Purge your skin – everything has to go!
Do you know the movie “The Purge”? This dystopian thriller is set in a future where the government permits all forms of crime once a year for 12 hours. The idea behind it is that the population can easily let out all the aggression that has built up over time. Have I been writing film reviews on this blog lately? No. I'm telling you this because this idea of "purge" also exists in the world of skin care - but without murder and manslaughter.
Rather, it's about the skin's renewal process, which is triggered when you use certain cosmetic products to exfoliate. These products contain retinoids, i.e. derivatives of vitamin A, and thereby stimulate skin renewal. However, the skin first has to get used to the application and reacts to it with increased cell renewal. This in turn means that sebum, dirt and whatever else is in there is literally flushed out of the pores. And the skin reacts catastrophically to this process: pimples, pustules, inflammation, the whole program. You quickly ask yourself: Is that right? Is this a normal reaction to the retinoids in skin care or have I just made my impure skin or acne worse instead of combating it effectively?
I can calm you down. If your skin reacts like that to the treatment, it's pretty crappy, but a) normal and b) worth it. This cleansing is an essential part of the skin renewal process, which is stimulated by vitamin A. This process can be easily distinguished from a regular acne breakout because it usually occurs all at once on the entire face and not in isolated areas, like classic acne. And the good news is: From here it only goes uphill, because with the regular use of retinoid care products, the skin blemishes caused heal quickly and eventually disappear completely.
If you want to permanently clean your skin with this treatment, you also have the opportunity to control the process and reduce the “breakouts” to a tolerable minimum. The trick is the dosage of the products used. Start treatment slowly and at regular intervals instead of starting straight away every day. Every second or third day is completely sufficient. If you have sensitive skin, it is even recommended to initially use the vitamin A-containing care product only once a week. This allows the skin to get used to the products and renew itself at its own pace. You will definitely still see results, namely a clear and completely renewed complexion, instead of tons of pimples and red skin.
But you can still watch the film. Maybe I'll join the film critics after all.
