Purging after a chemical peel can: Start as soon as a few days after a peel. Last as long as 10-14 days depending on your skin's normal cell turnover and renewal time frame, and then never return (a typical phase only lasts a few days) Traditionally show in areas where you commonly breakout.
Remember these key points: Some purging is normal and usually subsides within 2-4 weeks. Gentle skincare is crucial during the post-peel period.
After your chemical peel, you will be in recovery for 1-2 weeks, with days 3 and 4 being the worst in terms of peeling.
On the first day after your chemical peel, you might notice that your skin looks red and feels sensitive. This is a normal reaction to the chemicals used in the peel. The redness can range from mild to severe, depending on the peel's strength. Your skin may also feel tight and slightly swollen.
Skin purging is said to last 4-6 weeks, however, everyone's skin is different (2). This is only temporary and will eventually subside as your skin adjusts to the new treatment. In the meantime, it is important to cleanse gently and avoid picking at your skin, as this can cause further irritation.
In other words, when you use certain products, your skin is likely to look worse before it looks better. A purge can look like blackheads and whiteheads, and it's likely to appear in the places where you normally break out.
In the long run, skin purging helps us shed dead skin cells more effectively which reduces pore-clogging build-up and breakouts, and it does settle down after a few weeks. But you do have to buckle in and ride out a few weeks of discomfort to see the best results.
Treated areas will develop new skin within about two weeks after a deep chemical peel, although redness might last for months. Treated skin might become darker or lighter than normal or lose the ability to tan. You might prefer to remain at home while you're healing from a chemical peel.
When you start to peel, use a non-comedogenic moisturizer such as AveenoⓇ, VanicreamⓇ, CetaphilⓇ, or CeraVeⓇ, until the skin feels back to normal. This will promote the healing process by locking in moisture and reducing the chance of a bacterial infection, redness, and irritation.
[2][16] After applying the peel, glycolic acid should be neutralized using 5% sodium bicarbonate or cool saline compresses. During a phenol peel procedure, phenol is typically applied only on a small portion of the skin at a time.
While very rare, infection or scarring are risks of from chemical peeling treatments. For people with certain skin types, there is a risk of developing a temporary or permanent color change in the skin either lightening or darkening.
Chemical peels can affect two layers of the skin, the epidermis and the dermis. The epidermis is the visible outer layer, and the dermis sits just beneath. This deeper layer contains nerve endings, sweat glands, and hair follicles. All chemical peels remove a controlled amount of skin cells from the epidermis.
Purging often results in whiteheads and small raised red bumps on the skin, known as papules. True breakouts are more likely to induce nodules or cysts - larger, swollen, painful pimples that feel like knots under the skin. Purging usually appears where acne is common, like the forehead, cheeks, and chin.
The sting and pain of deeper chemical peels will continue longer than with the lighter peels. Around the third or fourth day, you may notice some flakiness or peeling as the top layers of skin begin to shed. The deeper peels build up a crustiness before the flaking and peeling process begins.
More intensive peels are needed to deliver significant improvement to skin conditions and concerns, such as deep-set acne scarring, deeper wrinkles, and sun damage. Compared to the light and medium options, deep peels will have more dramatic results and usually only one treatment is needed.
Let It Peel
If you would like to exfoliate, wait until your skin is no longer hypersensitive to prevent irritation. We recommend Jan Marini Skin Zyme and Clean Zyme, products that contain enzymes that are good for the skin and help eliminate dead skin.
Hyaluronic Acid: Known for its incredible ability to retain moisture, hyaluronic acid is a must-have in your post-peel skin care routine.
Avoid Touching or Picking.
After the chemical peel, you should expect your skin to dry out and peel, similar to a sunburn. While it may be very tempting to pick and peel this dry skin, you definitely shouldn't, as peeling away dead layers or picking at your skin can lead to infection and scarring.
Purging after a chemical peel can: Start as soon as a few days after a peel. Last as long as 10-14 days depending on your skin's normal cell turnover and renewal time frame, and then never return (a typical phase only lasts a few days) Traditionally show in areas where you commonly breakout.
Again, multiple treatments may be recommended for best results. Deep chemical peels can cost anywhere from $2,500 to $6,000.
If the skin purging stage is really troublesome, it can be helpful to decrease the frequency of your actives by alternating days of use. Stick with it - in time, things will likely improve. When the frequency of new spots starts to reduce, increase the frequency of your actives again.
It doesn't typically trigger the skin purging process, as it primarily focuses on hydration, not exfoliation. Purging usually occurs with ingredients that speed up cell turnover, like retinoids or AHAs. Since hyaluronic acid's role is to attract and hold moisture, it generally stays out of the purging business.