Breakouts or Purging

suitcasepink

i think purging is the correct term for it.
I just started using Image Clear Cell cleanser as recommended to me. My skin is very oily and prone to break outs especially along my cheeks.
I've used it the last 2 days and my skin is definitely drier but I think my acne is worse?

I'm trying to decipher if it's just redder or if there's actually more spots present.
Is there any way to tell if the product is actually disagreeing with my skin or if it's just "purging" it of all the gunk that lay below the surface?
Was really hoping that this would just solve my woes! I'm in my 20s but I swear my skin is only getting worse as I age

Keepingitreal

Hi Deise

I use the same cleanser and I found the same happened but after a couple of weeks using it both day and night. An amount of purging would be expected but generally not that quickly.

If its sore or very red, I would stop using it for a bit and reintroduce it again. I had to do this with retinol initially and then had no issues. Just took my skin a bit longer to adapt.

Scraggs

I'd go back to the salon that prescribed it for you and return it, it sounds like it is too harsh for yoir skin.

suitcasepink

Thanks for the replies!
I think I might head back to them alright. It's not as bad as it was when I posted this however I'm not convinced it's helping in any way..
Edit: don't know if it helps in any way but here's a picture of what it's like

retro:electro

That looks really sore. Not sure id be happy continuing to use a product that made my skin react like that.

suitcasepink

The weird thing is they're not sore at all. I've a few clusters like that but other than them being terribly unsightly I wouldn't notice it on my face at all

retro:electro

I wouldn't be an expert by any means but a lot of them look like old scarring to me, and not purging. If it was purging it would be very sore, any experience I've had of it is anyway. Maybe it's just more red and so you notice it more? They could be drying out.

Keepingitreal

I agree with Anna, my face was the same when I used it first. Redness seemed heightened but my skin looks amazing now. It took a good 3 months of a full routine to see a marked change. That said if your still worried, go back and get them to confirm that its the normal process. No harm!

suitcasepink

Thanks guys I'm so clueless about skincare hence me relying on what the clinic reccomened!
I think yea it is just the old marks getting more prominent. As it's not hurting me I think I'll continue using it until I get into the clinic again to say it to them.

I stuck sudocream on the clusters for the night and it definitely took away the redness for now