I was using Acnefree's cleanser with BP for the last ten years. I still got pimples, sometimes bad ones, and since I'm in my 30s now, thought switching to a gentle cleanser would be a good idea as I've read a lot about it. After a lot of deciding, I went with neutrogena's ultra gentle hydrating cleanser creamy forumla.

The first week was great, no break outs, no irritation or burning feeling, seemed to have less clogged pores on my forehead. Week 2, I started breaking out in areas I am prone to breaking out in. Nothing major size wise, just kept breaking out with whiteheads, and then if I popped one, another would soon form right next to it almost instantly. Week 2 is over and now I'm starting week 3. Still some forming, but small and quickly coming to a head. Pimples I used to get with on the Acnefree never came and went that easily. They would be more easily irritated when I popped them, would scab over for days. But these are more simple ones, like the beginning stages of acne when you're young. Small, popped, gone in a couple days, barely a scab. But this is definitely more in quantity than I would normally have previously.

One thing different from week 1 and week 2 was that in week 1 I would splash some warm water over my face at night just to get away and oil or sweat from the day. Week 2 I didn't do this. So on week 3 I'm going back to doing it, thinking it may have contributed to it being more under control? or just a coincidence? I use the cleanser in the morning.

My question is...is this just purging on week 2/week 3? Or is the cleanser breaking me out? I mean, wouldn't it break me out in the first week if that were the case? Or is this just purging cleansers and after another week or so I'll be good? How long does this normally last people when they are switching cleansers? And consider how long I've been using the BP one.

I'm not sure what to do. I've made it this far finally off the BP...I don't want to go back! But I also need to know this is going to end so that I can get in under control again.