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Purging 명현현상

⏱ 1 min read
Quick answer: A temporary increase in breakouts when starting a turnover-accelerating active. Only retinoids and exfoliating acids can cause it, only where you already break out, and only for about four to six weeks.

A temporary increase in breakouts when starting a turnover-accelerating active. Only retinoids and exfoliating acids can cause it, only where you already break out, and only for about four to six weeks.

🇰🇷 In Korean: 명현현상 — this is the word you'll see on Korean packaging and on Olive Young shelves.

Every term in this glossary is used the way Korean brands and Korean dermatology-adjacent marketing actually use it — which is often narrower than the English equivalent implies.

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✍️ Written & reviewed by the KoreaPlus Editorial team — dermatologist-informed, cosmetic-science researched & source-cited. Last reviewed: 2026-08-10.

General educational information using cosmetic structure-function wording — not medical advice. Always patch-test new actives. © KoreaPlus.