Retinoids: How to Mitigate the Purging Phase

What are retinoids?

Whether you’re looking to reduce skin texture or prevent premature aging, retinoids are powerful active ingredients that increase skin cell turnover, resulting in younger, clearer skin.These powerful actives work to heal acne,  promote collagen production, and delay aging. However, many people are hesitant to start retinol, as their skin gets worse before it starts to improve. This is known as purging, which is a phase where the skin starts to breakout for the initial few weeks, adapting to the retinoid.

Although purging may seem intimidating, the proper skincare products can minimize the severity of the purging phase and dryness. Providing the skin with the proper hydration to compensate for the dryness is crucial when starting retinoids, so it’s important to choose hydrating products that work to repair/maintain the skin barrier.


Cleanser
When choosing a cleanser, avoid using BHA’s/exfoliating actives that could potentially overstrip the skin, such as salicylic acid and benzyl peroxide. Granted, BHA’s are effective in treating acne that may occur during the purging phase of retinoids; however, combining these two powerful ingredients may be irritating for the skin, especially if your skin tends to me more sensitive. If you don’t have sensitive skin and choose to implement BHA’s in your routine, use them alternatively with retinoids. In the morning, you can skip the cleanse, and continue with the rest of your routine. The AM cleanse will further irritate sensitive skin damage the skin barrier. When looking for a cleanser, look for ingredients that hydrate the skin, and help restore the skin barrier, such as hyaluronic acid, glycerin, and ceramides. These key ingredients work to compensate for the skin’s dryness, and actively help rebuild the skin barrier.  I personally recommend to browse Korean cleansers, as they focus more on hydrating the skin, so they tend to be more gentle and effective than western products. The Roundlab Dokdo 1025 cleanser is a great option, as it has several soothing and hydrating properties that are safe for dry and sensitive skin.  In general, search for gentle, hydrating cleansers that are sulfate-free and fragrance-free.

Serums

Serums are a great addition to your skincare routine, especially when starting retinoids. Serums will accentuate your skin’s hydration levels, and soothe the irritation caused by retinoids. Centella asiatica extract is a popular ingredient found in a lot of Korean skincare products, and can often be found in the form of a serum. Centella asiatica will help retain the moisture lost during retinol, and alleviate breakouts and burning sensations. Although serums may not be completely necessary if you’re using a quality moisturizer, their high concentrations of acids will enhance your skin’s hydration levels.

Moisturizers

Thick, creamy moisturizers are optimal for starting a retinoid, as the retinoid promotes peeling and irritation. Thicker consistencies tend to be more hydrating than gel-like moisturizers; however, avoid oil-based formulas, as they can clog pores and worsen breakouts. Instead, look for moisturizers that promote barrier-repair like ceramides, hydrating ingredients such as glycerin and hylauronic acid, and soothing ingredients like centella asiatica and aloe vera. Moisturizers with keywords like “soothing creams” are often excellent options, as they target the primary repercussions of retinoids.

Sunscreens

Since retinoids make the skin more susceptible to UV damage, sunscreen is a must. Consistent use of sunscreen will ensure the retinoid is able to function properly, and prevent further irritation. When looking for a sunscreen, aim for fragrance-free, moisturizing formulas that won’t be greasy after reapplication. This can be in a form of a sunstick, such as the Centella Sunstick. 

Although maintaining healthy and hydrated skin during retinoids seems tedious, your skin will be healthy and glossy once the purging phase is over. Choosing quality, moisturizing products is crucial for compensating for dryness during the retinoid purge.

Bibliography

Works Cited

“Beta Hydroxy Acids.” U.S. Food & Drug Administration, 25 Feb. 2022, www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetic-ingredients/beta-hydroxy-acids. Accessed 4 July 2024.

“Centella Asiatica: The Most Popular Skin Care Ingredient You’ve Never Heard of.” Cleveland Clinic, 9 June 2023, health.clevelandclinic.org/centella-asiatica-for-skin. Accessed 4 July 2024.

How to Use a Retinoid like a Dermatologist. Produced by Muneeb Shah and Luke Maxfield.

“Retinoids & Summer: Should I Skip My Retinol When the Sun’s Out?” Cambridge Laser Clinic, 30 July 2021, cambridgelaserclinic.com/retinoids-summer-should-i-skip-my-retinol-when-the-suns-out/#:~:text=Prolonged%20exposure%20to%20sunlight%20will,treatments%20at%20night%2C%20before%20bed. Accessed 4 July 2024.

Skincare Ingredients You CAN’T Mix?! | Doctorly Investigates. Produced by Muneeb Shah and Luke Maxfield.

First Volunteering Experience

Today, February 23rd, 2022, marks my first ever volunteering experience.

A few weeks prior to this date, my brother has been volunteering at “Food Lifeline”, which is a nonprofit organization which allows people of all ages to volunteer and assist them with achieving the goal of donating food to food banks. My brother, Max, had been volunteering numerous days, 2 hours per visit, which sparked curiosity in me.

At Food Lifeline, I met a plethora of kind people ranging from ages 14 to up to 50. It was a genuinely fun experiencing that involved teamwork, with the purpose of putting a stop to hunger. I learned a lot of new skills there, along with a subtle workout-transporting 20-30 pound boxes! Despite this being my first time, I found this experience really fun and plan on continuing it more in the future.

Return of School

September 4th was my first day of in-person school in 1.5 years. Ensuing the isolation we experienced for a year and a half, I didn’t know whether to feel excitement or agitation.

I didn’t know if I could interact with others the way I used to do, whether or not school would be unpleasant with the new Covid-19 restrictions, and if we’re actually easing our way back to our regular lives.

The date is now September 11th, and I had just completed 7 days of school. I experienced various emotions and there were a lot of pros and cons. As for socializing with my friends, it went a lot better than I expected; I expected everyone to be shy and it would be like the first day of pre-school all over again. Also, the school had a completely new schedule, then resulting to me waking up at 6:45 am when prior to that was 7:30. As with P.E, we had to run around the track for 12 minutes. This wasn’t the best experience for me considering I had muscle pain in my legs and I could not run for more than 5 seconds. Adding on, breathing was a major difficulty I fought since I didn’t want to take my mask off due to the risk at stake- students secretly took their masks off.

These factors made me question my return to school with covid-19 and it still does not feel like we’ve resorted back to our normal lives. What I am hoping for the most is to return to amusing activities that I have not touched in years; this includes partying, eating at restaurants, and going to the gym to exercise my favorite pastime- basketball.

Thoughts

With us recently getting vaccinated, we have lots of plans for summer vacation starting on July 29th. I am really excited to go out in public with less worries for the first time in over a year. Before quarantine, the weekends and summer were always full of going out with friends and in public, but I’ve noticed that the weekends are just me sitting around filled with boredom and no new story that follows me throughout the day. Everyday feels like the same now so I am extremely excited for the upcoming vacation.