Ask An Expert: Should Your Skin Purge When Starting Retinol & Other Actives?

Excited about starting a new retinoid or exfoliating acid but worried about the concept of skin purging? Perhaps you are unsure what skin purging even is? Or are confused about whether it should actually be happening when you start using active ingredients in the first place? We spoke to leading aesthetic doctors to discover what you need to know and, most importantly, how to avoid it…

What is skin purging?

So you’ve just excitedly started using a new product that promises to help with your wrinkles, dark spots and rough, uneven texture by stimulating cell turnover. Then, all of a sudden, you wake up with spots. Welcome to skin purging.

Most common with actives such as retinoids and exfoliating acids (more on that later), “skin purging is a temporary reaction which can happen after you’ve used a new product,” confirms the aesthetic doctor and co-founder of River Aesthetics, Dr Victoria Manning. “It can present as whiteheads, blackheads, pustules, dry and peeling skin, as well as redness and inflammation.”

Unsurprisingly, if you have sensitive skin you can be more prone to purging, as your skin can react more in terms of flaking and redness when introduced to potentially irritating ingredients. As mentioned, individuals who struggle with acne can also find purging is worse for them as congestion is more quickly brought to the skin surface.

Solution: The trick is not to panic … and also consider what your key skin goals are. If it is fine lines or acne, it can be worth working through the side-effect of a purge, but if you’re actually more concerned about overall skin hydration or quality, you might be better avoiding ingredients that can trigger sensitivities.

Prep your skin before you start

The condition of your skin before you even start a new active product is super important for reducing your risk of purging. If your protective skin barrier is already compromised, for example, it will be more prone to irritation and inflammation when exposed to active ingredients. Equally, dry, dehydrated skin can also exacerbate an active ingredient’s drying effect on the skin. This can worsen and extend a purge.

Solution: If your skin is particularly dry or irritated right now, focus on barrier-repairing products, such as those containing ceramides and niacinamide, before jumping into using a new retinoid or exfoliating acid. Make sure you keep your skin moisturised too. Some of our favourites from the TTG shop include Epionce Medical Barrier Cream and Alastin Regenerating Skin Nectar.

Introduce the product slowly

Rushing into using an active product such as a retinoid and being a little gung-ho will also make purging more likely.

“We recommend slowly introducing a new product such as retinol into your routine to give your skin some time to adjust,” says Dr Woodward. “Try using the product once in the first week, twice in the second week, three times in the third week, and so on until you’re using the product every day or every other day (depending on how sensitive your skin is). The process will take longer but you won’t react in the same way.”

Stronger isn’t always better

When it comes to any product that may cause purging (namely retinoids and exfoliating acids) it can also be better to go in with a lower-is-better mindset, especially for first-timers. Medik8’s retinoid ladder, for example, is a good guide. The idea is that you work your way up from the lowest retinoid strength (Medik8 Crystal Retinal 1) and then once you finish a product you progress up a step until you reach higher concentrations (Medik8 Crystal Retinal 10). This will help you improve your results over time, while managing the likelihood of bad purging.

Ask the experts

Finally, don’t forget to seek advice if you need it! “Uncontrolled skin inflammation caused by purging can cause scarring, so always seek the guidance of a dermatologist if you are struggling,” says Dr Veraitch. An expert can also “prescribe oral or topical antibiotics or in-clinic treatments like IPL and Fraxel dual laser, which can help for certain patients.