1213 replies to this topic

[thabai]

hi, I think I may try it. Not sure how to go about with my makeup though. I have to wear it for my job. Anybody else wear any make up on this regime and what do you use to take it off? Thanks for replies

[Hello!]

Wapak -

Are you sure the dead skin buildup has actually slowed down? Or does it just appear to have slowed since you remove the mask more often now?

My skin still builds up a dead skin mask very quickly, it's quite maddening .

[thabai]

Ok I got to page 9 and gave up reading anymore pages. Did the girl who said she doesn't wear make up get anywhere with this regime?
How do you lot take this 'mask' off?

[lurking123]

This is my first post. Three months ago, I started this no washing or wetting regiment and have seen some dramatic improvement. Although, at a big cost.

Before I started this, I had a very bad cystic pimple that left my face in bad shape. Once it cleared, I said the heck with this and started using BP, facial scrubs, and urine therapy that cleared my face but left my face very, very dry. However, I felt as if it was a never-ending cycle, no matter how much I cleaned my face, I kept getting blocked pores and cystic pimples (which are the worst kind). I needed a new start.

So anyways, I decided to try this no washing/wetting thingy. During first week, my face began to develop a dead skin buildup on the outside part of my nose and cheeks. It was disgusting but I stuck with it. After about a month (two months ago), my cheeks began to itch and became semi red and not sure why this happened, but the red itch marks began to scab almost. I cannot really explain but it was as if I had giant brown scabs on the both sides of my face. It was disgusting and depressing but I knew that it would eventually peel off.

I was patient during this time and noticed that the sides of nose looked much better and the overall texture of skin was much more even (excluding my cheeks). Let me clarify a few things. During the first month, I developed 3-4 small whiteheads on my chin area a day and a few underneath the skin buildup on my cheeks, not much though. I have not experienced any type of breakouts, although I usually never did except for a blocked pore/cyst, which I made worse by picking at it.

After two months of having this scab-like dead skin buildup, it was not peeling off as fast I would have liked. So said I enough is enough and began to gently peel it off with tweezers, it came off easy and I did not have use any type of force. Once I took off the scab, my skin looked amazing. Wow. Wow. Wow. Wow.
It is now much more even and some of the old red marks have almost disappeared, just amazing. My confidence if pretty high right now and I am glad that I did this. It was brutal looking in the mirror the past few months but it was worth it.

Thanks to Waterwater for introducing me to this regiment.

Edited by lurking123, 18 November 2009 - 02:09 AM.

[wapak]

@thaibai

the girl already found her solution.. she incorporated an oil to this regimen.. can't remember her name though.. you better send her a message and ask how she's doing..

@hello

i don't experience the buildup anymore as i am now doing the baking soda wash.. that's became a problem for me so i tried different approaches to solving it.. am still experimenting with this wash though and am developing some pimples now.. gonna continue tweaking and observing for a while..

[Cavemanfan]

Lurking, my first attempt at this sounds much like yours. After 3 months, my cheeks on both sides of my nose had very red skin underneath the dead skin buildup. I wasn't sure if this was going to scab or what. I removed the deadskin mask, but it quickly returned 2 weeks later. Honestly I'm not quite sure why I'm trying this regimen again.

Anyway grats on your success! Let me know if your deadskin mask returns.

[sverd]

I'm still not sure how you guys manage to wash your hair without getting your face wet.

[hellothere987]

so i still have yet to get this dead skin mask, but i am slightly flaking. after not washing for so long, how do you sort of do your first wash? like after such a long time from washing did you like just stick your face under water to clean it? or did you like exfoliate as your first wash to get rid of the dead skin.

[Wesclo]

I'm still not sure how you guys manage to wash your hair without getting your face wet.

Your hair is the same as your skin if you leave it alone it looks after itself, i havent washed my hair in years its never oily or too dry and doesnt smell bad or anything

[wapak]

@cavemanfan

yep, gonna tell you how this experiment goes..

[thabai]

Ok. I've started this regime.
I'm not using make up unless I really really need to and I'm thinkin I'll use a tea tree oil to gently remove the make up if i use it.
Hmm only been on this regime for two days but my skin hasn't had anymore outbreaks of spots and doesn't feel greasy/oily at all! I'm only washing my face every other day with water and I'm going to see how it works out from there.

[Cavemanfan]

Goodluck Thabai!!
Looking forward to hearing your progress updates.

As for me; DAY 18
I'm a fan of bullet points, I think they get the point across much faster.

• I splashed cold water on my face on day 16
• None of the redness has returned to my face
• Skin is a bit oily, but not uncomfortable
• I shave once per week with the sideburn trimmer of my electric razor
• Breakouts have decreased significantly over the past week.
• I've been practicing visualizing clear skin for the past 2 nights (more on this later if I'm convinced its worthwhile.
• The dead skin builds up on my face more each day.

Those are the facts, heres some pictures to show ya whats going on:
 StillCap0089.jpg   23.59K   81 downloads  StillCap0090.jpg   23.14K   91 downloads

Since all I have is a webcam, I cant really give you a good resolution picture of the deadskin mask. But its noticeable from about 4 feet away. So anybody I interact with is probably wondering why my face is peeling so badly. However, I've only got 1 question about it. Since not washing your face is so taboo, I just responded with: "Accutane man, it f**ks your skin up." lol
I'm not nearly as stressed about the dead skin buildup as I was the first time I did this regimen though.
With that being said, heres my insight for this week:
I am going to let my skin heal itself. I believe in the health model which states, the conditions for maintaining good health are the same as acquiring it. Rather than the medical model inwhich the conditions for obtaining good health are different than whats needed to maintain health.

[wapak]

Yes. I do want to remind you guys though. You are what you eat. So consider eating foods that are healthy for the skin. Search google for foods good for the skin and you'll see some particular foods easy to acquire and easy to eat.
I like the following:

• avocado
• low fat yogurt
• plums
• almond
• green tea
• tomatoes
• water

Edited by wapak, 19 November 2009 - 09:23 AM.

[jmaaan]

Hey new to acne.org been reading the this post for awhile and decided to get an account. Quick question, I haven't used any topicals for about 3 weeks. Do you think not washing it for about a week is enough time for the acid mantle to repair itself? Also, I wash my face every morning with only water but later during the day after I workout I sweat alot and my face feels tight afterwards and red and seems to breakout, does this mean my face is still to weak to be washed with water? Or is this normal?

[Cavemanfan]

jmaaan
If your face feels tight, after a full day + exercise, then try not washing for 3-5 days. If you don't feel an improvement in the way your face feels, then I'd say go back to washing. In that case, the problem is probably internal. However, if your face feels better after a few days of not washing then I think its time to go on the no wash regimen.

[jmaaan]

Thanks. And yea my acne is most definitely caused by topicals and overwashing. I've had clear skin my whole life, no one in my family has ever had acne. But Whenever I would get a pimple I would go buy acne face wash and wash twice a a day and my face would always feel completely dry and tight and now after doing that for months I now have acne. I just don't know whether to no wash at all even with water or wash everyday with water once a day.

[The Tominator]

Day, uh, 32ish? Somewhere around there.

A little relieved to see the dead skin mask is, in fact, there, but it's only noticeable after showering (must be the heat, steam, or the errant drops of water that reveal it). If this is the biggest hurdle everyone faces, then this shouldn't be as bad as I thought.

The area around temples—which has always been a clogged. rough mess—is smooth and clear and probably the best it's been in years. My biggest problem was the sides of my neck, where I was continually breaking out in really painful cysts—made worse by an ill-advised 3-month Differin regime. Still get the occasional cyst there but FAR less frequently, and they seem to heal faster. I can't help but squeeze the more painful ones, though. Yes, it's bad, but the relief is indescribable, and they tend to linger and get re-inflamed if I leave them.

Haven't washed the problem areas on my chest and back for about 3 weeks, either. The dead skin is very prevalent on my body, and whenever I take off my shirt, it's like a snowstorm. Still breaking out, especially on my chest, whereas my back just feels rough to the touch, but not so much broken out. Hoping it subsides with more time.

A couple of things:

Went the whole nine yards and grew out the beard. Dealing with some really painful ingrown hairs/cysts underneath, which may be an unrelated condition. You'd think not shaving would help, but the hairs continue to get trapped beneath the skin and have to be removed (not fun). Thank God they're not visible. Easier to resist touching them. A lot of flaking here as well.

Contrary to what most people say, your face DOES smell. At least mine does. Whenever I turn my head in the wind, I'll catch a whiff of my malodorous, unwashed mug and, boy, it is not pleasant. I will admit that I kinda enjoy the stench. Then again, I enjoy Dutch ovens too. I'm weird.

Sorry this was long. I've been away (ya know, living in my cave and all).

Off to hunt some mastodons. Ta-ta!

Edited by The Tominator, 23 November 2009 - 09:38 AM.

[Hello!]

Day, uh, 32ish? Somewhere around there.

A little relieved to see the dead skin mask is, in fact, there, but it's only noticeable after showering (must be the heat, steam, or the errant drops of water that reveal it). If this is the biggest hurdle everyone faces, then this shouldn't be as bad as I thought.

The area around temples—which has always been a clogged. rough mess—is smooth and clear and probably the best it's been in years. My biggest problem was the sides of my neck, where I was continually breaking out in really painful cysts—made worse by an ill-advised 3-month Differin regime. Still get the occasional cyst there but FAR less frequently, and they seem to heal faster. I can't help but squeeze the more painful ones, though. Yes, it's bad, but the relief is indescribable, and they tend to linger and get re-inflamed if I leave them.

Haven't washed the problem areas on my chest and back for about 3 weeks, either. The dead skin is very prevalent on my body, and whenever I take off my shirt, it's like a snowstorm. Still breaking out, especially on my chest, whereas my back just feels rough to the touch, but not so much broken out. Hoping it subsides with more time.

A couple of things:

Went the whole nine yards and grew out the beard. Dealing with some really painful ingrown hairs/cysts underneath, which may be an unrelated condition. You'd think not shaving would help, but the hairs continue to get trapped beneath the skin and have to be removed (not fun). Thank God they're not visible. Easier to resist touching them. A lot of flaking here as well.

Contrary to what most people say, your face DOES smell. At least mine does. Whenever I turn my head in the wind, I'll catch a whiff of my malodorous, unwashed mug and, boy, it is not pleasant. I will admit that I kinda enjoy the stench. Then again, I enjoy Dutch ovens too. I'm weird.

Sorry this was long. I've been away (ya know, living in my cave and all).

Off to hunt some mastodons. Ta-ta!

I tried growing a moustache out for a while during this regimen, and I had the same problem with ingrown hairs and zits.

That being said, I'm thankful for electric razors.

[yourworstnightmare]

my cheeks have that brown scab thing too..for about a month and a half now. it falls off on its own right?

[wapak]

Contrary to what most people say, your face DOES smell. At least mine does. Whenever I turn my head in the wind, I'll catch a whiff of my malodorous, unwashed mug and, boy, it is not pleasant. I will admit that I kinda enjoy the stench. Then again, I enjoy Dutch ovens too. I'm weird.

Are you sure it's your face? It's probably your hair. Hehe! I also develop that smell but not from the face, from the hair.

@yourworstnightmare
yes, they do. but most people just get fed up and after weeks of waiting they will try to remove that scab and find that it's ready to fall. That's just fine too in my opinion.