You can expect the tretinoin purge to start soon after your first application, usually within the first two weeks.
Generally speaking, dermatologists say purging should be over within four to six weeks of starting a new skin care regimen. If your purge lasts longer than six weeks, consult your dermatologist.
Purging usually lasts between two to four weeks, according to Dr Phillips. “Efficacy is partly determined by the formulation and strength of the product; however, on average, most people will start to see a difference after a month,” he says.
The tretinoin purge means that the retinoic acid is working and that you are on the way to healthy, clear skin, possibly for the first time in years! If you're using tretinoin to treat the signs of aging, it's still possible to experience skin purging even if you don't normally suffer from acne or breakouts.
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.
Tretinoin speeds up the skin cell turnover process, causing some initial breakouts, drying, and peeling. These symptoms eventually go away and leave clearer skin underneath.
Retinoids such as Tretinoin, acids such as salicylic, and benzoyl peroxide are just a few of the products that cause purging. These products contain active ingredients that increase the skin cell turnover rate, therefore causing your skin to purge.
If your skin is dry and flaky during the first few weeks of using tretinoin, apply moisturizer shortly after using tretinoin to hydrate your skin and reduce dryness.
Purging is slightly different, appearing on the skin mostly as blackheads or small skin-coloured bumps just under the surface of the skin. But it is also possible for purging to cause similar spots to a breakout, too.
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.”
Skin purging may give you horrible high school flashbacks, but what you're experiencing is actually beneficial. Here are some of the benefits of skin purging: Your treatment is working – The sudden increase of blemishes means that the product is successfully increasing the skin cell turnover rate.