最近刚换新的护肤品系列，皮肤就突然冒痘了吗？
如果“是”，那就继续阅读吧！
虽然有许多因素会导致痘痘，但如果以上的情况发生的话，你也有可能正在经历所谓的净痘（Acne Purging）的过程。
每当 Dr Rachel Ho，一名新加坡著名美容医生，跟她的患者提到这个可能性时，“净痘”这个词常常吓到他们。她也补充说：“当你放弃使用那护肤品之前，请记住，净痘实际上对你的粉刺有帮助（虽然它很烦人）”。
那么换了护肤品后，应该怎么辨别你的皮肤是在爆痘或净痘呢？因为一个痘痘密友，我才发现到有 Acne Purging 的存在。全文几乎翻译自 Dr Rachel Ho 的文章，希望你读完之后也会了解什么是净痘，它与爆痘有何不同之处以及治疗方法。
什么是净痘？
如果你的皮肤有恼人的粉刺，当你改用天然或有机护肤系列时它们纷纷冒出头来，那么你的皮肤很可能正在经历所谓的“净痘”过程。 听起来有点可怕，但实际上这现象很常见，而且多数很快就干净了的。
净痘是怎样的？
简而言之，净痘就好比皮肤“净化”/“排毒”。
拿身体来举个例子：当你在饮食中减少加工食品，改吃天然全食或有机食品时，刚开始你的身体会有一段过渡期。多年来累积的毒素可能导致你疲劳、易怒甚至轻度抑郁。但随着这些毒素排出体外，富含营养和抗氧化剂的食物将会让你感觉精神百倍，比以往任何时候感觉更健康。
而净痘，则有着异曲同工之处。市面上还有很多护肤品还在使用传统技术，只做到”表面功夫”而已。当你使用富含营养和更多活性成分的护肤品时，这些成分深入你的毛孔直达基底层的细胞，把积存在皮肤底下的毒素全都排走。因此，当你开始新的护肤方案时，初期你可能会注意到皮肤上长了很多粉刺，但其实这些只是浮出表皮层的毒素而已。
为什么会有净痘的过程？
在皮肤上形成粉刺之前，它们一开始都是皮肤下的微粉刺（microcomedones），然后变成粉刺（黑头或白头），最后变成丘疹、囊肿或结节。在净痘的过程中，整个循环会加速把微粉刺推上去表皮层，并促使痤疮的形成。
净痘和爆痘有何不同？
先别慌，你只要记住当你开始使用新的护肤品时，任何似乎“突然冒出来”的粉刺都是正常的，确保你继续使用同样的产品而粉刺们都有乖乖听话地离开就好了。如上面提到的，净痘是因为使用了有活性成分的护肤品后，皮肤代谢率加快然后把堵塞毛孔的肮脏东西推上去皮肤表层所促成的。
而爆痘则是因为护肤品的成分恶化了潜伏着的粉刺，任何会导致毛孔堵塞的护肤品都有可能使炎症和粉刺更严重。跟净痘相反的是，爆痘会牵扯到平时没有长痘痘的部位。
爆痘往往都是因为使用了会闷痘的产品，如乳霜和高遮瑕度的化妆品，所导致的。Dr Rachel Ho 也提到：“皮肤更新周期约为 28 天，因此如果爆痘情况持续超过 6 周，则很大可能是爆痘而不是净痘。”
哪些护肤品成分会导致净痘？
任何能加速皮肤细胞代谢更新的护肤品成分都可能导致净痘，例如去角质剂、羟基酸、维生素 C、类视色素、过氧化苯甲酰（exfoliants, hydroxy acids, vitamin c, retinoids, benzoyl peroxide）。
如何治疗或预防净痘？
尽管听起来很烦人，但净痘是一件好事，表示你使用的护肤品正在发挥作用。即使你的皮肤刚开始会比以前更糟糕，请坚持下去，因为持续使用那套产品将确保你的皮肤越来越干净，找回你的皮肤应有的健康。
但是，如果净痘对你来说太麻烦的话，你可以立刻停用该产品来“冻结”净化的过程。可是这也意味着你的粉刺没办法被完全清除。
如果你想要使用皙之密的护肤配方开始净痘还原皮肤的健康的话，当被告知有可能会出现净痘的情况时不要慌张。只要你相信经验丰富的皮肤老师们，坚持熬过煎熬的净痘期后你就会看到全新的自己了。
参考：
IS YOUR SKIN PURGING OR BREAKING OUT? ACNE PURGING EXPLAINED – Dr Rachel Ho
If you have acne, your skin can experience purging or new pimples with new skincare or facials. So how do you distinguish between them and get it treat?
Ever tried a new skincare product that promises to improve your skin only to have a bumper crop of pimples? You could be experiencing purging or an acne outbreak from this new product. The word “purging” often makes my patients recoil in fear whenever I tell of this possibility; but before you ditch your skincare product, take heart that purging is actually good (albeit annoying) for your acne.
In this blogpost, understand what is purging, why it happens; how purging differs from acne outbreaks and how to treat it.
WHAT IS PURGING?
Purging is a phenomenon when your skin looks like it has an acne flare when you start using active ingredients that accelerate cell turnover in the skin. Patients generally feel that their acne worsens before it improves.
WHAT DOES PURGING LOOK LIKE?
With purging, the pimples that appear will occur in parts of your skin that contain microcomedones. These are the parts of your face where you would normally experience acne; as opposed to outbreaks on parts of your skin that do not normally have pimples. Thankfully, the duration of acne during purging is also shorter than usual.
WHY DOES PURGING OF PIMPLES HAPPEN?
Before all pimples form on the skin; they begin as microcomedones under the skin before becoming comedones (blackheads or whiteheads) and eventually papuls or pustules. In skin purging, this cycle is accelerated and microcomedones are brought to the surface and appear as comedones, papules or pustules more quickly.
HOW DOES PURGING DIFFER FROM ACNE OUTBREAKS?
Acne outbreaks from inappropriate skincare or facial treatments; can look similar to purging but with some differences.
In short, purging from treatments, medications or skincare brings clogged pores to the surface because of increased cell turnover. Purging only occurs with active ingredients or treatments that increase cell turnover; and usually over 4-6 weeks.
Acne breakouts, on the other hand, occur because of any skincare ingredient that is worsening the underlying acne. Any skincare product that clog pores can potentially worsen inflammation and acne. Acne outbreaks can occur on any part of your face – including areas where you do not usually get acne, as opposed to purging.
Acne outbreaks tend to occur with more occlusive skincare or makeup like creams and high coverage makeup. The timeline of acne breakout is also different from purging – it can last longer than the duration of the product being used. The natural skin cycle is approximately 28 days, so if the outbreak persists beyond 6 weeks, it is more likely to be an acne breakout rather than purging.
WHICH SKINCARE INGREDIENTS OR FACIAL TREATMENTS CAN POTENTIALLY CAUSE PURGING?
Any skincare, medication or treatment that accelerates cell turnover in the skin can cause purging. Classic examples are retinoids and chemical peels with alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs) and beta hydroxy acids (BHA).
HOW CAN SKIN PURGING BE TREATED OR PREVENTED?
As annoying as it sounds, skin purging is a good sign that your skincare, medication or treatment is working and you’re on the road to clearer and healthier skin. It is something that you’ll have to be patient with as all the comedones trapped beneath your skin get expelled.
However, if purging is something that is too troublesome for you, you can avoid it by stopping the products or treatments that are causing it. That would also mean that the progress of your acne and comedone clearance would also slow down.
Pro tips:
Get help from your doctor if you’re not sure what is the cause or which products to stop. There are alternatives, as well as creams and medications to help control skin purging, while keeping you on track to clearer and brighter skin.
CONCLUSION ON SKIN PURGING VS ACNE OUTBREAKS
Skin purging is one of the inconveniences of getting acne and comedones treated. Purging occurs with skincare, medications and prodecures that accelerate cell turnover, thereby bringing clogged pores deep in the skin to the surface. Unlike acne outbreaks, purging makes the skin clearer and brighter; so hang in there! If you want to avoid or reduce your purging – check with your doctor for help.
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