The term “skin purge” may conjure up images of dirt and grime being pulled out of your pores, as seen in some videos where huge blackheads are being squeezed out of pores or pus-filled pimples are being pulled out of your skin. But in reality, skin purges aren’t as horrible (or should be feared). A skin cleanse simply refers to your skin’s reaction to certain products, namely retinols and acids. These particular ingredients are known as chemical exfoliants. Because they remove the top layer of dead cells, new cells regenerate faster than they would on their own, which can cause blockages to rise to the surface and lead to irritation and breakouts. The good news about purging is that it’s temporary.
What is skin purging?
According to dermatologists, skin clearing refers to your skin's response to a specific active ingredient that triggers cell turnover, (causes) your skin to exfoliate, and brings congestion to the surface. Skin clearing typically occurs in response to chemical exfoliants and retinoids.
What causes skin purging?
Since cleansing tends to signal a speeding up of the skin’s exfoliation process, you’ll often notice what may be minor acne marks. Ingredients that lead to skin purification promote skin cell turnover through exfoliation. It’s generally said that skin renews itself approximately every 28 days, but a retinoid or acid speeds up this process, which can lead to breakouts. Products or ingredients that increase cell turnover are known to cause skin exfoliation and bring congestion to the surface, leading to purging.
Let's say you have a new product that you think will improve your skin, but you don't really want to deal with the cleansing consequences that come with it. Unfortunately, not really. Dermatologists recommend introducing a new product into your routine slowly to give your skin time to adjust. For example, for a new retinol, try the product once the first week, twice the second week, three times the third week, and so on until you're using the product every day or every other day (depending on how sensitive your skin is).
Common Types of Acne When Cleaning Your Skin
When you cleanse your skin by introducing a new product into your routine, you'll almost always notice the breakouts that come with it. It may seem like the product is causing your skin to break out, but since the ingredients that lead to the cleanse are simply exfoliating your skin, which often causes new cells to be produced, the acne marks that have already formed are brought to the surface. They just show up faster than they would have. In short, the pimple was already there, it might take weeks before you see it on your skin. Cleansing speeds up this process and often leads to different types of acne, all of which fall under the umbrella of "inflammatory acne":
- pustules
- white dots
- Blackheads
- Cysts
Inflammatory acne is a type of acne that encompasses a wide variety of acne types because most acne symptoms, like pimples, occur as a result of your body's inflammatory response. When excess oil, called sebum, mixes with dirt, like dead skin cells, in a pore, they sometimes create bacteria known as P. acnes. When your body detects this bacteria, it sends white blood cells to the area to attack the foreign substance, just like it would if you had a cold or a scrape on your skin. This is called inflammation, and it's why pimples sometimes look like this: red, swollen, and filled with pus. When certain ingredients, like retinol, work on your skin, they don't push the bacteria out of your pores, but instead cause your skin cells to slough off, which can irritate already inflamed skin. “A cleanse isn’t necessarily about getting the bacteria out, you’re simply removing the inflammation that’s causing your acne so your skin can clear itself. Topical products that consistently clear your skin are vitamin A and alpha and beta hydroxy acids.
How to tell the difference between a skin cleanse and a rash?
When adding a new skincare product to your routine, it's important to keep in mind that not all reactions are technically a skin cleanse. Sometimes, the product you're using could be irritating your skin for another reason, like clogging your pores, which can lead to acne, or causing an allergic reaction, which can lead to irritation. A breakout on your skin after introducing a new product may not be a sign of a cleanse, but it could be a standard breakout, and there are a few things to keep in mind to help you tell the difference.
- Duration: The first sign to watch for is the duration of the breakout. "The life cycle of acne (which occurs during cleansing) is faster than that of a regular breakout. It heals much faster than a typical breakout. If you start using a new product that is known for its cleansing action, but the breakouts last longer than 4-6 weeks, it may be a sign that the product is not working for you or is making the situation worse.
- Site: Purges also tend to cause breakouts in areas where you normally see acne marks, so if you're getting irritated in new areas, it's probably not the purge.
- Active ingredients: Another thing to keep in mind when determining whether your skin is purging or breaking out is the active ingredient in the product you're applying to your skin. Purging is typically the result of chemicals that exfoliate your skin, like retinols, alpha and beta hydroxy acids, and acne-fighting ingredients like salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide. So if your skin breaks out after using something like a moisturizing oil, sunscreen, or something that can clog pores like a comedogenic makeup formula, you're probably more likely to have a traditional hand breakout than a cleanse.
How to treat a skin purge versus an outbreak?
When it comes to treating your skin during a purge, the best thing to do is actually the least satisfying answer anyone wants to hear: just wait and see. Depending on how congested your skin is, a purge can take two to three weeks. Waiting. Remember, purging is a sign that your skincare is working and doing what it needs to, so be patient.
