I had often read that it is normal for topical skin-care products to temporarily make skin feel or look worse before they start making it better. This simply didn’t make sense to me, so I asked Neal B. Schultz, MD, an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, if it is true. “Absolutely not—there is no justification for any adverse effect from any new product,” he told me. To evaluate whether a product is right or wrong for you…
Apply the new product to an area no larger than the size of a quarter. For a facial product, use a spot in front of one ear because this area is fairly inconspicuous and not as sensitive as the eye or lip area might be. If testing a body product, apply it to a small spot on your inner arm—this area is less apt to have sun damage that could obscure or exacerbate any irritation caused by the product. Benefits: Spot-testing limits the area affected by a negative reaction and leaves the surrounding skin as a “control” area for comparison.
Pay attention to how your skin feels right after you apply the product. “When a product is not right for you, usually you will feel that there is a problem before you see a problem,” Dr. Schultz said. A tingling or prickling sensation that does not increase in intensity and abates within a minute is probably OK. But if there is any uncomfortable stinging or burning sensation (even with a face peel product) that keeps increasing or accelerating, wash the product off immediately and do not use it again.
With an over-the-counter (OTC) product: Check the spot-test area the next day. If there is a rash or irritation, do not use that product again. If there is no sign of trouble, go ahead and use the product as directed. What if you see a very mild reaction, such as a bit of redness? Wait a day or two and spot-test again elsewhere (for instance, in front of the other ear or on the other arm) to discern whether the earlier reaction actually was caused by the tested product. If you again have a mild reaction, that product is not appropriate for you.
With a prescription product: You probably are treating a more serious problem and may have been instructed to use the product several times per day—so you don’t want to delay treatment for a full day as you await the results of your spot test, Dr. Schultz noted. In this case, do the spot test as described above, but recheck the area at the time when the next dose normally would be due (for instance, four hours later). If all seems well, go ahead and apply the medication as directed. But if you notice any adverse effects, do not repeat the application—instead, call your doctor.
Be patient. What if an OTC or prescription product causes no reaction but doesn’t seem to be helping, either? “Most of us are too impatient,” Dr. Schultz said, “so be sure to allow enough time for the product to begin working before giving up.” Guidelines: For an acute condition, such as poison ivy, give the product one to two days to start showing signs of helping… when treating a chronic condition, such as acne, try the product for at least one to two weeks before assuming it isn’t working and switching to a different one.
