Skip to content

Cart

Your cart is empty

Article: Managing Reactions

Active Ingredients

Managing Reactions

DermExcel products are formulated with proven medical-grade active ingredients.
When actively and effectively treating conditions such as Acne, Aging, and Pigmentation certain reactions are to be expected from using acidic products. Reactions can range from redness, peeling, mild stinging, and even some burning.

The below information is relevant to DermExcel products. The medical-grade active ingredients have specific expected reactions associated with it.

When you experience reactions from other products, there may be other negative reasons for example - Irritation from sensitizing ingredients and plant allergens. To use this type of ingredients on a regular basis will result in chronic inflammation that will aggravate acne and accelerate aging. For more information on sensitizing ingredients click here. 

Tips for managing the reactions when you using DermExcel products:

When starting out a new product or regimen pay close attention to how your skin is talking back to you. Check for dry skin, flaking, and redness.

If your skin becomes dry, red, and irritated from a product (and this can be an expected result from certain products like chemical exfoliators), reduce the frequency of use. Start one to three times a week. Give your skin a few days between applications to get used to it. 

Stinging for a short period is normal, but if a product stings your skin beyond tolerance, wash it off. Try the product again in a few days on a small area, and see if your skin can tolerate it better.

Scroll down to the products you use for the relevant information:

RENEWAL FACIAL CLEANSER

Resistant skin - able to tolerate the product in it's most potent form: 
  1. Use morning and evening.
  2. Apply on dry skin. You may slightly damp your fingers to help with spreading. If you apply your cleanser on dry skin, you are able to circulate the cleanser over your eyes without burning or stinging. Only apply over your eyes if your skin is resistant enough. This may only be possible after a few months of using this product. 
  3. Keep the cleanser on for 2 minutes or longer. 
  4. Remove the cleanser with a clean, lukewarm face cloth. This will also help to remove excess makeup and loose peeling skin. 
Sensitive skin - not able to tolerate the product in it's most potent form yet. 
  1. Use only in the evening. Only rinse your face with clean water in the morning. If you have loose peeling skin, wipe your face with a lukewarm face cloth in the morning. This will help to remove this loose dead skin. 
  2. Apply cleanser on wet face. This will help to neutralize the cleanser to decrease the potency. Do not apply over your eyes. 
  3. Keep the cleanser on for 1 minute or shorter.
  4. Remove the cleanser with a clean, lukewarm face cloth. This will also help to remove excess makeup and loose peeling skin.

PORE CONTROL CLEANSER

Resistant skin - able to tolerate the product in it's most potent form: 
  1. Use morning and evening.
  2. Apply on dry skin. You may slightly damp your fingers to help with spreading. If you apply your cleanser on dry skin, you are able to circulate the cleanser over your eyes without burning or stinging. Only apply over your eyes if your skin is resistant enough. This may only be possible after a few months of using this product. 
  3. Keep the cleanser on for 2 minutes or longer. 
  4. Remove the cleanser with a clean, lukewarm face cloth. This will also help to remove excess makeup and loose peeling skin. 

Sensitive skin - not able to tolerate the product in it's most potent form yet:
  1. Use only in the evening. Only rinse your face with clean water in the morning. If you have loose peeling skin, wipe your face with a lukewarm face cloth in the morning. This will help to remove this loose dead skin. 
  2. Apply cleanser on wet face. This will help to neutralize the cleanser to decrease the potency. Do not apply over your eyes. 
  3. Keep the cleanser on for 1 minute or shorter.
  4. Remove the cleanser with a clean, lukewarm face cloth. This will also help to remove excess makeup and loose peeling skin.
MEDI ZINC CLEANSER

Resistant skin - able to tolerate the product in it's most potent form: 
  1. Use morning and evening.
  2. Apply on dry skin. You may slightly damp your fingers to help with spreading. If you apply your cleanser on dry skin, you are able to circulate the cleanser over your eyes without burning or stinging. Only apply over your eyes if your skin is resistant enough. This may only be possible after a few months of using this product. 
  3. Keep the cleanser on for 5 minutes or longer. 
  4. Remove the cleanser with a clean, lukewarm face cloth. This will also help to remove excess makeup and loose peeling skin. 

Sensitive skin - not able to tolerate the product in it's most potent form yet:
  1. Use only in the evening. Only rinse your face with clean water in the morning. If you have loose peeling skin, wipe your face with a lukewarm face cloth in the morning. This will help to remove this loose dead skin. 
  2. Apply cleanser on wet face. Do not apply over your eyes. 
  3. Keep the cleanser on for 1 minute or shorter.
  4. Remove the cleanser with a clean, lukewarm face cloth. This will also help to remove excess makeup and loose peeling skin.

COLLAGEN SERUM

This product contains no acidic ingredients and is free from fragrance and common allergens. It's extremely unlikely that you will develop a reaction from this product. Resistant and Sensitive skin can use Collagen serum every morning. 

RETINOL SERUM

Resistant skin - able to tolerate the product in it's most potent form: 

  • Apply every evening on cleansed skin. Do not use it on the same nights as using your chemical exfoliator. (Daily acne peel, Radiant gel or Chemical peel spray)

Sensitive skin - not able to tolerate the product in it's most potent form yet:
  • If your skin burns or stings too much for longer than 1 minute after application - only apply two times per week. Increase the frequency of use as your skin becomes more tolerant. Retinol serum is formulated with advanced ingredients that will assist with irritations, adverse reactions, and inflammation. 

ACNE REPAIR SERUM

Resistant skin - able to tolerate the product in it's most potent form: 

  • Apply every morning on cleansed skin. 

Sensitive skin - not able to tolerate the product in it's most potent form yet:
  • If your skin burns or stings too much for longer than 1 minute after application - only apply every second morning. Apply DermRepair or DermNourish the other mornings. 
GLYCOLIC GEL | RADIANT GEL

Resistant skin - able to tolerate the product in it's most potent form: 
  • Apply at night on cleansed skin.
  • Apply 2-3 times per week instead of Retinol serum.

Sensitive skin - not able to tolerate the product in it's most potent form yet:
  • Apply once per week instead of Retinol serum.
  • If your skin burns or stings too much for longer than 1 minute after application - rinse it off and apply DermRepair or DermNourish.
  • Apply the product again after a few days to see if your skin became more tolerant. Repeat this process until you are able to apply the product without experiencing burning.
  • Even if you applied the product and rinsed it off, you did not waste the effects of the product, you only decreased the potency. Radiant gel is a chemical exfoliator and will induce a biological response on application, even if it's rinsed off. 
SALICYLIC GEL | DAILY ACNE PEEL

Resistant skin - able to tolerate the product in it's most potent form: 
  • Apply at night on cleansed skin.
  • Apply 2-3 times per week instead of Retinol serum.

Sensitive skin - not able to tolerate the product in it's most potent form yet:
  • Apply once per week instead of Retinol serum.
  • Only apply on areas with Acne breakouts or Blackheads.
  • If your skin burns or stings too much for longer than 1 minute after application - rinse it off and apply DermRepair or DermNourish.
  • Apply the product again after a few days to see if your skin become more tolerant. Repeat this process until you are able to apply the product without experiencing burning.
  • Even if you applied the product and rinsed it off, you did not waste the effects of the product, you only decreased the potency. Daily Acne peel is a chemical exfoliator and will induce a biological response on application, even if it's rinsed off.
CHEMICAL PEEL SPRAY

Resistant skin - able to tolerate the product in its most potent form: 

Facial application:
  • Apply at night on cleansed skin.
  • Do not use on the same night as Retinol serum.
  • Spray in hands and smooth over the face - avoiding sensitive areas like eyes and lips.
Body application:
  • Apply as tolerated morning and/or night.
  • Spray 2-3 sprays on affected areas and smooth with hands.
Sensitive skin - not able to tolerate the product in it's most potent form yet:

Facial application:
  • Apply once per week instead of Retinol serum.
  • Avoid sensitive areas like eyes and lips.
  • If your skin burns or stings too much for longer than 1 minute after application - rinse it off and apply DermRepair or DermNourish.
  • Apply the product again after a few days to see if your skin became more tolerant. Repeat this process until you are able to apply the product without experiencing burning.
  • Even if you applied the product and rinsed it off, you did not waste the effects of the product, you only decreased the potency. Chemical peel spray is a chemical exfoliator and will induce a biological response on application, even if it's rinsed off.
Body application:
  • Apply as tolerated morning and/or night.
  • Spray 2-3 sprays on affected areas and smooth with hands.

    DERMDEFENCE SPF 50

    Any sunscreen formulation has irritation potential. If you suspect that DermDefence SPF 50 may irritate your skin, or cause an adverse reaction - discontinue use for a few days. If the irritation or adverse reaction clears up, you may have an allergy or sensitivity towards this sunscreen formulation. In this case you may rather benefit from using a Zinc based physical sunscreen. 

    DERMREPAIR

    This product contains no acidic ingredients and is free from fragrance and common allergens. It's extremely unlikely that you will develop a reaction from this product. Resistant and Sensitive skin can use DermRepair as needed. 

    DERMNOURISH

    This product contains no acidic ingredients and is free from fragrance and common allergens. It's extremely unlikely that you will develop a reaction from this product. Resistant and Sensitive skin can use DermNourish every morning and/or night.

    Read more

    DermExcel™ | How Sensitizing Ingredients Hurt Skin
    Active Ingredients

    How Sensitizing Ingredients Hurt Skin

    How Sensitizing Ingredients Hurt Skin Sensitizing, harsh, abrasive, and fragrant ingredients are bad for skin - really, really bad. Daily application of skincare products that contain sensitizing ...

    Read more
    DermExcel™ | Healthy Skin Is All About Cellular Turnover

    Healthy Skin Is All About Cellular Turnover

    WHAT IS CELLULAR TURNOVER? Cellular turnover describes the process of shedding dead skin cells and their replacement with fresh, new, younger, healthier cells. Cells start out plump and full of ...

    Read more