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.
Be patient for one skin cycle, or about 28 days
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.
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.
Spots appear where you frequently get them and they go away faster than a normal pimple. 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.
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.”
Unbeknownst to most, skin purging is actually quite common and can happen when a new product is introduced into a daily skincare regimen.
Skin purging is a process that happens when certain skincare ingredients increase skin cell turnover. This encourages shedding of old, dead cells and growth of new, healthy ones. Unfortunately, this process often makes the skin look worse before it looks better.
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 occurs when you start using a new product that contains chemical exfoliants such as alpha-hydroxy acids, beta-hydroxy acids, and retinoids, all of which speed up the rate of skin cell turnover (the rate at which you shed dead skin cells and replace them with new cells), says Dr. Gonzalez.
Purging: Located predominantly in a defined area where you already have frequent breakouts. Skin purging also clears up much faster than a pimple or reaction. Reaction-based breakout: You're getting breakouts in new areas where you don't often get pimples.
Experiencing a few more breakouts is totally normal when starting a new acne treatment. The reason is that acne medications cause rapid destruction of acne bacteria, which can cause more inflammation and sometimes result in an initial "worsening" of the condition (sometimes called a "purge").
In the end, purging is a good sign and is just one step to better skin. Keep at it, persevere, and continue using those products to improve your skin.
“Because purging is thought to be due to increased cell turnover, it's really going to bring preexisting microcomedones [small clogged hair particles] to the surface and will potentially turn into whiteheads, blackheads, papules, pustules, and cysts,” Dr. Shah explains.
Acne disappears completely after one treatment course in about 85% of patients. The rest need a second course. The period of remission takes years for most.
What does it look like? Distinct, acne-like bumps may be purging. However, if you're noticing welts, diffuse redness, or anything resembling a rash, stop what you're doing. Inflammation is a sign of reaction and generally appears as all-over redness rather than individual, blemish-like spots.
Though some people do report experiencing irritation and breakouts after using the ingredient, niacinamide is unlikely to cause purging. That's because it doesn't affect the skin in a way that usually triggers purging.
Accutane Side Effects:
Before your acne can get better, it will likely get worse at the beginning stages of taking Accutane. Called purging, the drug will push out all dead skin cells, oil, and debris from underneath the skin causing inflammation and more acne.
Purging pimples do not leave marks or blemishes on your skin. It actually heals the skin to form fresher skin cells. Breakouts don't benefit the skin; they leave marks and blemishes when they go. The cell turnover is faster to remove dead cells.
A purge can last as long as two months, and you should start seeing an improvement by the six-week point, if not sooner. On the other side of a purge is cleaner, clearer skin!
Yes, BHAs can cause initial skin purging, but they also happen to be the most effective way to clear and prevent acne.
Accutane, or isotretinoin, attacks acne in a number of ways: It reduces the production of oil on your skin, slows down the growth of skin cells that can clog pores, and kills the bacteria in your pores that can cause acne and inflammation. It has a high success rate: 85%.