What is skin purging?
Your stratum corneum, which consists of dead skin cells, forms the outermost layer of your skin. Your body systematically sheds old, damaged, and impure skin cells and replaces them with fresh, young cells. This process is called exfoliation. Skin purging can occur when you use a skincare product containing a specific exfoliating ingredient—a substance that accelerates cell renewal, such as salicylic acid. These exfoliating ingredients shed the top layer of dead skin cells more quickly, causing new skin cells to regenerate faster than they would on their own, which can bring blockages to the surface and cause irritation and pimples. As a result, it can initially look a lot like an acne flare-up.
In addition, skin purging is also closely related to your microbiome— the microscopic rainforest of fungi and bacteria that covers your entire skin. When you use a new product, you affect the composition of your skin microbiome, allowing the bacteria that cause acne (Staphylococcus aureus and Cutibacterium acnes) to gain the upper hand. To combat these bacteria naturally, the ACN PROBIOTIC REPAIR Cream adds probiotics—lactobacilli, in this case. Lactobacilli are live, beneficial bacteria that naturally fight acne. When the lactobacilli try to restore the imbalance on the skin, the other bacteria significantly ramp up their defenses in an attempt to survive. This can cause your skin to (literally) turn red for a moment. After a while, the lactobacilli are better able to establish themselves, and your skin begins to recover from the attack. You’ll see the pimples slowly disappear as your skin microbiome gradually returns to a healthy balance!
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE HUMAN MICROBIOME
Skin purging can happen to anyone, but it’s more common if you have acne, because your microbiome is already out of balance and you’re more likely to have clogged pores due to sebum.
How long does an outbreak like that last?
The good news is that skin purging is a temporary phenomenon—and it’s also a good sign that the products are working! Be sure to give your skin time to go through the entire cycle; you should allow about 4 weeks for this. After all, every skin type and microbiome is unique, so you might not experience any issues at all—or you might need to be patient for as long as 6 weeks. If your skin is still out of balance after that period, there may be another underlying issue, and you should make an appointment with your dermatologist.
ACNE BREAKOUT VS. SKIN PURGING
Here’s how you can tell if your breakout is the result of skin purging:
- Are you using a (new) product with ingredients that promote cell renewal? Then you’re probably experiencing skin purging! Think of ingredients like retinoids, salicylic acid, or hydroxy acids. They promote the production of new skin cells and push the blockages in the pores to the skin’s surface.
- Do you use a (new) product containing live probiotics that helps rebalance your microbiome? Then the chances are very high! Because they’re alive, they can actively restore balance. If your product doesn’t contain live bacteria (such as lysates or ferments), it could indicate a regular breakout, which means the product isn’t effective enough to clear up acne symptoms.
- After 4 weeks, do you notice absolutely no difference, or have the symptoms gotten worse? In that case, you may be using a product that isn’t compatible with your skin microbiome or skin type. Skin purging is usually caused by active ingredients that can trigger an immediate reaction, but these symptoms should subside after a while. Make sure your skin doesn’t flare up again with new symptoms. Please reach out to us, and together we’ll find the right solution for your skin!
- The pimples caused by skin purging appear and disappear much faster than normal pimples. They can sometimes appear slightly more severe than a typical breakout. In general, it takes 8 to 10 days for normal pimples to appear, mature, and subside.
ACN – ACNE SYMPTOMS
Lightning-fast. Effective. Safe. An all-in-one treatment that effectively combats acne symptoms and pimples—all thanks to the power of good bacteria! The combination of live bacteria and microbiome-friendly ingredients helps your skin naturally regain its healthy balance and become pimple-free.
