Purging refers to the type of breakout that sometimes occurs after you introduce a new product into your routine. When used for the first time, ingredients that promote cell turnover such as retinoids, glycolic acid, and salicylic acid, prompt cells to turnover - a process that speeds up new cell formation.

Breakouts happen to the best of us. Its frequency and severity vary from person to person or even month to month, but it is an almost universal problem. Here are a few reasons why that new pimple on your face may have appeared:

The type of dark spot that is left behind after a pimple is gone is called post inflammation hyperpigmentation. It occurs after an inflammation like acne heals, but can also result from any injury to the surface of the skin.  The skin responds to inflammation on its surface by generating new skin cells to heal the damaged skin. Dark spots occur when the cells that are sent to restore the surface of your skin contain too much melanin. 

“Fungal” is just not a friendly word. It sounds worse than it actually is. Fungal acne is different from the more prevalent bacterial acne and technically not even acne; it occurs when there is an overgrowth of yeast in hair follicles. This type of “acne” is characterized by small, itchy, follicular papules scattered across the skin.

You have a glam event to attend on Saturday night. You’ve prepared for it for weeks; you have your gorgeous gown hanging in the closet, a complimentary 4 inch heels and clutch bag sitting next to it. You have a plan for your hair where it will be laid for all the gods to see come Saturday morning...but then a few days before this, a big and painful zit pops up in the middle of your forehead. What to do??