Should you patch test for acne?Updated a year ago
If your skin is acne-prone, consider patch testing for comedogenicity. This means testing a product on an area where you normally break out, to see whether it leads to acne.
Your acne patch test should go on for at least two weeks since the timeline for breaking out from a new product can be longer compared to experiencing irritation. That said, if you know that products can break you out quickly, you can conduct a shorter patch test.
Unlike patch testing for sensitivity, patch testing for acne isn’t as easy or as telling. Breakouts are influenced by many factors, including stress, hormonal fluctuations, and the evil randomness of the universe. Plus, resurfacing products such as chemical exfoliants and retinoids can cause skin purging, an “it gets worse before it can get better” breakout.
In other words, if you break out regularly anyway, patch testing for acne might not be worthwhile at all. You won’t know if your new product is responsible for a breakout or if it’s just luck.