There’s nothing more annoying to a skincare obsessive than brand-new skincare product with the promise of glowing, even, lit-from-within skin—only to end up with tiny zits, redness and peeling, These breakouts are known as skin purging, and apparently, it’s rather normal when using a new product—or is it? Dr Madhuri Agarwal, dermatologist and MD, Yavana Aesthetics does a deep dive into this phenomenon and breaks it down for us.
What is skin purging?
“Skin purging is breaking out caused by skincare ingredients (like retinoids, alpha hydroxy acids and beta hydroxy acids) that increase cell turnover,” explains Dr Agarwal. “The process triggers your cells to multiply at a faster rate.” However, before the new, younger, healthier cells come up to the surface, a lot of the gunk below (dead skin cells, flakes and sebum) has to come up too.
Skin purging can happen all over the face and manifest via various skin symptoms like whiteheads, blackheads, and bumps. These can be painful pus-filled pimples, nodules or even cysts which experts categorise as inflammatory acne. While skin purging isn’t dependent on skin type, Dr Agarwal says that the frequency and occurrence is more common and visible in oily and combination skin. This is due to the high oil content and higher risk of congestion associated with these skin types.
Busting myths
Myth #1: Purging is a common reaction to all new products
Truth: Purging is not as common as you see it online. “Make sure you are not mistaking a skin allergy or reaction for purging,” says Dr Agarwal.
Myth #2: Purging is not a good sign for skin
Truth: Absolutely wrong! “Purging can cause sudden bouts of breakouts for a short period, but it is an expected, and perhaps even desired response to renew the skin cell cycle,” she says.
Myth #3: Purging is a prolonged process
Truth: Ideally, purging is short-lived and lasts for 4-6 weeks maximum, as that is the time of natural skin cycle turnover.
Myth #4: Purging occurs only once with an ingredient
Truth: Purging can be seen multiple times with the same ingredient when the ingredient is restarted after a long gap or not used consistently.
Breaking out vs purging—is there a difference at all?
Short answer—yes, there is! Dr Agarwal says that purging happens only with specific ingredients that are exfoliants in nature. These include AHAs, BHAs, and retinols. “In case you are breaking out with other ingredients like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, oils, and sunscreens, then it is likely a skin reaction.”
It is important to note that purging starts and gets over at a faster rate as compared with a breakout. The expert adds that a skin reaction would persist for longer than six weeks, which makes the difference more evident. Even the areas impacted are different—with purging, you’d notice it over areas where acne is usually present, whereas when you break out thanks to a reaction, it will present all over your face. Lastly, purging will not leave your skin irritated, flaky, or itchy; those symptoms are more so associated with an allergic reaction.
It isn’t really avoidable—if your skin has got to turn over from the inside-out, purging is a part of the process, says Dr Agarwal. She does, however, state that this depends on the concentration of the exfoliating ingredients––the higher the concentration, the more your chances of purging—as well as the health of your skin and the product formulation.
“You can slow down the process by gradually introducing the ingredient to your skincare routine,” she recommends. You can do this by starting with an exfoliant once a week and then increasing the frequency over time. While there aren’t any skincare products, in particular, to help curb purging, Dr Agarwal suggests avoiding active non-exfoliant ingredients when your skin purges—look for ingredients like centella asiatica and ceramides to build the skin barrier and soothe redness.
Meet The Expert: Dr Madhuri Agarwal is the Medical Director and founder of Yavana Aesthetics Clinic, Mumbai, and has over 15 years of experience in the field of dermatology. Holding an MBBS, MD (Skin & VD), and DDV, she was the medical head of Kaya Skin Clinic (west division) and is a known name amongst celebrities and many industry experts in the field.
