DermExcel™ | Active Ingredient Reaction Management

managing reactions from medical-grade skincare

As pharmaceutical and compounding experts, we formulate with high percentages of proven active ingredients in ideal pH levels.

Active ingredients are selected based on proven efficacy, safety, and biocompatibility in peer-reviewed medical trials. We incorporate pharmaceutical-grade ingredients with advanced delivery technologies to ensure all ingredients reach the target receptor sites within the dermal layers.

Because formulations are science-based and contain medicinal percentages of actives, the products are significantly different than other products on the market, which often include only trace amounts of these expensive active ingredients.

When effectively treating conditions such as Acne, Aging, and Pigmentation, certain reactions are to be expected from using active products. These reactions can range from redness to peeling, mild stinging, and even some burning.

redness and peeling

It’s important to know that redness, peeling, and flaking skin are normal and expected when starting with active ingredients. These are signs that your skin is responding to treatment and renewing itself, which is part of the desired outcome.

stinging and burning

Active ingredients like chemical exfoliants and retinoids may cause tingling, stinging, or burning sensations. This reaction, especially when brief, is not only expected but beneficial, as it signals that the product is working to stimulate cellular renewal and promote collagen growth.

However, balance is key. Prolonged burning or discomfort indicates over-exfoliation or irritation. If stinging lasts longer than 1 minute or your skin feels overly sensitive and uncomfortable, it's likely time to pause or slow down your regimen. This allows your skin to recover and prevent further irritation.

common culprits

Salicylic Acid: Often a key chemical exfoliator in acne treatment plans, known for its ability to deeply cleanse pores and reduce breakouts.
Glycolic Acid: Typically used in treatments for aging or pigmentation, it exfoliates the surface of the skin, promoting smoother texture and brighter tone.

Remember, while stinging for a short period is part of the process, your skincare routine should not cause prolonged irritation. If discomfort persists, it's a sign that your skin needs a gentler approach or more time to adjust to the active ingredients.

what's causing the redness?

When starting on a skin treatment plan that contains active ingredients, especially in the form of chemical exfoliators, initial redness may occur because of the following functions and benefits of these ingredients:

Stimulation of lymphatic drainage for internal cleansing. This form of skin detoxification removes toxins and other unhealthy debris.
Stimulation of oxygen-rich blood to feed and nourish the skin's surface. This boosts cellular health to reveal glowy, radiant skin. Increased blood flow to the surface of your skin also promotes collagen production.
Increasing your skin cell turnover rate promotes new, healthy cells at the surface and breaks down and removes the dead, dry, or dying ones. The result is soft skin, smooth texture, and a more uniform appearance.

What's causing the flaking?

When starting a skin treatment plan that contains active ingredients, especially chemical exfoliators, periodic peeling, and flaking skin will occur because of their functions and mechanisms of action.

Salicylic acid disrupts cellular junctions to exfoliate dead skin cells.

Glycolic acid exfoliates the skin by dissolving the “glue” that holds dead skin cells together. With nothing forcing these cells to hang out together, they can finally slough off your skin.

what's causing the stinging?

The stinging is mainly caused by the chemical exfoliators that form part of your treatment regimen.

The product should have an acidic pH in order for these ingredients to be effective. Acidic pH levels cause the skin to experience a stinging/burning sensation.

managing redness

If your redness is not associated with discomfort, stinging, or burning, no management or intervention is needed — continue with your current treatment plan.

managing flaking and peeling

After washing your face, remove the cleanser with a clean, lukewarm face cloth. This will help to remove excess makeup and loose peeling skin.

This should be done very gently, not to hurt your skin barrier.

manage stinging and burning

If you experience burning, stinging, or discomfort after using medical skincare products, over-exfoliation or active ingredients may be the cause. It’s possible that your skin needs time to adjust, or you may naturally have sensitive skin. Whatever the reason, with the right care and precautions, you can still enjoy the powerful benefits of medical-grade skincare.

Signs of Over-Exfoliation or Sensitivity

Burning or stinging after product use
Tight, uncomfortable skin
Redness or increased sensitivity to touch

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These guidelines will help decrease the potency of chemical exfoliants, allowing your skin to adjust while protecting its natural barrier:

Cleansing Routine

Evening Cleansing Only: Use your cleanser once daily in the evening. In the morning, simply rinse your face with clean water.
For Loose, Peeling Skin: Use a lukewarm face cloth to gently wipe your face in the morning. This will help remove loose, dead skin without irritating your skin further.
Wet Before Application: Before applying cleanser, wet your face to help neutralize the product and reduce its potency.
Shortened Application Time: Keep the cleanser on your skin for no more than 1 minute. Remove it gently using a clean, lukewarm face cloth, which will also help remove any remaining makeup or peeling skin.

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Using Chemical Exfoliants

(Chemical Peel spray / Glycolic gel / Salicylic gel)

Limit Frequency: Apply chemical exfoliants 1-2 times per week, focusing only on areas with acne breakouts or blackheads.
Burning or Stinging: If burning or stinging lasts for more than 1 minute, rinse the product off immediately and apply a soothing product such as DermRepair or DermNourish. Your skin may need more time to build tolerance to the exfoliant.
Tolerability Testing: After a few days, try reapplying the exfoliant to check if your skin can now tolerate it without discomfort. Gradually, your skin may adapt to the active ingredients.
Potency Reduction: Even if you rinse off the product quickly, the exfoliant will still induce a biological response, providing results. Rinsing only decreases the potency but does not negate the benefits of the product.

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Supporting the Skin Barrier

Use barrier-supporting products such as DermRepair or DermNourish to soothe and protect your skin during recovery.
Avoid introducing too many active ingredients at once. Allow your skin to adjust to each product gradually.

Why do I need Salicylic acid?

Salicylic acid is a fantastic FDA-approved ingredient for treating inflammation, acne, breakouts, and congested pores. It decongests pores by dissolving and extracting dirt, oil, and cellular debris in the pores and follicles. Salicylic acid also disrupts cellular junctions to exfoliate dead skin cells.

Salicylic acid products that may be part of your treatment.

Why do I need Glycolic acid?

The primary function of Glycolic acid is to exfoliate the skin by dissolving the “glue” that holds dead skin cells together. With nothing forcing these cells to hang out together, they can finally slough off your skin. As the superficial, damaged layer of skin gives way to the newer layer underneath, your skin gets smoother and brighter. The wrinkles look smaller. Dark spots slowly fade away. Your whole complexion subtly glows.

Glycolic acid has a whole list of benefits, including collagen production, pigmentation treatment, hydration enhancement, etc. For more information on all Glycolic acid's benefits and modes of action, click here.

Glycolic acid products that may be part of your treatment regimen.

managing product specific reactions

renewal- and pore control cleansers

For Resistant Skin – Tolerant to Potent Formulations

Frequency: Use the product both morning and evening.
Application: Apply on dry skin. You may slightly dampen your fingers to help with even spreading. When applied to dry skin, you can circulate the cleanser over your eyes without causing burning or stinging. However, only apply it to the eye area if your skin is resistant enough, which may take a few months of use to achieve.
Duration: Leave the cleanser on for 2 minutes or longer.
Removal: Use a clean, lukewarm face cloth to gently remove the cleanser. This will also help remove any excess makeup and peeling skin.

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For Sensitive Skin – Gradually Adjusting to Potent Formulations

Frequency: Use the cleanser only in the evening. In the morning, rinse your face with clean water. If you have loose, peeling skin, gently wipe your face with a lukewarm face cloth to remove dead skin.
Application: Apply the cleanser on a wet face to neutralize its potency and reduce its strength. Avoid the eye area.
Duration: Keep the cleanser on for no more than 1 minute.
Removal: As with resistant skin, remove the cleanser using a clean, lukewarm face cloth. This helps remove excess makeup and peeling skin while being gentle on sensitive areas.

medi-zinc cleanser

For Resistant Skin – Tolerant to Potent Formulations

Frequency: Use both morning and evening.
Application: Apply on dry skin. You can slightly dampen your fingers to aid in spreading the product more easily. When applied to dry skin, the cleanser can be gently circulated over the eye area without causing burning or stinging. However, only apply around the eyes once your skin has built enough resistance, which may take a few months of regular use.
Duration: Leave the cleanser on for at least 5 minutes or longer, depending on your skin’s tolerance.
Removal: Remove the cleanser using a clean, lukewarm face cloth. This not only ensures proper removal but also helps eliminate excess makeup and loose, peeling skin.

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For Sensitive Skin – Easing into Potent Formulations

Frequency: Use the cleanser only in the evening. In the morning, simply rinse your face with clean water. If you experience peeling, gently wipe your face with a lukewarm face cloth to remove dead skin without irritating your sensitive areas.
Application: Apply the cleanser on a wet face to reduce its potency, which will help neutralize the active ingredients and make it gentler on your skin. Avoid the eye area.
Duration: Leave the cleanser on for no more than 1 minute.
Removal: As with resistant skin, use a clean, lukewarm face cloth to remove the cleanser. This will help remove makeup and any loose skin, providing a gentle exfoliating effect.

collagen serum

This product is formulated without acidic ingredients, fragrance, or common allergens, making it highly unlikely to cause any adverse reactions.

Both resistant and sensitive skin types can safely incorporate the Collagen Serum into their morning routine for daily use.

retinol

For Resistant Skin – Tolerant to Potent Formulations

Application: Apply the product every evening on cleansed skin.
Important Note: Do not use it on the same nights you apply chemical exfoliants (such as Salicylic gel, Glycolic gel, or Chemical Peel Spray) to avoid over-exfoliation and irritation.

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For Sensitive Skin – Gradually Building Tolerance

Application Frequency: If you experience burning or stinging that lasts longer than 1 minute after application, reduce usage to two times per week. Gradually increase frequency as your skin builds tolerance.
Formulation Benefits: The Retinol Serum contains advanced ingredients specifically designed to soothe irritation, minimize adverse reactions, and reduce inflammation, supporting sensitive skin throughout the adjustment process.

Inflacin serum

For Resistant Skin – Tolerant to Potent Formulations

Application: Apply every morning on cleansed skin for optimal results.

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For Sensitive Skin – Gradually Building Tolerance

Application Frequency: If you experience burning or stinging lasting longer than 1 minute, reduce usage to every second morning.
Alternating Care: On alternate mornings, apply DermRepair or DermNourish to soothe and support your skin as it adjusts.

glycolic gel

For Resistant Skin – Tolerant to Potent Formulations

Application: Apply at night on cleansed skin, 2-3 times per week, as a substitute for your Retinol serum.

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For Sensitive Skin – Gradually Building Tolerance

Application Frequency: Start by applying once per week in place of your Retinol serum.
Handling Sensitivity: If burning or stinging persists for more than 1 minute, rinse the product off and apply DermRepair or DermNourish to calm the skin.
Building Tolerance: After a few days, reapply the product to test if your skin has become more tolerant. Continue this process until you can apply it without experiencing discomfort.
Reduced Potency, Not Efficacy: Even if you rinse the product off early, you haven’t lost its benefits. The potency is reduced, but Glycolic Gel, as a chemical exfoliator, will still trigger a beneficial biological response upon application.

salicylic gel

For Resistant Skin – Tolerant to Potent Formulations

Application: Apply at night on cleansed skin, 2-3 times per week as a replacement for your Retinol serum.

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For Sensitive Skin – Gradually Building Tolerance

Application Frequency: Begin by applying once per week instead of Retinol serum.
Targeted Application: Only apply to areas with active acne breakouts or blackheads.
Managing Sensitivity: If burning or stinging lasts longer than 1 minute, rinse the product off and apply DermRepair or DermNourish to soothe the skin.
Building Tolerance: After a few days, reapply the product to test if your skin has become more tolerant. Repeat this process until you can apply the product without discomfort.
Reduced Potency, Retained Effectiveness: Even if you rinse the product off early, you haven't wasted its benefits. The potency may be reduced, but Salicylic gel, as a chemical exfoliator, still triggers a biological response, promoting skin renewal.

Chemical Peel Spray

For Resistant Skin – Tolerant to Potent Formulations

Facial Application:

Frequency: Apply at night on cleansed skin.
Important Note: Do not use on the same night as your Retinol serum.
Application: Spray the product into your hands and smooth it over your face, avoiding sensitive areas such as the eyes and lips.

Body Application:

Frequency: Apply as tolerated, either in the morning, at night, or both.
Application: Spray 2-3 pumps onto the affected areas and smooth over the skin using your hands.

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For Sensitive Skin – Gradually Building Tolerance

Facial Application:

Frequency: Start by applying once per week instead of your Retinol serum.
Application: Avoid sensitive areas like the eyes and lips.
Handling Sensitivity: If you experience burning or stinging lasting more than 1 minute, rinse off immediately and apply DermRepair or DermNourish to calm the skin.
Building Tolerance: After a few days, reapply to check for increased tolerance. Repeat until you can apply the product without discomfort.
Reduced Potency, Retained Effectiveness: Even if rinsed off, the Chemical Peel Spray still triggers a biological response, promoting skin renewal. Rinsing simply reduces its potency, not its overall effects.

Body Application:

Frequency: Apply as tolerated, morning and/or night.
Application: Spray 2-3 pumps onto affected areas and smooth over the skin using your hands.

dermdefence spf 50

All sunscreen formulations have the potential to cause irritation. If you suspect that DermDefence SPF 50 is irritating your skin or causing an adverse reaction, discontinue use for a few days.

If the irritation clears up, it may indicate an allergy or sensitivity to this particular formulation. In such cases, an exclusive zinc-exclusive physical sunscreen may be a better alternative for your skin.

dermrepair

This product is formulated without acidic ingredients, fragrance, or common allergens, making it highly unlikely to cause a reaction.

Both resistant and sensitive skin types can use DermRepair as needed for soothing and recovery.

dermnourish

This product is free from acidic ingredients, fragrance, and common allergens, making it highly unlikely to cause any reactions.

Both resistant and sensitive skin types can use DermNourish as needed for hydration and soothing care.