when using acne treatment, is your skin supposed to get worse before it becomes better?
August 17th, 2009
i’ve been using some acne treatment (though my skin isnt that bad) and now my skin is breaking out wayyyy more than it ever has! Is this supposed to happen?
i think that’s pretty common. i have very moderate breakouts, but every time i use a new gel/lotion from the dermatologist my skin gets way worse! but it starts to clean up after a short time so i wouldn’t worry about it if i were you. just stick to the regimen and your skin should clear up pretty quickly. good luck!
Not necessarily. It depends on several things. Most of the time, the acne should not get worse, but if you were put on a product that is irritating to the skin, such as RetinA or Tazorac or Differin, then the irritation can swell the skin initially, and actually swell the pores shut. If that happens, then then the pore cannot drain the oil, and the acne worsens. However, most people eventually develop tolerance to those chemicals, and the irritation stops. The other topical preparations used in acne treatment almost never cause problems, unless you’re allergic to them. In that case, you should contact your doctor, especially if there is itching involved. Oral treatment, as a rule, won’t make you break out worse.