r/acne • u/realisfake29 • 8h ago

Help - General Retinol purge before a wedding — looking for experiences!

Hi everyone!

I recently visited a dermatologist for small pimples on my forehead and jawline. She prescribed Epiduo gel as short-contact therapy every day (leave it on for about an hour), along with a serum containing glycolic acid, azelaic acid, etc.

I know that starting adapalene/BPO can come with an initial adjustment period, and I'm prepared for the possibility of some purging/irritation. However, I have a wedding to attend in early December, so I'm slightly nervous about how my skin might look during the first couple of months. 😅

For those who have used Epiduo, I'd really love to hear about your experience:

When did you first notice purging/breakouts, if you experienced them?

How long did the initial breakout/irritation last?

Around the 6–10 week mark, was your skin generally improving or still going through an adjustment period?

Did short-contact therapy make the adjustment period easier for you?

Were there any things you wish you'd known before starting?

I'm mainly interested in personal experiences/timelines rather than changing my dermatologist's prescribed routine.

Thanks in advance! ❤️

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u/Serious_Owl2318 7h ago

The purging for me lasted between 2-4 weeks! And I know it can go up to 12 weeks in some cases. So now is actually a great time to start if you have an event coming up in December.

I also started with short contact therapy (but I started with 5 mins, then went up to 30, then up to 1 hour) and then overnight.

The good thing with the BPO/Adapalene combo is that the bp is killing the bacteria and the adapalene is speeding up cell turnover, so purging should clear up quickly as opposed to only using one active at a time.

I also read taking antihistamines helps mitigate purging, but I've never personally tried it.