What Is Acne Purging And How Long It Lasts: Best Guide

When things don’t go the way we want, we can take comfort in the fact that it’s always darkest before the dawn. This can also be true for your acne skincare routine. Things don’t always get better until they get really bad, or in this case, really bumpy. It’s called an acne purging, and it happens to a lot of people.

What is an Acne Purge?

To figure out why your skin might be breaking out as it’s getting better, you need to know that acne starts to form long before you see it on your face. In fact, bacteria, dead skin cells, and other things that can cause acne can build up under your skin’s surface for months before you get a pimple.

When your acne purging, no new pimples are being made. Instead, all of that nasty stuff that was buried deep down is coming to the surface. What is going on? All of this is because of cell turnover, which is both good and bad for getting rid of acne.

Long-term cell turnover is what lets your skin bring new cells to the surface so that it looks healthy and free of acne. But in the short term, it has to bring the acne-prone parts of your skin to the surface so that they can be removed. So there was a purge.

What Causes an Acne Purge?

Any change you make to your skin that speeds up the turnover of skin cells can cause acne to clear up. This includes things like chemical peels and microdermabrasion that you had done by a professional.

Vitamin C, retinoids, alpha hydroxy acids, and both physical and chemical exfoliants all help cells die and grow back. If you are given antibiotics to treat acne, this can also cause you to purge.

How do I know if my skin is purging?

This is a question worth a million dollars! We have found that “acne purging” is sometimes used as a catch-all term for “breaking out,” especially in the holistic space. But sometimes a breakout isn’t a purge, so it’s important to know the difference.

How can you tell it’s not a purge?

If you haven’t recently started using a new skincare product or treatment, your breakouts are probably not an acne purging.

If you’ve started using a new skin care product but it’s not something that helps cells turn over, like moisturizer or sunscreen, then you’re also not going through a purge.

If you have new spots on your face where you’ve never had pimples before, it’s probably not your skin purging.

If your skin is generally redder or oilier than it was before, you probably don’t have a purge but rather a skin irritation or allergic reaction.

And if your pimples last longer than a month or two, it’s probably not your skin purging.

Lastly, if you broke out right after adding a new supplement to your routine or making a change to your diet, you probably aren’t going through a purge.

Some people will tell you that if you change your diet, your skin is “detoxing,” but this is probably not true. Your liver and kidneys are in charge of getting rid of toxins from your body. Your skin won’t break out when you detox.

Most likely, you’re getting pimples because you’re eating something that makes acne worse in your body.

The Symptoms of a Acne Purging

On the other hand, you may be going through a purge if you just started using a new skin care product, like a vitamin C serum, that speeds up the turnover of skin cells. Look at your skin as a whole for a good hint. If, other than the spots, it looks mostly healthy, it’s likely that you’re experience acne purging and not having a bad reaction to the product.

If you experience acne purging, these breakouts will usually go away quickly, usually in a month or less. And they’ll probably be where you’ve been breaking out already.

What to Do if Your Skin is Purging

If your skin is breaking out, good for you! You’re already doing a lot to get clear skin. This may not be the most exciting part of your glow-up, like getting hot and sweaty at the gym, but it will lead to something great.

Taking care of your skin while it does its thing is the best way to take care of it. Do not use harsh chemical or physical exfoliants at this time. Use a moisturizer that won’t cause acne to keep your skin moist. Also, don’t touch or pick at your spots unless you want scars.

To keep things under control, you might want to ease into any products that help you with your purge. At first, use them once or twice a week. Then move forward slowly from there. Also, don’t come out with two new products at the same time. At least a month should pass between each item.

This is also the time to take care of your skin by eating well, working out regularly, and reducing stress as much as possible. When you’re done, you’ll have the healthiest skin you’ve ever had.

Working With a Dermatologist

Not all skin care products cause vomiting, and “vomiting” can sometimes be a sign of something else, such as an allergic reaction. When making a plan for your skin care, it’s very important to work with your doctor. Your doctor can tell you what to expect when you start a new routine and can also help you choose the best products for your skin.

A Gentle Way to Clear Skin

Acne purging isn’t fun, but it’s sometimes necessary to get the results you want from your skin. But even if you do break out a little bit, it doesn’t have to be a big deal.

You can keep things under control by using a product that speeds up the turnover of cells but is also gentle and good for your skin. This is a great time to use our Cryo-C Facial Glow Serum.

Cryo-C is full of high-quality Vitamin C, which helps fight spots. Date seed extract and sea buckthorn both bathe your skin in antioxidants and phytosterols that are good for it and protect it. It’s a simple way to show your skin some love as it goes through this change.

We recommend that you pick up a bottle today to get your glow on. And remember that you’re beautiful just the way you are, even during the acne purging phase.