Why Does Glutathione Cause Acne Breakouts? Will my skin go through a "purging" process when treating my acne with a BHA exfoliant? It might, and this may be due to coincidence (you would've had the same bout of Purging versus breakout : Understanding the Differences Purging Triggered by certain skincare ingredients like retinoids and exfoliants, accelerates skin turnover, initially causing acne outbreaks that eventually improve with continued use over Understanding Skin Purging vs. Breakouts: Key Differences & Tips Foxtale