Dr. C’s Response 

Absolutely, Erin! Thank you for such a thoughtful question, and I’m so glad the article resonated with you.

Yes, the nutritional and lifestyle support suggestions I made for coming off birth control absolutely apply to purging after a facial or any deep treatment. In fact, they become even more important. When you come off hormonal birth control, the surge in androgens can increase sebum production and lead to congestion, meaning your skin becomes more reactive and more prone to breakouts. That also makes you more sensitive to products or ingredients that you may have tolerated well before. The skin’s barrier is in flux, and it needs extra support during this transitional time.

When you combine that internal shift with the purging effect of a professional treatment (which often speeds up cell turnover), breakouts can definitely occur. Supporting your skin from the inside out, as well as tightening up your external hygiene routine, can make a huge difference in getting through it.

In addition to the ones in my article, here are the post-purging skin tips myself, and my aesties recommend, especially when hormone fluctuations are at play:

Hygiene First:

• Change your pillowcases 3x per week or more. Bacteria and oil build up fast.
• Use Clean Skin Club towelettes or similar clean, disposable face towels instead of regular ones to dry your face.
• Regularly wash your makeup brushes, and spray them with hypochlorous acid between uses. Bonus: hypochlorous spray is great for your skin too — you can mist it on throughout the day to reduce inflammation and bacteria.
• Avoid hot showers, which can strip and irritate already-sensitive skin.

Review What You’re Using:

• Double-check your makeup and skincare for comedogenic ingredients. You can use tools like this one: Natural Acne Clinic Pore Clogger Checker to paste in your product ingredients and see if anything may be triggering breakouts.
• Consider switching to mandelic acid or azelaic acid instead of glycolic or lactic acids. They’re gentler and still effective for clearing acne without over-exfoliating.
• Watch out for biotin in your supplements. Although it’s often marketed for hair and nails, it can worsen acne for some people.

Lifestyle Support:

• Exercise regularly to support lymphatic drainage and hormone regulation.
• Hydrate well to keep your skin balanced and help flush out toxins.

Every skin journey is personal, but with these combined internal and external strategies, you’re giving your skin exactly the tools it needs to heal — not just suppress symptoms. Always feel free to reach out with more questions!

Warmly,
Dr. C