You wake up one day and notice fewer new breakouts. The old ones are drying up instead of multiplying like angry bunnies.
Your skin might feel less raw and more like, well, skin. The redness starts to fade, and you stop gasping every time you look in a magnifying mirror.
This is the “light at the end of the tunnel” moment. Don’t stop now—you’re so close!
When to Worry (And When to Just Breathe)
If the purge drags past the 12-week mark, it might not be a purge at all. It could be irritation or a product mismatch.
How Does Tretinoin Purge Work? – SEWPFE
Stop and evaluate: Are you using a pea-sized amount? Are you applying it to completely dry skin? Are you layering too many actives like some kind of skincare mad scientist?
Sometimes the purge is actually your skin screaming “Too much!” If in doubt, give it a break for a few nights and start slower.
