The most common apprehension among patients about starting anti-acne medicines is what if my acne gets worse? It’s a well-communicated fact both by the practitioners as well as the patients that acne ‘needs’ to get worse in the start and this flare corresponds to the treatment result later on. This initial acne flare associated with anti-acne treatment is commonly known as ‘acne purge’. 

What really is acne purge and is it necessary?

Acne is an inflammatory skin disease and a lot of factors can trigger this inflammation including, starting acne treatments. Some of the medications can alter the function of skin cells and others affect bacterial growth triggering a potential flare-up. Hence, we must understand which medications can trigger acne initially and how much acne flare is possible.

In reality, no one can predict the response and possibility of acne flare after starting the treatment. Dr. Monica Chahar, the best acne specialist in Dwarka, says that Different people react differently to each medication and the risk of purging is difficult to predict. A few of the following factors can increase the possibility of this:

1. Skin with excessively closed comedones.
2. Sensitive skin already predisposed to redness/flushing.
3. Starting with a high dose of oral anti-acne medications.
4. Periods of concurrent emotional stress.

Which acne treatments can lead to acne purge?

A variety of acne treatments have been associated with increased breakouts in the starting. They include both topical and oral medications. Few of the common occurrences are seen with topical and oral retinoids; hormonal contraceptive pills.

Other non-acne medications which can increase or cause breakouts include certain anticonvulsant medicines, mood stabilizers, anabolic steroids, and hormone replacement therapy to name a few. Stopping these treatments is not advisable in most patients so we need to customize treatments based on individual circumstances.

Relocating to a new place can be another reason because the body tries to adjust to the new environment and this internal stress can lead to breakouts. 

What are the preventative measures to decrease the risk of acne purge?

Here are certain tips which can decrease the chances of an initial acne flare.

• Start the treatment very slowly. We advise applying the medications for 2-3 days a week in the initial part to allow time for the skin to adapt. Once your skin tolerates the new medication, you can increase the frequency of application as tolerated.

• For oral medications, again starting with a low dose of the medication can be a helpful option. 

• Using effective moisturizers. Combining anti-acne medications with gentle moisturizer is a great option to help the skin to adjust. Moisturizers with anti-inflammatory and non-comedogenic ingredients are helpful to soothe the skin and keep skin irritation at bay. 

In general, hormonal acne and acne caused by medications are difficult to treat. Here at Skin Décor, we use customized treatment plans for each patient to achieve the results our patients want and deserve. So, please feel free to visit or get in touch with us at +91-7827916023 if you have been looking for the best acne treatment in Dwarka.