It will heal – but remember, it always gets worse before it gets better.
A: It isn't a rule that the skin barrier gets worse before it gets better, but any kind of recovery is never linear, and it may well appear that way sometimes.
Here's what a happy skin barrier usually looks and feels like: Skin is mostly smooth and flake-free. Skin feels comfortable after using gentle cleansers and products with non-active ingredients. You don't typically experience tightness, itchiness, or unpleasant reactions — healthy skin is calm skin.
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.
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.
Skin purging is a supercharged cleanse for your complexion. It is usually caused by an active ingredient in a skincare product or a process that speeds up the skin's cell shedding and renewal phase.
How long does it take for skin barrier to heal? The good news is: a broken skin barrier can be repaired, but it does take a little time and effort. Depending on the extent of the damage, it can take anywhere from a couple of weeks up to 6 months to get it back to its protective best.
When using prescription-strength acne medications, it's reasonably common for your skin to get worse before it gets better. You might experience side effects like redness, swelling, dryness, itchiness and more pimples than you had when you started.
The most apparent sign that your skincare routine is working is a uniform skin tone. Before our efforts kick in, the skin is often dotted with black heads, acne scars, dark spots, etc. But when your skin is healthy, these things begin to fade. The dark spots vanish into your natural color.
A classic sign of a broken skin barrier is an inability to hold on to moisture. Skin that's dry and flaky despite your best efforts is one example of how this might manifest. Your skin might also peel away or look patchy.
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.
Using too many products or harsh ingredients can damage the skin barrier and lead to dryness, irritation, and inflammation. Stick to a simple routine that includes a gentle cleanser, a hydrating moisturizer, and sunscreen. If you have a skin condition, follow your treatment plan as directed by your doctor.
Simply put, your skin barrier is a watertight seal that keeps the outermost layers of skin smoothly together. When these outer layers are healthy, skin feels soft, supple and plump. But if these outer layers are damaged, skin may look dull and feel rough or dry.
Chemical exfoliants or acne treatments can contribute to a damaged skin barrier, especially if overused. Think retinoids (like retinol or Tretinoin), AHAs, and BHAs. If these actives are used at too high of a concentration or too frequently, they can irritate your skin and compromise the skin barrier.
Skin purging is a temporary response to an active ingredient that speeds cell turnover, and it results in a breakout. In other words, when you use certain products, your skin is likely to look worse before it looks better.
If you've recently introduced new skincare products only to experience an increase in blemishes, don't panic. While a breakout can be a sign a product is unsuitable, in many cases a fresh crop of blackheads or bumps may indicate your skin is purging – and that smoother, clearer skin could be waiting around the corner.
Skin purging can look like whiteheads, blackheads, pustules, cystic acne, and other blemishes.
Keep a simple skincare routine
Pick a simple routine that's gentle and hydrating and try to stick to it consistently for 2-3 weeks before reintroducing exfoliants and retinoids (as over-exfoliation and harsh chemicals can wreak havoc on your skin when the barrier is damaged).
Normal skin needs high concentrations of vitamin C, which plays many roles in the skin, including the formation of the skin barrier and collagen in the dermis, the ability to counteract skin oxidation, and the modulation of cell signal pathways of cell growth and differentiation.
You may want to stop using it sooner rather than later if your new product does not contain ingredients that cause skin purging. "If it isn't something that's formulated to help skin turn over and you're breaking out more, you should stop," said Dr. Nagler.
Check with your doctor right away if you have a skin rash, burning, dryness, redness, peeling, stinging, swelling, or irritation on the skin.
Niacinamide skincare products can sometimes cause breakouts in people who are acne-prone. If you start to experience more breakouts while using niacinamide products, discontinue use immediately.