Dawn Siler: Caveman Regimen For Acne: Does It Work?

Does the caveman regimen for acne work?

If you’ve tried everything to get rid of your acne and still those damn pimples won’t leave you alone, you may be tempted to go down this route, too.

And why not? The caveman regimen is all natural, low maintenance, and won’t literally cost you a penny. Plus, hundreds of people swear it helped them cure their acne once and for all.

But a few also swore it made things worse… It’s not unusual to go through a purging period when you embark on this new regime… or even to have your acne flare-up worse than ever.

What’s the deal here? Does the caveman regimen work only for some acne sufferers, like teenagers with hormonal acne? Is it just placebo?

Here’s what the science says:

What Is The Caveman Regimen For Acne?

The caveman regimen is the Paleo diet of skincare. Just like Paleo lovers follow the same diet as our cavemen ancestors, this acne regimen copies their skincare routine… or better yet, their lack of it.

That’s right. Our cavemen ancestors didn’t have a skincare routine. Whether their complexion was flawless or riddled with acne, they let their skin be. No interference.

The caveman regimen for acne follows the same philosophy. Followers use NO skincare products. NOTHING is allowed to touch their face. Not even plain old water.

I’ll let that sink in for a minute…

If you’re following this regimen, you CAN’T wash your face for MONTHS.

How To Do The Caveman Regimen For Acne

Lately some people came up with water-only versions, but the original protocol forbids even that. Purists won’t let anything come in contact with their face for fear of triggering another breakout.

For 30 days, you do absolutely nothing. No moisturiser. No serum. No sunscreen. No cleanser. No water.

After that, you can start reintroducing occasional washing into your skincare routine. But you need 2 more months to fully test out this regimen.

Can you go without washing your face for so long?

But, Wait! Can You Use Makeup, At Least?

Did our cavemen ancestors have makeup?

Nope. You can’t use anything. That includes skincare AND makeup products.

That’s right. You can’t rely on full coverage foundation to hide your pimples or a touch of red lipstick to distract the eye from forehead acne. You have to let the world see your bare skin.

There’s nothing wrong with that. You’re beautiful either with or without acne. Your beauty shines from within. It comes from your kindness, your sense of humour, your gentle nature. Don’t let anyone or anything ever make you feel otherwise.

But I know that going makeup free can be very uncomfortable at first for acne sufferers. If this is a dealbreaker for you, don’t feel bad. There are better ways to deal with acne, anyway.

P.S. Even if you’re tempted to cheat and apply a thin layer of foundation, how are you gonna wash it off? You can’t use a cleanser, remember? Ewww.

What’s The Theory Behind The Caveman Regimen?

It’s quite simple, really. If you stop interfering with your skin, it will heal itself.

The longer version: acne sufferers often have a damaged acid mantle. It’s a protective layer that sits on the top of your skin, keeping it safe from germs, bacteria, and other enemies.

This mantle is delicate. Here are just a few things that can damage it:

Air conditioning
Harsh skincare products, like scrubs and soaps
Harsh weather
Overcleansing
Overexfoliating
Pollution
Skin diseases like eczema
Unprotected sun exposure

If you’ve been washing your face 3 times a day in the hope of getting rid of all that excess oil or benzoyl peroxided the crap out of your pimples, chances are your acid mantle is damaged all over the place.

The caveman regimen fixes this damage by… doing nothing. You just let sebum (your skin’s natural moisturiser) do what it would normally do without human interference, correcting any imbalances on its own.

Does The Caveman Regimen For Acne Work?

There is NOW scientific proof the caveman regimen work for acne – any type of acne. Cystic, hormonal, adult, teenager… Whatever you’re dealing with, I could find no study showing this minimalist regimen helps.

Nothing to suggest that quitting your skincare products or not washing your face is beneficial for acne. Heck, dermatologists recommend you cleanse every morning and night even if you have acne!

And why not? Would you go without a shower for a month? I know, gross. Your skin ain’t no different. Do you really want to leave all that excess oil, grime, and pollution particles on your face for a whole month? That doesn’t strike me as a good idea…

Plus, acne ain’t a modern phenomenon. People have suffered from it for millennia. And they didn’t have benzoyl peroxide or other harsh acne medications back then…

Does The Caveman Regimen Work For Acne Scars?

No, the caveman regimen does NOT work for acne scars.

There’s no way that allowing sebum and your skin to do their natural thing can heal acne scars. Heck, even topical skincare products can’t do anything for them.

If you have acne scars, do your skin a favour and visit a dermatologist. They have plenty of tools at their disposal to treat any type of scars.

How Do You Explain The Caveman Regimen Cured Acne For A Lot Of People Then?

A quick Google search turns up plenty of forum threads where people swear the caveman regimen cured their acne. How is this possible?

The caveman regimen doesn’t provide any medicinal or miraculous ingredient to get rid of acne. In fact, it doesn’t add anything!

Instead, the caveman regimen works by subtraction. If you were using a harsh cleanser that was destroying your acid mantle or a rich moisturizer loaded with comedogenic ingredients, taking them off your skincare routine is bound to improve your skin.

In other words, your skin doesn’t heal because you’re following the caveman regimen for acne. It heals because you stopped using whatever was causing your acne in the first place!

oil cleansing method guide for beginners

What Skincare Ingredients Make Acne Worse?

Here are a few culprits that are likely to cause or worsen acne:

Benzoyl peroxide
Essential oils
Fragrances
Isopropyl Myristate
Isopropyl Palmitate
Most oils
Harsh surfactants, like Sodium Lauryl Sulfate
Rich butters, like shea
Soaps

FYI, just because a harsh or comedogenic ingredient is in a product, it doesn’t mean it’ll make you breakout. It depends on the concentration of the said ingredient and what else is in the formula.

Take coconut oil. If it’s the second ingredient in a moisturiser, it’ll likely give you acne. But if there’s only a drop of it in the bottle, it won’t do you any harm.

Bottom line: if that skincare product you’re eyeing has a huge dollop of these ingredients, leave in on the shelf.

Can The Caveman Regimen Make Your Acne Worse?

Yes, it can. Let me explain…

It’s not unusual to experience a breakout when you first embark on the caveman regimen. The reason is simple: when you quit your skincare routine, you didn’t just quit the ingredients that were aggravating your acne. You also quit the ingredients that were keeping your acne under control.

Without salicylic acid to unclog pores or benzoyl peroxide to kill acne bacteria, your pimples can now thrive.

Of course, everyone is different. If your moisturiser was the only cause of your acne, going on the caveman regimen can help. But if it has an underlying cause, quitting your skincare routine completely can do more harm than good.

Need help to create a skincare routine that tackles your acne? Click on the image below to subscribe to my newsletter and receive the “Acne + Aging Skincare Routine” cheatsheet:

What Are The Best Alternatives To The Caveman Regimen?

I recommend a gentle skincare routine that tackles your acne without destroying your skin’s acid mantle. Here’s how to create one:

CLEANSER

Opt for a gentle, pH-balanced foaming cleanser that removes excess oil without disrupting the skin’s acid mantle. Anything with a pH higher than 6.5 is bad news for skin.

Best Picks:

Corsx low PH Good Morning Gel Cleanser ($11.00): ph 5.5. Available at Sokoglam and YesStyle.
Neutrogena Fresh Foaming Cleanser ($6.99): ph 6.2. Available at Ulta.
Paula’s Choice Skin Balancing Oil-Reducing Cleanser ($18.00): ph 5.5. Available at Nordstrom and Paula’s Choice.

EXFOLIANT

Salicylic acid is your new BFF. This oil-soluble exfoliant gets inside the pores to remove all the excess oil and dead skin cells that are clogging them up and giving you acne. While it’s at it, it also exfoliates the surface of the skin and soothes redness.

Best Picks:

MOISTURIZER

Choose a lightweight, oil-free moisturizer that hydrates your skin without adding more oil to it. Bonus points if it has niacinamide. This multitasker helps treat acne, soothe inflammation, hydrate skin, and brighten the complexion.

Best Picks:

CeraVe PM Facial Moisturizing Lotion ($15.00): available at Dermstore, iHerb, Ulta and Walmart
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Hydra-Pure Oil-Free Moisture ($78.00): available at Sephora.
First Aid Beauty Skin Rescue Oil-Free Mattifying Gel ($30.00): available at Dermstore, Sephora and Ulta

SUNSCREEN

I know it’s tempting to skip sunscreen. It’s so thick. Greasy. Pore-clogging. But you’ll never have clear skin without it. Here’s the deal: nothing inflames your skin like UV rays. And guess what acne is? An inflammatory disease! Do I need to say more? Experiment until you find a lightweight formula that doesn’t make your skin a greasy mess.

Best Picks

EltaMD UV Pure Broad-Spectrum SPF 47 ($25.00): available at Dermstore and Walmart
Shiseido Ultimate Sun Protection SPF 50 Sunscreen + WetForce For Sensitive Skin & Children ($42.00): available at Ulta
Skinceuticals Physical Fusion UV Defense SPF 50 ($34.00): available at Blue Mercury and Dermstore

SPOT TREATMENT

When a pimple rears its ugly head, use a spot treatment to banish it, pronto. Both benzoyl peroxide and sulfur have anti-bacterial properties that can kill P.Acnes, the bacteria that’s making your life hell. They’re both harsh, so use them on pimples only!

Best Picks:

Epionce Purifying Spot Gel ($38.00): available at at Dermstore
Kate Sommerville EradiKate Mask Foam-Activated Acne Treatment ($54.00): available at Sephora
Paula’s Choice Clear Regular Strength Daily Skin Clearing Treatment with 2.5% Benzoyl Peroxide ($18.00): available at Dermstore and Paula’s Choice.

The Bottom Line

Given the lack of scientific evidence, I can’t recommend the caveman regimen for acne. Plus, most people do need skincare products to help them keep their acne under control. If you suspect your skincare routine is making your acne worse, identify the culprit and replace it with a gentler alternative.

Have you tried the cavemen regimen for acne? Share your experience in the comments below.

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Caveman Regimen For Acne: Does It Work? syndicated from Beautiful With Brains
November 18, 2019 at 08:16AM

Dawn Siler

Monday, November 18, 2019

Caveman Regimen For Acne: Does It Work?

What Is The Caveman Regimen For Acne?

How To Do The Caveman Regimen For Acne

But, Wait! Can You Use Makeup, At Least?

What’s The Theory Behind The Caveman Regimen?

Does The Caveman Regimen For Acne Work?

Does The Caveman Regimen Work For Acne Scars?

How Do You Explain The Caveman Regimen Cured Acne For A Lot Of People Then?

What Skincare Ingredients Make Acne Worse?

Can The Caveman Regimen Make Your Acne Worse?

What Are The Best Alternatives To The Caveman Regimen?

The Bottom Line

Take The Guesswork Out Of Skincare Shopping

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