What purging actually is
Some active ingredients speed up the rate at which your skin renews itself. Retinoids such as retinol and retinal do this, and so do exfoliating acids like salicylic, glycolic and lactic acid.
Under the surface, there may already be tiny blockages that would have become spots over the next few weeks anyway. When renewal speeds up, they surface sooner, and often together. That's purging. It's frustrating, but it can be a sign the product is doing its job.
A breakout is different. It's your skin reacting to a product, usually because something in it is clogging your pores or irritating your skin. That isn't a phase to push through.
Four questions to tell them apart
Does the product contain a retinoid or exfoliating acid? If it's a moisturiser, cleanser or SPF without either, purging is unlikely, and new spots are more likely a breakout.
Are the spots where you usually get them? Purging tends to show up in your usual areas, as small bumps, blackheads or whiteheads. Spots in brand new places point to a breakout.
How long has it lasted? Purging usually settles within about four to six weeks. If things are still getting worse after six weeks, the product probably isn't right for you.
Is it itchy, stinging or burning? That suggests irritation or a reaction rather than purging. Stop the product.
Tanisha's tipTake a photo in the same light each week. It's much easier to judge honestly when you can compare.
Getting through a purge calmly
Patch-test first, then go gently: two or three evenings a week rather than every night. AlumierMD Retinol Resurfacing Serum 0.25 is a kind way in, with slow-release retinol and niacinamide to help limit irritation. AlumierMD Clarifying Serum uses encapsulated salicylic acid for gentler, longer-lasting action; start it once a day.
Keep everything else simple and light. AlumierMD HydraClarité hydrates without clogging pores, and Heliocare 360° Acnimat is a non-comedogenic SPF that keeps shine down. Wear SPF every morning while you use retinoids or acids.
And hands off. Picking can leave marks that last far longer than the spot ever would.
Common mistakes, and when to get help
The usual mistakes: starting several products at once, so you can't tell what caused what; adding a scrub or a second acid to speed things up; and calling everything purging while pushing through a product that's clearly irritating you.
See your GP if spots are deep, painful or cyst-like, or if your skin is sore or swollen and isn't settling. If you'd simply like a second opinion on whether to persevere, a free consultation with one of my skin experts is a good place to start.
