Stay calm and carry on with your Reale Actives skincare routine.

A common skincare scenario: you start using topical actives that are truly targeting the cause of your acne, then suddenly it seems like your breakouts are getting worse. A common reaction is to immediately stop using the skincare you think is the culprit and start from square one. Skin purging is not uncommon when it comes to using anti-acne actives nor is it necessarily a bad thing. “Sometimes when you start an active, your skin doesn't get worse, it gets honest,” says Kiran Mian, MD, director of clinical innovation at Real Actives skincare and a cosmetic dermatologist at Hudson Dermatology and Laser Center in New York City. “Skin purging is not a setback, it's the beginning of skin clearance.” 

Find out what skin purging is, why it occurs and exactly how to manage the side effects of skin purging as you navigate getting your acne under control.

What is Skin Purging? 

“Skin purging refers to a temporary increase in acneic lesions from a sudden increase in skin cell turnover,” shares Dr. Mian. When you have acneic skin, your pores are slowly getting clogged over time. “Then due to an increase in skin cell turnover when you introduce active ingredients into your routine pre-existing microcomedones, that were likely already forming underneath the surface of skin for weeks prior, emerge at the surface of skin all at once,” she explains.

What Causes Skin Purging in Acne-Prone Skin?

The reason acne-prone skin can experience this not-so-pretty short term side effect of treating acne is that keratinization regulation (aka skin cell proliferation) within pores is happening at an accelerated rate compared to skin that does not experience breakouts regularly. Clogs are created because dead skin cells are not able to slough off before the new layers pile on top of the existing ones and then all of them mix with sebum. “Actives that increase skin cell turnover rate can cause skin purging when they are either introduced too quickly or the skin already has congestion,” says Dr. Mian. 

Not all actives cause skin purging while others have a track record of creating this skin issue. “Retinoids are notorious for causing skin purging as they weaken skin cell adhesion and increase the sloughing off of dead skin cells,” says Dr. Mian. “Exfoliating acids can do this as well—like mandelic acid or glycolic acid.” If you have super sensitive acneic skin, you may be more susceptible to skin purging. “We see skin purging more in those with sensitive skin and who have a lot of pre-existing open and closed comedones meaning whiteheads as well as blackheads,” she notes. “It’s usually because if you introduce actives too frequently in your routine, your skin cannot tolerate them.”

Clinical studies have highlighted this common skin concern and connected skin purging to acneic skin. “Research has shown that those with mild acne tend to experience skin purging more commonly than those with moderate or severe acne,” notes Dr. Mian. Reale Actives Go Deep 8% Mandelic Acid Serum Concentrate, the hero pore purifier of Alix’s skincare line, has been known to create skin purging for some users. “Mandelic acid is gentle but it’s also super effective in shedding dead skin cells so it can push existing clogs upward,” shares Dr. Mian. “And because of mandelic acid’s lipophilic nature, which means it’s attracted to oil, it penetrates pores and dislodges compacted keratin and sebum and unmasks microcomedones.” 

What Skin Purging Can Look Like 

When skin purging pops up, it’s typically in the same acne-prone zones you’ve always had issues with. However, you could potentially see some breakouts in new areas as actives purify those pores, too.

Alix  shared her personal experience with skin purging on her social media but the type and level of skin purging you face may vary. “Skin purging typically shows up as new white heads or black heads forming or current breakouts becoming larger and more red and inflamed,” Dr. Mian says. The skin pro also points out the importance of knowing that you’re seeing skin purging not a reaction to a new active skin product. “You want to differentiate skin purging from irritation, which is more symptomatic with redness, stinging and a burning sensation,” says Dr. Mian, who adds if you are experiencing legit irritation, you should stop using the active you believe is causing it immediately.

Typical Timeline for Skin Purging

While coping with skin purging, be paitent: you won’t face this skin concern forever. “Skin purging often starts approximately one to three weeks after you’ve started a new product,” says Dr. Mian. “Skin purging can last sometimes as long as six to 10 weeks as your skin clears out the congestion underneath and heals.”  

Skin purging can also happen suddenly due to a specific skin treatment or trauma. “Alix experienced major skin purging some months back that she shared on her social media after a facial that was too aggressive for her sensitive skin,” notes Dr. Mian. Earle and Dr. Mian immediately came up with a game plan. “We paired back her skincare routine, stopped all actives for just a few weeks and only used gentle cleansing and nourishing products until her skin calmed down,” she says. 

How to Manage Skin Purging

Dr. Mian shares the skincare solutions she used to help Alix cope with skin purging.

Short-Term Skin Purging Strategies

“Introduce actives slowly—two to three times a week to start—and gradually increase your usage as your skin builds tolerance,” says Dr. Mian. “Avoid stacking too many actives at once, like AHA plus retinoid plus benzoyl peroxide, until your skin builds tolerance.” 

Other ways you can help manage skin purging is make sure your skin is clean, hydrated and has a strong barrier function so it can continue healing. This means always going to bed makeup-free and opting for a double cleanse if needed. Alix’s go-to combo is Reale Actives Get Bare Makeup Melting Cleansing Balm followed by Reale Actives Pore Power Exfoliating LHA + BHA Gel Cleanser. Dr. Mian also recommends changing pillowcases often (every day if needed; otherwise every other day) as well as continuing to use a ceramide and lipid-rich moisturizer like Reale Actives Dew More Barrier Boosting Moisturizer that balances skin’s water and hydration levels while skin heals. “Use barrier strengthening products simultaneously to prevent further inflammation and transepidermal water loss because a weakened skin barrier will exacerbate flareups,” Dr. Mian says. 

Long-Term Skin Purging Plan

“Alix and I slowly added actives back into her daily skincare routine one at a time to help clear her breakouts and rebuild her skin barrier and her skin improved significantly!” shares Dr. Mian. “Now we don't go overboard with experimentation—we keep her core skincare routine streamlined and monitor her skin closely, then if and when she tries something new, we focus on gentle, calming skincare and facials rather than being too aggressive.” 

Just like Alix, you should continue your clear skin journey and stay diligent with healthy skin choices including steering clear of picking, which can cause trauma to skin and make breakouts worse and slowly increasing the use of gentle actives like Reale Actives Go Deep 8% Mandelic Acid Serum Concentrate. “This hero product of the Reale Actives line simply brings what was already forming beneath the surface forward faster,” says Dr. Mian. Bottom line: if necessary, bring on the breakouts so you can get over them once and for all.