Question: Am I purging or just breaking out?
Answer:
First of all, purging is only possible if you are using products with exfoliants, such as AHAs, BHAs, scrubs, peels, or prescription retinoids. Why? Because exfoliation causes your skin to push the blockages inside of it out to the surface. Therefore, you can’t really “purge” from using a new moisturizer or new sunscreen. If you feel like you are "purging" after using a new moisturizer, you are probably just breaking out from the product.
Purging is defined as a worsening of your current skin condition. That means if you have clogged pores, they may turn into red pimples and active acne. If you have small pimples, they may turn into nastier, bigger ones. This initial breakout generally subsides anywhere from 2 weeks (with BHAs) to 6 weeks (with Rx retinoids) and your skin gets better from there on.
However, if your breakouts last longer than 3 months, the new acne you are getting is probably not from purging. With purging, your symptoms get worse and then get better. If they get worse and stay worse, that is not purging. And if it's not purging, then you need to consider switching to a different product.
If you use a new product and start breaking out in places you normally don’t break out, then you are probably not purging either. It is possible to break out in new areas of your face during the purging process, but if these breakouts continue for a long time without improvement, then you are just breaking out.
If you start getting tiny red bumps and/or itchiness, then those are probably signs of allergy or irritation. Allergic reactions to products will usually go away with hydrocortisone cream, so if you use hydrocortisone and you still have bumps in places you normally don't break out, then it's probably the product that is breaking you out.
How can you distinguish between initial purging and irritation? After all, even when you are purging, your skin is probably red because pimples that form are red, right? Well, irritation usually makes your skin feel hot and sensitive. For example, if your skin stings when you wash your face with your regular cleanser or use your normal products, your skin is probably irritated.
To tell if your skin is irritated or purging, you can stop using the treatment product for a few days. If your skin feels calmer after taking a break, then your skin was probably irritated. If your skin is the same after not using the product for awhile, you either didn't take a long enough break or you really are purging or breaking out (purging = shorter time, breaking out = longer time).
It's kind of hard to tell when you should give up on a product because you never really know how long any initial purging will last. I usually give a new product 3 months. If I am still breaking out after 3 months, I switch to something else. Three months is enough time for your skin to renew itself and push the would-be pimples out of your pores. And if it's not doing that, then it's just not working.
There isn't a definitive way to tell if you are purging, breaking out, having an allergic reaction, or experiencing irritation, but the above points will hopefully help you figure things out a bit better. A rule of thumb is, if you feel like you've been "purging" forever, you are probably just breaking out.
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