As its name suggests, short-contact therapy is the act of applying an active ingredient to your skin and rinsing it off shortly after that. Facialist and skin expert Charlie Perry explained to Who What Wear, “I apply the product for a short period of time — anywhere from 30 seconds to five minutes (depending on the client’s skin) — and then rinse it off.” The steps are no different than what you normally do with a rinse-off mask or a cleanser. By minimizing the amount of time Those active ingredients spend on your face, you’re also minimizing the chance of irritation.

According to a 2013 study published in the Journal of Dermatological Treatment, irritant contact dermatitis — a side effect of topical retinoids — is found in about 95% of patients treated with tretinoin which is used to treat acne. severity of side effects, 74 patients in the study practiced short-contact therapy by applying 0.05% tretinoin cream to their skin for only 30 minutes once per day. Treatments lasted an average of 12 weeks. After completion of the treatment, researchers found a severity improvement in 41 patients, with only 13 patients developing mild skin irritation. The results show that short-contact therapy helps boost one’s tolerance toward a product, which in turn helps the patient stick to their recommended treatment plan.