The basic gist is that short contact therapy reduces the potential for active ingredients to irritate your skin, but it also means you can reap their many skin clearing benefits. “For those prone to breakouts or moderate acne, short contact therapy can be really beneficial,” says Perry. “Ingredients such as benzoyl peroxide and salicylic acid can sometimes dry out or irritate skin if used too frequently, so this is a great to way to tap into their acne-fighting properties.”
And of course, if you have sensitivity, this is a great technique to try if you’re previously found that active ingredients trigger redness and inflammation. “A notorious side effect of topical retinoids is irritant contact dermatitis,” explains Perry. This condition occurs when skin is repeatedly exposed to an irritant which damages the skin’s protective outer layer. “Applying products for shorter periods of time can help increase the skin’s tolerance so irritant contact dermatitis doesn’t occur,” she adds. “Over time, I’ve seen many people able to increase the frequency and length of application and avoid compromising or irritating their skin, but also maximise results.”
Tagged: skin