How long does it take for skin to purge? Unfortunately, purging can be a lengthy process and it can take up to three or so months before results start to show, especially if the treatment is an acne medicated treatment.
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.
Many have questioned whether skin purging is real. It may seem contradictory that continuing to use a product through breakouts and holding on through some serious bad skin days can result in your complexion eventually clearing. But purging is absolutely real—especially if you have acne-prone skin to begin with.
Ultimately, skin purging is not a bad thing – it's just a sign that your skin is getting used to a retinoid or skin acid. If you have skin purging, you may experience whiteheads, blackheads, dryness, or even flaking.
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.
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.”
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.
(Because they're caused by an increase in cell turnover rate, the healing process also happens faster.) In short, keep an eye on how long your newly-formed pimples last. “A traditional pimple typically takes anywhere from eight to 10 days to appear, mature, and shrink,” she explains.
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.
It may look like typical acne breakouts, but the conditions are different, with different durations, causes, and treatments. The good news is that purging isn't permanent and isn't there to stay for long. It's just the skin going through a cycle in response to certain ingredients applied to the skin.