Your pimples show up fast and heal faster. A typical zit hangs out for a week. A purge pimple? Here today, gone in three days.
Purging also produces tiny, white-headed comedones. They look like a field of microscopic snowflakes. Gross, but oddly satisfying.
You won’t see deep, painful cysts. Those are angry hormone monsters. The purge is just surface-level chaos. It’s polite chaos.
How to Survive the “Ugly Phase” (Without Hiding)
First, do not skip moisturizer. Your skin barrier is a cranky toddler. Keep it hydrated or it will cry more.
Skin Purging Retinol How Long at Opal Forte blog
Use a gentle, non-comedogenic moisturizer. Slather it on like frosting on a cake. Your skin will thank you.
Second, stop picking! I know, it’s tempting. But picking turns a purge pimple into a scar. You want glow, not craters.
Third, wear sunscreen like your life depends on it. Tretinoin makes your skin super sensitive to the sun. You’ll burn faster than a vampire at the beach.
Funny side note: your skin will peel. You’ll look like a lizard shedding its scales. Embrace it. You’re a beautiful reptile.
