696 replies to this topic

[AlexAlmighty]

**UPDATE**
As of now 13/9/2004 i declare my nose 100% oil-free.Its been 30-32 hours since my last shower and my nose is like it has been washed with a cleanser or soap 10mins ago. .On to the rest of my face now..

[Ryan Valmont]

[pooratbest]

[AlexAlmighty]

Thanks ppl,even if my skin looks kinda crappy atm a little voice tells me im doing the right thing. .

[Brighteyes]

AlexAlmighty..
Thank you for being so honest with your results thus far...
I had to start washing my face with soap again..
It was starting to breakout in little bumps..I couldnt take it anymore..

In the long run...I hope your experiment works out for you.. !!!
I really do think you are on to something...

P.S...Yes...I am old enough to drink...LOL
AND do many other things as well...hehehe

keep on posting...This is soo.. interesting.
Good luck....!!!

Sincerely, Vanessa

[AlexAlmighty]

Thanks Vanessa,yes i had some of the worst times in the first 12-15 days but i was determined to to get a clear skin and not have to think about it or care,i didnt want to be clear but still use a crapload of topicals to stay like that.Well it seems once again that life rewards the brave (i hope,nothing is over yet ),i had one brakeout in the last 10 days or so,i still need time though

[Sendai]

Interesting experiment. I tried this for a few years, until recently, and believe I got a bit better by it. However, I never got "clear". Now I'm back with benzoyl peroxide using a modified version of Dan's regiment, and I'm better now than when I did not use anything. I can certainly testify to that using regular soap in the face is a terrible mistake. There are special cleansing gels without soap that can be used, though.

By the way, before trying the 'nothing in my face' cure, I had tried everything. Various antibiotics, peroxides, tetracyclines, Accutane (twice) and other stuff I no longer remember and which are no longer in sale. The only thing that ever helped significantly was Accutane, which got me rid of my acne on my back and chest.

[marshallbanan]

Hi, I think this is a very good topic. Overwashing of the face is a horrible thing, and certainly does cause breakouts. I generally wash my face twice a day, and I know it causes the oil to produce itself quicker. There is one fact you aren't really considering though. Bacteria die when exposed to oxygen. Having pores full of oil is certainly more healthy than stripping your face five times a day, but you still will break out. Bacteria find a way to get places, the oil can't keep them all out forever. Its when they get into your pore and reproduce that the infection happens. This is the whole theory behind BP, though i never thought it worked for me. Lately I have become convinced that my skin is just a reaction to a deficiency in vitamin A. started applying retinA and a light moisturizer at night and small vitamin A supplements with lunch. Now I'm clear when i thought nothing else worked.

A side note, the retinA also caused my skin to become non oily and nice, not just stop the pimples from forming.

[AlexAlmighty]

marshallbanan: Sebum oil does not just sit in the pore like moisturizers,it is constantly renewed and bacteria will not move from where there is food (which is the SURFACE of the skin)
As for the retinA..u can stay in the pool or the sea for 7+ hours per day and ull have perfectly clear skin in a week,smooth and dry and all..but for how long can you be in the sea 7+ hours a day??I think u know what i mean.

Sendai:During that time did u use cleansers? How many times did you shower per week and what was the temperature of the water? pls reply thanks

[musashi]

alexalmighty, i think this is like the do nothing regimen.......for others it tended to work for a little while, and then stopped......what im trying to do is wash my face less, just once a day.....u mentioned oil is good, which it is, but dont people with acne have oil that just dont come out of the pore, and get stuck, and thats why they have problems?
if the oil left the pore, there wouldnt be any problems

[marshallbanan]

When people start getting pimples early in their life they have slightly higher amounts of oil then normal. Yea, the oil blocks pores and does cause pimples. Overwashing for years and years though damages skin and causes even more oil production. Washing is a temporary solution, but it often removes to much oil, which in turn causes your body to produce even more oil. I am not sure what you mean by going into oceans for seven hours. I do think you have the right idea that this will help your oil, but if your acne is caused by something other than your own overwashing this won't cure you.

[AlexAlmighty]

musashi: In the do nothing regimen you still washed your face etc u just didnt use any topiclas or other chems internal or external.Only water touches my face once every 2 days,no soap , no cleansers.I also use freezing cold water for this.

marshallbanan:Well if oily skin has anything to do with acne then im on the right track.If you go to the sea for 7+ hours every day you'll get clear in a week but it will be just temporary just like most topicals and (even they are slightly more long-term) internal drugs/antibiotics etc.

[ballaballa]

I am kinda doing this regimen ...and been doing it for about 1.5 weeks.

Morning
-Wash with Cetaphil Gentle Cleanser
-maybe moisturize

Night
-wash with water.

My oil is kinda decreasing. I've only got a few pimples and there all in one spot near my temple. I might get a on-the-spot cream to maybe get rid of these.

[AlexAlmighty]

I still get everything where they were before i started doing this..that was 1month or so ago..damn these guys are stubborn.

[musashi]

so alex, i guess this is still working for u right? its been awhile, so i guess
this is what works for u......for me, its too early to say, but im pretty sure
ive been washing too much and applying too many harsh chemicals
i used to have this fear that if i didnt wash at least twice a day
id break out really bad...apparently thats not true!

[ballaballa]

I think you need to wash your face one time with some kind of gentle cleanser to get rid of the dirt and grime on your face. Especially if your oily.

[AlexAlmighty]

ballaballa:I have thought of this before but i always said to myself "if all those ppl in angola or afghanistan can be clear with dirt so can i",in the last two weeks after i got out of the shower i could see this PILE of dead skin on my face (like flakiness of some sort).I once scrubbed it off using water (rubbed a bit my face) but only one side of my face,well it went away by itself on the otherside so i kinda regret "forcing" it off.In the first days im not gonna lie to you my face was shit,i had the same fear musashi, and it did come true..i was in the worst i ever was the first 10-12 days but i had a gut feeling that i should continue.Im pretty confident that this will work for everyone and ive been apllying too much shit too before this.I would always brakeout after using any kind of exfoliator and i KNEW it was that.Thankfully i can go whole weeks without my face getting too oily now..it is somewhat above average but atleast 60% less than before (my nose is so great im in love with it).Im gonna say it one more time,dont get your hopes high that as soon as you stop washing it will clear up,it will get ALOT worse before it will get any better but the key is to stick to it,after it starts it wont stop(unless you go back to your old habbits that is) ,especially in the starting 3 days that you go without washing,it was HELL ,oil was almost dripping off me and i could feel even my lips greased..so dont come here and yell me that your face went berserk and kill yourself,this "regimen" is not for the faint of heart

[musashi]

this is interesting.....not to mention cheap.....
i remember my friend not showering for a week and he said
it felt great......we all might be washing too much,
but if i dont wash, my balls really itch
after i scratch em, theyre ok tho

[Axefretter]

Hey Alex

I had to laugh when I read this thread for the simple fact that I have almost gone to this type of 'regimen' without even thinking about it. It all makes sense to me with the exception that I do believe that there is a missing element to this. I could not say what it would be but hopefully you or someone else will be kind enough to share the info when discovered. There has to ba a lot said for it for the simple fact that while in the military you used water and nothing else and the majority of acne sufferers came out four years later with clear skin. My uncle was one of them 15 years ago and he had severe acne at the time.

I have personally grown tired of dealing with it and recently started Accutane. When I am finished I will be trying the same type of 'regimen' and maybe by then you will have even better results...Good luck

[AlexAlmighty]

musashi:If its that serious wash once a day,just dont let anything hit your face.

Axefretter: This happened to me before too,i went for vacations for 10 days and ran up and down all the time = no time to shower ,i was clear! i thought it was from no masturbating though so i tried that for alot of time before i realise...Thans for the luck! when walking in a dark room you need it .I dont think theres a missing element though,the only problem i find is that most ppl quit before their skin starts to react to the new environment so they're stuck with a huge brakeout and frustration.