Has anybody gone through the 'skin purging' phase of a regime?

[TheDevilMadeMeDoIt]

I've tried a few different things that are reported to make your skin worse at first but then make it much better. However I always chicken out at the 'get worse' stage. My latest thing has been castor oil, supposed to be very cleansing and drying for oily skin.
Has anyone stuck with any product that causes purging and come out of the other side? How did you convince yourself that it would get better so it was worth sticking to? And how bad did it get?

Yep, with my Clarisonic.

I just kept telling myself that every spot I got was one less that I'd get in the future as the dirt causing it was being brought out to the surface from the murky depths below, (I know that's probably not a scientifically valid theory!).

It probably took less than a month to settle, and it has been better since.

I'm not convinced about purging. If something gives me spots I stop using it!

Mitzy that's kind of where I am. But then there's always the what if thought that it might really make a difference and would be worth every pimple. OR can I bring myself to go through a few weeks of spots etc for the sake of a result that might not happen, it might just stay that bad.

I'm not usually a ditherer

The only thing I persevered with like that was Eve Lom cleanser. It did nothing except make my basically ok skin a bit more spotty and a bit more dry. However I stuck with it due to hype and a belief in "purging". I got through two pots of that stuff before I threw in the towel and my skin was instantly happier. I don't think I believe in purging any more. Anything since that has made my skin worse (assuming I'm not testing it in the pre-menstrual week) has been quickly ditched.

Omg. I am in purging phase right now with retinol (skinceuticals 0.5%).

I was of the understanding that you can only get purging with an active product i.e. something that exfoliates/increases cell turnover. If you are getting spots from anything else it probably isn't agreeing with your skin.

I didn't get purging with retin-a just peeling.

Crystal you are so lucky! Did you have any acne prone areas before you started?

Purging is a myth with everything else except retinoids.

I tried oil cleansing a few years ago, hellish cystic acne and scarring.

What frugal said.

I tried oil cleansing (DHC) brought me out in spots tried it for about 2 weeks no improvement so back to my old ways. My poor skin.

Like Crystal I didn't get purging with retin a either, just dreadful peeling that never stopped.