You may (or may not) notice that I post on other peoples threads seeming like I know best and that I have things under control. Quite the opposite, my skin is a bit of a mess right now, well compared to how it was 2 days ago. I have pustular acne (whiteheads with pus) around my nose and on my chin and it's usually down to irritation as to why I break out. Sometimes it's also to do with my diet too which I've changed recently.
I've also been on the caveman regimen for almost 2 weeks without any breakouts, until now. This regimen is perfect when your face is clear, but when you have pus-filled zits on it, all you wanna do is wash it. I'm torn between grabbing my products out of the bathroom cupboard and just leaving the breakout to clear up on its own.
The thing is, water really dries out my skin, even filtered water and then leads me to break out really bad around my nose. When I avoid it, my skin always feels really hydrated. It could be the temprature of the water, because currently our boiler is broken, therefore I'm limited to (very) cold water only...unless I'm in the shower, that's electric.
The cleaner I have stored away is 'Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser' which I'm not all that fond of and the moisturiser I have is Clean and Clear Dual Action and it has .5% salicylic acid in it. It works well, but it's not all that effective for treating acne.
The question is, products or no products? If you say products, why? I need a really good reason so I don't feel guilty! 
i personally dont support caveman regimen,as i had told u.
although many loves it..for they say it doesnt hinder with the natural barrier.
but as far as i know,if u r healthy the barrier makes and remakes itself continuously.
letting dirt and sebum clog pores for the sake 'BARRIER' which can obviously be replenishes is not a great idea to ME.
removal of upper dead cell layers seems important to me.
technically acne is said to be caused by (sebum+ debris - dead cells + diet + P.acnes) so i work things out myself.
and let me tell u many have seen negative results from caveman methods.so u will have to decide for YOURSELF.what suits u and what doesnt!
people keep blaming dermas and am sure they have their own reasons.
but for some reason i feel they aint crazy people,they are learnt and know the science.
i will not deny that jumping on accutane or giving crazy prescriptions for own benefits or refusing diet-acne relation r not good.
but not all dermas are like that.
personally my derma had asked me to avoid oily/spicy food for my acne.
physical exfoliation is likely to spread the microbes and irritate skin.do chemical exfoliators can be used like bha or aha washes but of low%.
(1% or less if u have sensitive skin).
diet plays role.
dont eat HEALTHY.
eat what suits YOU.
keep track of ur food and diet.and over all regimen.
did u do anything of late other than not wash ur face?
also,do u think its due to insulin spike or hormones?
Thanks for the response.
I decided to wash my face today and as of now it feels fine, no irritation and no itchiness. And it's sloughed off a lot of the dead-skin I had building up.
When I said 'healthy' I did generally mean what suits me. I've cut out caffeine which really has a bad effect on my stomach. I've cut out dairy, which I also have a little intolerance to and I've reduced my gluten intake significantly.
I must admit that the night before I broke out, I ate cheese and had a pasta that contained milk and then white chocolate. I kinda fell of the wagon a little. It sometimes just annoys me that I can't eat the things other people do without breaking out...so I rebel?
I'm going to look for some new products, including a BHA or AHA (not sure which one I would benefit from) and try taking care of my skin more rather than neglecting it.
Lewis, i did the caveman for a while and it was a bad decision for me. My face needs some kind of treatment. I think you should stick with 1 thing and give it 3 months. A lot of people do caveman and breakout only to clear up but if you keep on switching things up once you notice an increase in acne (which will happen with almost any acne treatment plan), you may never find out what can work for you
Good Luck
Lewis, i did the caveman for a while and it was a bad decision for me. My face needs some kind of treatment. I think you should stick with 1 thing and give it 3 months. A lot of people do caveman and breakout only to clear up but if you keep on switching things up once you notice an increase in acne (which will happen with almost any acne treatment plan), you may never find out what can work for you
Good Luck
Yeah. I'm terrible at sticking to regimens. I did the acne.org regimen for a while and that worked okay, but I couldn't handle the flaky skin. The caveman regimen was fine for 2 weeks, then I broke out and it just felt disgusting leaving all this crispy skin on my face where whiteheads had drained themselves. I had to clean it.
I think I'm going to continue using a gentle cleanser and order Paula's Choice 2% BHA and find a nice moisturiser to compliment that, probably jojoba oil. Seems like my only option now is to actually do something about my acne because I'm 19 and it's not ideal going through the nasty initial stages of the caveman regimen, when I should be out enjoying myself!
u say u washed.was it just water?
if u have an over all healthy diet in general.all along then indulgence in moderation and once in a while wont break u out.unless u intake something u r intolerant to.
i would say bha.
u can start with 1%.
and then if u get used to it.u can increase the concentration accordingly.
and yes,u must continue and maintain the routine for proper results.
clean ur skin.
dont make it too dry.
thats the key.
plus follow a simple diet for urself which u can maintain.
and i understand when we see people now and then eating delicious stuff and we cant.
i skip parties or invitations because i will have to eat that food there.
also,i freak out at the thought of vacation.
heaven knows what i will have when on one.which will be soon actually!