Is Acne Purging Really Triggered By CeraVe SA Cleanser

People use a number of different products in their skin-care routine and end up complaining for skin purging and increased acne. This might be because of unawareness about the products or their application method. First I will go through some commonly used terminologies and frequently asked questions that is:

• does cerave sa cleanser cause purging
• can i use cerave sa cleanser everyday
• does salicylic acid cause purging

I will also share some tips and tricks that I personally use to avoid skin purging and acne.

What Is Skin Purging?

You might have heard a lot about purging, but still most of you don’t know what purging is and how it occurs. The word purging has been used with many phenomena and self care routines whether it is skin-care, weight loss journey, hair care routine or many more. Allow me to explain skin purging as we are here to talk about skin-care problems.

Skin purging is usually a temporary reaction to new skin-care products, mostly those containing retinoids or some active ingredients. The reaction results in increased skin breakouts to release trapped dirt and clogged sebum. This might give an odd appearance to the skin at first but it is actually the initial stage of healing. 

Purging mainly occurs to remove dead skin cells, oils and dirt trapped and for that the outer layer of skin has to be peeled off seemingly getting worse. Some people get confused by this process and immediately change their products without waiting for the results. 

Ingredients That Cause Purging

There are a number of different ingredients that cause purging on your skin.

• Retinoids are said to accelerate skin turnover, peeling of the dead skin and exposing the dirt debris beneath the skin. These retinoids may include retinol, retinaldehyde,tretinoin, differin, adapalene, tazarotene and many others from the retinoids family.
• Chemical exfoliants also speed up the dead skin cell shedding and release dirt from skin, initially worsening the acne. These exfoliants can be lactic acid, salicylic acid and glycolic acid.
• Azelaic acid, a dicarboxylic acid, also works as a chemical exfoliant. It cleans clogged pores and removes impurities from the skin.
• Purging is also caused by benzoyl peroxide. It worsens the acne breakout by removing bacteria, clogged pores and impurities.

How Long Is The Purging Period?

The time period of purging is dependent on your skin type and the type of product you are using. It can vary with the ingredients, their usage concentration and the time they take to show the results. For salicylic acid, the purging period might last for a month or two or it can be longer or shorter according to your skin type.

If you are using retinoids, you may experience a longer purging period for up to 3 to 4 months, because retinoids work differently from salicylic acid.

Do All New Products Lead To Purging?

If you are not allergic to a simple water based moisturizer, cleanser or Vitamin C then they probably do not cause purging. Other products you use for your clogged pores, acne or fine line may activate purging, increasing your acne at first. But this purging fades away if you give your product time.

If you still have acne that lasts longer than the analyzed purging period then definitely you are supposed to change your product. 

The Process Of CeraVe SA Cleanser

After having a brief understanding of purging, we will move forward to over basic concern, CeraVe SA Cleanser. It contains salicylic acid while the cleanser from CeraVe contains nicotinamide, a vitamin B3.

Salicylic Acid

Salicylic acid, a beta hydroxy acid, from the family of salicylates, that upon applying to skin sheds dead skin cells and removes extra oils from the skin healing acne, redness and inflammation. It also helps in reduction of blackheads, white heads and clogged pores. 

As a girl with oily skin I found it best for my skin but by observing others’ experience it might be too dry for a dry skin type. It works deeper in the skin preventing trapping of excess oils, formation of clogged pores and inflammation caused by acne. 

Salicylic Acid’s Adverse Effects

When first using salicylic acid cleanser you may experience its side effects as following;

• Skin itching followed by a powerful desire of scratching. This happens because the salicylic acid may be too strong for your skin or you have a very sensitive skin. 
• Exfoliation of oils may cause dryness on your skin
• A little hived bumpy skin caused by inflammation or uneven skin texture.
• Purging
• Peeling off the skin
• FlakinessCeraVe SA Cleanser?

Does Cerave SA Cleanser Cause Purging

I have asked alot of question about “does cerave cause purging“. The answer is: Yes, salicylic acid does cause purge specifically when you are struggling from the acne as discussed above and it is normal to experience it with first use. Here are some tips and tricks for using SA cleanser to avoid longer purging.

Shield Your Skin Barriers

Our skin’s natural barrier is the first to get damaged when we start using some skin-care products. Retinoids, acids or other ingredients directly attack skin barriers. Even if you  are using some cleanser, make sure to protect your skin barriers, here are some tips that I follow when using acid based cleanser:

• You should start from the strategy of low to high. Apply very little concentration and avoid double use or daily application. The best way is to use it every second day or thrice a week.
• If your skin is too sensitive then you should use some acid free cleanser.
• Using some barrier reparing products is a very safe way to combat barrier damage.
• Drink plenty of water. It not only keeps you hydrated but also helps skin’s natural healing process. 
• Be gentle on your skin, do not scrub too harshly and avoid warm water.
• While choosing a product consider your skin’s natural pH mantle. 
• Use humidifier to protect your skin from dryness,
• Ensure the use of ceramides, nicotinamides, hyaluronic acid, centella, and low strength products to avoid barrier damage.

Can I Use Cerave SA Cleanser Everyday?

• Personally, I recommend not to use it as a every day cleanser. Use 2-3 times per week.
• You can also use it as a body wash to treat back and chest acne

Salicylic Acid Serum Or CeraVe SA Cleanser

What you need to use actually depends on what you want to achieve. So, whether to use salicylic acid serum or salicylic acid cleanser is about your goals.

Salicylic Acid Serum

The serum is actually something that is used for an overnight leave on. Salicylic acid serum is a water based serum with 2% strength that functions to clear your skin from acne, clogged pores and exfoliates excess oils from your skin. Because of its overnight use, it absorbs deep into the skin and functions properly without damaging your skin to a great extent. 

But overnight leave can be destructive. Serums are somewhat stronger than cleansers, so longer use can cause skin dryness, peeling or direct damage to the skin barriers. This allows bacteria, viruses and other pathogens to enter your skin resulting in severe acne or other skin problems.

CeraVe SA Cleanser

As I already discussed in detail “can cerave cause acne“. It is less destructive as compared to serum. The cleanser does not stay on skin for more than 30-40 seconds which gives it a plus point to serums. 

For people with very sensitive skin, I suggest using cleanser as it gives less exposure to the exfoliators. If your skin has adapted to tolerate the serum then you can go for it, otherwise it is too strong to use.

Many people double it without knowing the mechanism.  Use one at times, if you are using cleanser, then exclude serum from your routine and vice versa.

Retinoids and Salicylic Acid

As both are used for treating acne, it is confusing to understand the basic difference.

Retinoids	Salicylic Acid
Vitamin A derivatives Helps in non-inflammatory acne, whiteheads and blackheads Prohibit sebum oil production Reduce comedonal acne Should not be used on sensitive skin Hydrates skin	Beta hydroxy acid family Used to treat both comedonal and inflammatory acne Breakdown oils Unclog pores and exfoliate dead skin Perfect for skin Cause dryness on skin

Also Read : Cerave Retinol Serum Vs Skin Renewing

Conclusion

Basically purging after cleanser is normal and indicates that the product is working on your skin. It’s  important to differentiate between purging or a negative reaction. So by introducing the cleanser slowly, supports your skin barrier and by being consistent with the routine, you can minimize irritation and can see the long term benefits. Must listen to your skin and adjust your routine accordingly to have healthy skin.

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