according to Veronique, which can lead to skin sensitivity.
Skin purging typically looks like tiny red bumps on the skin that are painful to touch. They are often accompanied by whiteheads or blackheads. It can also cause your skin to become flaky. The flare ups caused by purging have a shorter lifespan than a breakout.
Skin purging occurs because newly introduced skincare ingredients increase the rate at which your skin cells turnover, causing you to shed more dead skin cells than usual. This, in turn, pushes layers of dead skin off and also brings clogged pores to the surface, Chang says, resulting in more breakouts.
Purging can last for anything from one or two weeks to one or two months. Breakouts can last a while; there is no time period that indicates when the breakouts will go away. The cell turnover speed is usual. The purging of the skin starts after a few days of using a new product.
Though some people do report experiencing irritation and breakouts after using the ingredient, niacinamide is unlikely to cause purging.
“Because purging is thought to be due to increased cell turnover, it's really going to bring preexisting microcomedones [small clogged hair particles] to the surface and will potentially turn into whiteheads, blackheads, papules, pustules, and cysts,” Dr. Shah explains.
What does hormonal acne look like? Whiteheads, blackheads, papules, pustules, cysts and nodules are all common hormonal acne symptoms. Normally, whiteheads and blackheads do not cause pain, inflammation or swelling, but if they do, then they are most likely forming into cysts and pustules.
What causes acne in your 30s? “As we age, our body also goes through many changes,” Suarez says, “and hormonal shifts are the main cause of adult acne.” As a result, skin is more vulnerable to hormone changes as an adult. Hormonal changes increase oil production, leading to clogged pores and breakouts.
AHAs and BHAs, such as glycolic, salicylic, and lactic acids should never be used with Vitamin C. Vitamin C is an acid, too, and is unstable, so the pH balance will be thrown off by layering these ingredients together and might as well be useless.
A tell-tale sign of vitamin c over-use can be increased blackheads or a development of blackheads. General skin irritation and breakouts can also occur if you are using your vitamin c too much or too often. We recommend using your serum 1-2 times a day and 2-4 drops is all that is needed.