To start with, i’d like to explain what breakout and purging means in skin terms because literally they have other meanings. but before that, lets talk about the root of the matter which is;
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!Why and how do pimples form?
There are several theories and beliefs about how pimples form; some believe it’s due to what they ate or how they ate it. In any case, pimples form when pores become clogged with dead skin oil, sweat, and dirt, and the pore becomes irritated. Micro-comedones are generally formed as a result of this.
These are little lumps lurking beneath your skin. Because they are lodged deep and can’t come out owing to a build-up of dead skin cells, you can’t see them on the surface. It’s more likely to turn into a whitehead, blackhead, pimple, or cystic acne if you leave it there for too long. These micro-comedones can take up to 8 weeks to appear on average.
Pimples can appear at any age, but they are more prevalent throughout adolescence. They’re also more common during times when hormone levels rise, such as during pregnancy and menstruation. The face, neck, back, shoulders, and chest are the most typical areas where pimples appear.
Acne is a skin ailment that causes pimples. Pimples have no established cause, but hormonal changes and circumstances on and just beneath the skin’s surface have a role. Pimples are frequently connected with whiteheads and blackheads.
What is skin purging?
The term skin purging refers to a reaction to an active ingredient that is increasing the skin cell turnover rate. As skin cell turnover speeds up, the skin starts shedding dead skin cells faster than normal.
The end goal is to expose the fresh skin cells underneath and reveal clearer, younger looking skin. But before these new, healthy cells can cycle to the surface, some other stuff has to rise to the top first, like the excess sebum, flakes, and buildup that clogs pores. This is what’s not so glamorously known as “skin purging.”
As the surface layer of skin is shed more quickly, our skin is accelerating its recovery and pushing everything to the surface. A purge period can prompt all kinds of pimples. It may look different from person to person, but you can get a mix of whiteheads, blackheads, papules, pustules, cysts, and even the tiny ‘pre-pimples’ that aren’t visible to the eye, called microcomedones. These microcomedones are small clogged hair particles, and can take up to 8 weeks to surface!
Skin purging may be intense and make you second guess if you should continue using a product, but understand that this process is temporary and a sign that the product is working. Common ingredients in skincare products that can stimulate skin purging include;
Glycolic acid
Lactic acid
Salicylic acid
Retinol
How to ease skin purging
#Don’t pick at or squeeze any bumps or blackheads or whiteheads or whatever may appear. Aggravating your skin will only hinder the process, as touching your face or squeezing pimples will transfer bacteria from your hands to your face, and can cause mechanical damage to your skin, leaving it open to infection.
#Don’t use any drying acne products, eg. containing benzoyl peroxide or alcohol. Your skin is going through its process of clearing out the “junk” from your pores – further acne products won’t help.
#Don’t give up! Be consistent with whatever product you are using and the results will speak for themselves, you may just need to patient while they do their work!
#Do wash your hands thoroughly first if you need to touch your face. Your hands do a million and one things in a day, not to mention what they have come into contact with! Its always good practice to give your hands a good soaping before applying anything to your face.
#Do try to limit your intake of sugar and dairy. Diet has been shown to directly affect our skin – dairy and sugar can be the culprits when it comes to problematic skin.
#Do try to use less makeup so that your skin can regenerate without further clogging of pores.
#Do get lots of good sleep! This is essential for your skin regeneration cycle.
What is skin breakout?
Breakouts and acne occur when the pores of your skin become blocked with oil, dead skin, or bacteria. Each pore of your skin is the opening to a follicle. The follicle is made up of a hair and a sebaceous (oil) gland, the oil gland releases sebum (oil), which travels up the hair, out of the pore, and onto your skin.
The sebum keeps your skin lubricated and soft. One or more problems in this lubrication process can cause acne. It can occur when too much oil is produced by your follicles or dead skin cells accumulate in your pores or bacteria build up in your pores
These problems contribute to the development of acne. A pimple appears when bacteria grow in a clogged pore and the oil is unable to escape.
With break-outs, the pimples that are showing up are entirely new. It is a reaction that occurs due to a new product you’ve incorporated into your skincare routine. You should check for both the consistency and ingredients (whether they’re comedogenic, contains artificial fragrances, or irritating ingredients) as these may contribute to pore-clogging which leads to you already know what.
Some signs to look out for:
#Breakouts scattered at random areas of your face where you usually don’t get pimples.
#Breakouts accompanied by irritations like redness, itchiness, rashes, pain, or swelling.
#Your skin isn’t improving within 8 weeks or longer but is actually getting worse. In this case, you have to stop the usage of the new product.
So, how can you tell if you are purging or breaking out?
It may not be easy to tell the difference between skin purging and breaking out since they both involve acne. However, the key difference between breakouts and skin purging is that skin purging is temporary and usually occurs after you have incorporated a new ingredient in your skincare routine, Green says.
Additionally, skin purging will most likely occur on an area of your face that you normally experience breakouts. If you’re experiencing irritation in a new area, it’s likely not a purge.
In duration, skin purging can last for six to eight weeks while breakouts can last for months.
Purging happens in an area or part where you already have breakout while breakout happens in a new area.
What to do if you are experiencing either purging or breakout
The very first thing to do is to check what you are not doing or using right. If your skin is breaking out, and whiteheads keep popping up every time you are using a certain product, then stop it. Figure out which ingredients are not going well with your skin. Prolonged use of ingredients not liked by your skin will only cause hypersensitivity.
Most Importantly, don’t forget to keep track of areas where you usually experience breakouts.
If it is a skin purging you’re going through, then as long as there’s no intensive dryness and adverse reactions, you may keep it for a while. When introducing actives into your routine, always start low, and slowly increase it only when you know your skin can tolerate it.
It’s always a case of trial and error when it comes to skincare. Even if you have the same skin type as your friend, what works for her may not work for you. Instead of pushing your skin to its limits by trying on a plethora of products, work with it to determine out what works best for it.
