Yes, it's normal! It can take up to 3 months for your body to adjust to the hormones. Most people who go on the pill for acne experience a purge before it clears up. Hang in there!

Hey @kelbell812, you say we normally experience a purge before it clears up. As I understand, it is a process which your body removes toxic things out of your body. So what if your body constantly produces or absorbs toxic things from foods we eat, the purge effect will continue forever? I used to take spirulina pills, they are said to help detoxify, made your body more alkaline but I don't know why my skin is breaking out badly (jawline & forehead). I am so freaking out that I stop it right away.

@shmilyMWell, in the case with birth control it's different because it's hormonal. So, it's not really "purging" in the sense that you are detoxifying your body. It's the fluctuation in hormones that is causing it (hormones are one of the biggest influences of acne, hence why most people experience acne during puberty). I guess initial breakout would be a better term for it.

As far as purging and diet... It's a very ambiguous topic. No, I don't believe that anyone goes through a constant purge just from their daily diet. The only diet-related thing I could see causing a "purge" would be if you made very drastic changes in your diet or did some kind of cleanse or something. But even that is still "iffy" because it's not definite. Not everyone's body releases toxins in the form of getting acne, hence why there are plenty of unhealthy people with perfect skin. Also, for those people that DO have acne it's not always caused or influenced by diet. Perhaps if you are sensitive to certain foods or have some other internal digestive issue going on, then yes it's a possibility. I don't know that much about spirulina pills. I'm personally not a fan of any of that "detoxify" stuff. But, if taking it is causing you to break out I would just stop taking it.