Purge & Progress (Weeks 2-8): This period can see an uptick in breakouts as Tretinoin accelerates cell turnover. While disheartening, this is temporary and normal.
Skin purging typically lasts anywhere between four to six weeks which is roughly in line with how long it takes for your skin cells to naturally turnover. During this phase, it might seem like your skin is getting worse but it should settle down and improve after you've passed this period.
During the first 3 weeks you are using tretinoin, your skin may become irritated. Also, your acne may seem to get worse before it gets better. It may take longer than 12 weeks before you notice full improvement of your acne, even if you use the medicine every day.
The only way to completely prevent a tretinoin purge is to avoid using tretinoin products. You can minimize tretinoin purge by starting your regimen slowly. Start using the products once or twice a week and gradually increase until your skin adapts to daily use.
Believe it or not, this is actually a sign that the tretinoin is working! “Purging” is a (semi-scary) term for temporary breakouts, and though we know that breakouts are never fun, sticking with it for those first 6–8 weeks can pay off.
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.
Managing Skin Purging
When the skin begins to purge and get rid of excess oil and dead skin cells, it's preparing to clear what isn't needed out of the body. While it goes through this process, acne and breakouts improve over time. Avoid touching, picking, or popping pimples.
After 4-6 weeks, your skin will get used to Tretinoin and will begin to be noticeably smoother and more even. Depending on how often you use Tretinoin, you may begin to see full benefits by this point. A lot of the initial irritation will settle down and true “retinization” of your skin is in full force.
You can't Google prescription retinoid journeys without coming across reports of the famous tretinoin purge: a period of red, inflamed skin often subjected to more breakouts than you had before.
The retinol uglies can last anywhere from 4–8 weeks. The exact length of a retinoid purge depends very much on your skin type and sensitivity. The amount and strength of your retinoid product can also play a part. Some people experience a purge flare-up for only a few days, and others don't get it at all.
Some people may notice that this side effect goes away within a few weeks of use, while others may have flaky skin for up to two months. Regardless of how long it takes to subside, tretinoin peeling is temporary and will go away once your skin gets used to the product.
For those of us who do suffer from purging, it can look like: breaking out in pustules (pimples), the appearance of flaky, peeling skin, irritation and dry patches. Getting these symptoms can be demotivating, especially if you're already feeling unconfident about your skin.
Retinoids have been implicated in causing mild-to-moderate elevations in routine liver tests, but these elevations are usually asymptomatic and transient, resolving spontaneously even with continued therapy.
You should aim to use tretinoin every night, however, you must start slowly as your skin needs to get used to it. The first 2 weeks apply it 2 to 3 nights per week, after that try applying it every other day, and then if your skin can handle it, apply it every night.
Option one: The sandwich technique
After washing your face, apply a layer of moisturiser. Allow it to dry down for 5-10 minutes. Then, apply a pea-sized amount of tretinoin to your entire face. Allow this to dry down for 5-10 minutes.
The first 2-6 weeks of using Tretinoin generally involve your skin getting used to it. During this time, it's common to experience some skin irritation, purging, dryness and peeling.
Appearance. Acne purging and breakouts can look similar at first glance, with increased red bumps and pimples. However, purging tends to cause uniform congestion, affecting the entire area where you applied the new treatment. Breakouts often appear more sporadic in your usual problem spots.
Three inexpensive moisturizers that our physicians love are Vanicream Daily Facial Lotion with Hyaluronic Acid, Neutrogena Hydroboost Gel, and The Ordinary Hyaluronic Acid Serum. All three of these are affordable, non-comedogenic,and blend well with tretinoin.
However, its strength means that it can also initially irritate the skin and even cause breakouts, also known as purging, initially. As such you should introduce it slowly and gradually to give your skin time to adapt to its effects. This is especially true for patients with sensitive skin, Rosacea or skin of colour.
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. These ingredients stimulate cell renewal turnover rate leaving behind clearer, smoother skin.
However, with increased strength comes a greater likelihood of side effects. These include purging, redness, peeling, post inflammatory hyperpigmentation and dryness. This is why it is crucial to approach higher concentrations with caution. For this reason, Tretinoin is a prescription only medicine.