It can happen after using excellent products but, equally, it also frequently occurs when the skin barrier is compromised before starting with a product or treatment. The risk of purging can be reduced if you first repair the barrier function, then slowly start the treatment or introduce the product.”
Increased Sensitivity to Products: Products that previously worked well for your skin now cause stinging, burning, or increased redness. Breakouts and Acne: When the skin barrier is impaired, bacteria and other impurities can penetrate more easily, leading to breakouts and acne.
“You will be able to tell when your barrier is healed/repaired when your skin is feeling less irritated/sensitive. It's not reactive/dehydrated or even dry. If your inflammation has decreased you're on the right path,” Yadira explains.
Stick to your skincare routine and “try not to chop and change too much because it takes weeks to get things under control”, says Dr Craythorne. “It can actually get worse before it gets better.”
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 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.
1 Known as "skin purging," worsening acne is a short-term reaction to ingredients that speed up cell turnover. Salicylic acid helps your body quickly get rid of dead skin cells. As a result, those dead skin cells, dirt, and oils appear on the surface of your skin, which clogs your pores and causes acne.
“Purging is neither good nor bad. It can happen after using excellent products but, equally, it also frequently occurs when the skin barrier is compromised before starting with a product or treatment.
However, if the damage is extreme, healing your skin barrier could take up to six months.
Here are a few signals that can point to a compromised barrier: Skin looks and feels irritated — it's red, tight, dry, flaky, and itchy.
Benefits of Snail Mucin for Skin
Moisturizes the skin: According to Dr. Lain, snail mucin contains moisturizing agents that work to repair the barrier function of the skin, both locking out irritants from the environment while also simultaneously locking in moisture.
As outlined above, niacinamide has the ability to help improve the skin's natural protective barrier. A strong stratum corneum (outermost layer of skin) is the first line of defence against exposure to irritants that could be potential triggers for sensitive skin and other skin concerns.
Marisa Garshick's, top do's and don'ts when it comes to repairing a damaged skin barrier. “It is important to avoid any ingredients that can worsen irritation or further compromise the skin barrier such as harsh soaps, abrasive scrubs, benzoyl peroxide, retinoids or salicylic acid.
The saying that “your skin has to get worse before it gets better” isn't universally true. Why purging happens to some people and not others remains a mystery, just like how some people experience comedones but not the red, swollen pimples and papules characteristic of inflammatory acne.
AHAs: AHAs are exfoliating acids that can be too harsh for a damaged skin barrier, leading to further irritation and sensitivity. BHAs: While effective for treating acne, BHAs like salicylic acid can dry and may strip the skin of its natural oils, further compromising the skin barrier.
Your skin barrier needs some time to heal. Continuing to exfoliate won't allow that to happen. After a few weeks, consider gradually incorporating exfoliation back into your skincare routine. However, make sure that your exfoliator of choice is gentle.
“Purging usually follows a predictable duration, typically anywhere from four to six weeks,” Dr. Thiede said. Since purging occurs because your skin is adjusting to a new product, it shouldn't last longer than how long it takes for your skin to renew itself (about 28 days for most people).
It will heal – but remember, it always gets worse before it gets better. I noticed a cluster of small white bumps appear around my mouth and chin and then true to form two days later they began flaking off. Allow your skin to go through the process of regeneration because peeling IS healing.
A four-month study by serial photography of the progression of comedones in a 17-year-old white boy with untreated, moderately severe acne vulgaris showed that both open and closed comedones (blackheads and whiteheads) can become inflamed and pustular.
It's recommended to keep your skincare routine to a minimum during skin purging. Aside from the new product that you're testing, stick to the skin-friendly products you've used before. Concentrate on your fundamentals, such as cleanser, toner, moisturizer, and SPF.
Skin purging can look like whiteheads, blackheads, pustules, cystic acne, and other blemishes.
Yes, this is normal. Salicylic acid (the active ingredient in Compound W) is a keratolytic agent and works by peeling off the outer layers of the skin.