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Purging vs. Breaking Out?

MemberMember
1
(@bedeliaamelia)

Posted : 07/24/2016 11:26 pm

Hello everyone,
I very recently began a new regimen and had a small question.

I have mild acne on my forehead and moderate to severe acne across my cheeks, and recently started a regimen that contained benzoyl peroxide and apple cider vinegar, which I've heard is a natural AHA. When I began this new regimen, a lot of the smaller clogged pores on my cheeks peaked and became whiteheads, then quickly disappeared while more reappeared. My forehead also experienced this, and clogged pores quickly disappeared and reappeared in some spots, nothing major. For this reason I believe I am purging. However, just today I noticed a very deep pimple forming on my cheek and think that this is a cystic pimple which I never get. I also noticed one forming on my forehead. They aren't very big and they're nothing to freak out over, but it's quite unusual for me to get deeper cystic pimples. For this reason, I'm considering the possibility that maybe I'm starting to break out.

Does anyone know more information about purging and breaking out, and the differences between the two? Thanks for any help in advance!

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(@kelbell812)

Posted : 07/25/2016 7:15 am

What you've described does sound a lot like purging, but also a mix of both. Since the products you are using contain active ingredients, it is common to see some flakiness & more breakouts (due to the increased cell turnover). Clogged pores turning into whiteheads is actually one of the most obvious signs of purging, since it's showing that whatever is trapped under your skin is being brought to the surface. Purging also typically occurs in areas where you already have acne rather than in places you are typically clear.

However, usually cystic pimples are not caused by purging and are signs of breaking out, espcecially if you don't normally get cystic breakouts. Since they are small and are in areas that you usually break out, I would not freak out just yet. If you start to get more cystic breakouts (or if you start getting breakouts in areas that you normally don't breakout), and they become really red and inflamed looking, then I would stop your new regimen.

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