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Bad Purging On The Caveman Regimen

MemberMember
17
(@arts)

Posted : 03/11/2015 11:01 am

I had been on Dan's regimen for more than two years and had gotten my skin to stay relatively clear with applying only one pump of BP once a day. However, the process of putting harsh chemicals on your face is not a pleasing one and the money could be spent on something more joyful.

After reading so many positive comments on the caveman regimen, I decided to give it a try.

I'm now on week 3 and still purging really bad. I get new pustules every day, at least a couple of them. Some of them are pretty big and infalmed. I also got 2 cysts that went away pretty quickly (though I can't remember the last time I had gotten them). From what I've read this is not typical for someone on this regimen.

Has anyone experienced that? As each day passes I'm more and more tempted to get back on the Regimen, though I made a vow to stick it out for 2 months. I haven't had someone tell me "boy, you've become really spotty" in a very long time...

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(@jlopez)

Posted : 03/12/2015 4:29 am

Hey ArtS!

I was in a really similar position to you not long ago.
I stayed fairly clear with regular application of BP too but it made my skin red raw and I hated being a slave to a skincare regimen.

The breakout you are experiencing from quitting BP cold turkey is entirely normal. Especially if you are moving straight onto the caveman regimen.

When I quit BP myself I moved to a more natural skincare routine first for about 3 months (I was using honey to cleanse, 50/50 water and apple cider vinegar to tone and moisturising with a little jojoba oil when my skin needed it.) I still had breakouts during this period and thought about quitting, as will anyone who quits BP, because BP is just a band-aid solution to acne, you aren't treating the actual cause. (Have you thought about potential food intolerances? Maybe that's for another post...)

What I would recommend for you is one of two options:
If your skin is getting really bad and you are feeling very distressed and upset, you should get back on your BP for now, and slowly wean yourself off by going from one pump a day to half a pump, then to half a pump every two days etc. etc. Until you eventually quit. (There will be breakouts in this period but what you're working towards is skin that looks after itself!)

However, if you're feeling brave and you can handle the initial breakout, I would just move to a natural, gentle skincare routine to support your skin for a month or two, and then when you feel ready, drop the skincare completely.

I am following the no water caveman regimen at the moment currently on day 39 and I have had fantastic results so far (But I did continue to breakout in the first weeks!) There have been ups and downs but I am pretty thrilled with where my skin is now. If you're interested I have been keeping a log here:

Good luck and I hope I have been of some help!

Rachie39 liked
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MemberMember
17
(@arts)

Posted : 03/12/2015 11:41 pm

Thank you so much for your response! It did make me feel a lot better. It's weird how comforting it is to know that someone else has been through the same struggle.

It's just that all the reviews of the regimen go the same way - by week 2 most report how lovely their skin is becoming, by day 30 the acne is almost completely gone. Well, not the case for me.

I think I'll do it for 2 months after all. A major factor in my purging is probably the fact that I've been using something on my face, usually of a chemical nature, for more than 10 years.

Once again, thank you!

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(@jlopez)

Posted : 03/13/2015 3:25 am

No problem! I'm glad I could be of some help at least.
Good for you deciding to stick it out for a few months!
Coming off benzoyl peroxide is always going to be difficult but it's definitely a step in the right direction.

Just a little tip, not sure whether you have chosen to follow the "absolutely no water touches my face" regimen or not, but I have personally found that even water can be very drying (since tap water contains chemicals and isn't the right pH for the skin.) And my skin is dry anyway from years of BP abuse. So I would recommend skipping the water all together if you can! I think this method allows the skin to heal much, much quicker.

Good luck!

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(@canucklehead12)

Posted : 03/13/2015 8:52 pm

I also encountered some bad breakouts on week 1 of my caveman regimen, so you are not alone! I was only applying BP every other night before the caveman, so my skin wasn't as dependent as some might be. However, I probably had the worst breakout I've ever seen at the end of the first week. It was so bad I even stayed at home a few days. Luckily I'm in university and could skip a few classes.

But after that I really haven't seen anything since, other than very very small whiteheads. I'm on day 17 and it's probably been 7+ days since I've had a pimple that really concerned me. So stick with it!!

I'm washing my face at night only and applying jojoba oil on my dry areas. I find that water in the morning is too drying for me as well. Good luck!

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MemberMember
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(@arts)

Posted : 03/15/2015 10:22 pm

No problem! I'm glad I could be of some help at least.

Good for you deciding to stick it out for a few months!

Coming off benzoyl peroxide is always going to be difficult but it's definitely a step in the right direction.

 

Just a little tip, not sure whether you have chosen to follow the "absolutely no water touches my face" regimen or not, but I have personally found that even water can be very drying (since tap water contains chemicals and isn't the right pH for the skin.) And my skin is dry anyway from years of BP abuse. So I would recommend skipping the water all together if you can! I think this method allows the skin to heal much, much quicker.

 

Good luck!

I do let water run on my face for just a second at night but that's because I've noticed that if I don't, sometimes my eyes sting, weird...maybe I touch them without noticing. And I also shave every 2/3 days using shaving cream (but no aftershave or mosturizer) which is supposed to be a big no-no on this regimen but I just can't handle not shaving at all, it becomes a red itchy mess.

That is probably making my progress slower. I will try washing my face with water every other day, thanks for the tip.

I haven't had any major breakouts in the last 3 days, hopefully it's going to go uphill from now on. I've also been trying to drink lots more water.

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113
(@canucklehead12)

Posted : 03/16/2015 9:04 am

As for shaving, you could always use a beard trimmer instead of actually shaving. I've been using one every other day, and it just looks like I have 1 days growth of stubble. Doesn't look half bad! It reduces irritation as well.

I get stinging and watery eyes all the time now too, I wonder if everyone on the caveman gets this?

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MemberMember
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(@arts)

Posted : 03/16/2015 9:38 pm

As for shaving, you could always use a beard trimmer instead of actually shaving. I've been using one every other day, and it just looks like I have 1 days growth of stubble. Doesn't look half bad! It reduces irritation as well.

I get stinging and watery eyes all the time now too, I wonder if everyone on the caveman gets this?

I tried using one of those good-for-all trimmers, it didn't go so well. I spent a good 10 minutes trying to get a decent cut, it ended up patchy and irritated. I suspect that was the reason I got the two cysts, actually.

Week 4 started with new breakouts, darn it. Still hoping for the best!

Oh, and I also have practically no visible flakiness that everyone talks about. Am I doing it wrong? There's a layer of dead skin under the balade of my razor when I shave but apart from that, nothing...My skin, which I always considered to be very oily, feels normal now.

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(@jlopez)

Posted : 03/17/2015 4:34 am

 

As for shaving, you could always use a beard trimmer instead of actually shaving. I've been using one every other day, and it just looks like I have 1 days growth of stubble. Doesn't look half bad! It reduces irritation as well.

I get stinging and watery eyes all the time now too, I wonder if everyone on the caveman gets this?

I tried using one of those good-for-all trimmers, it didn't go so well. I spent a good 10 minutes trying to get a decent cut, it ended up patchy and irritated. I suspect that was the reason I got the two cysts, actually.

Week 4 started with new breakouts, darn it. Still hoping for the best!

Oh, and I also have practically no visible flakiness that everyone talks about. Am I doing it wrong? There's a layer of dead skin under the balade of my razor when I shave but apart from that, nothing...My skin, which I always considered to be very oily, feels normal now.

I always get the stinging eyes! I'm kind of glad other people have experienced it too. I thought I was crazy!

I've just put it down to the fact that there is more dead skin around my eye area and sometimes that gets into my eyes when I rub them or touch my face near them and that makes them sting? So strange!

 

Also, ArtS I was still getting breakouts at week 4 so try not to worry too much! I think stress is a huge contributor to worsening of acne. I found it helpful to think of the caveman as an experiment, and every time I got a new spot I just took a good look at my diet, exercise and water intake to make myself feel better about it and help clear the spot naturally by supporting my body.

 

I also felt exactly the same around week 4 that the "dead skin mask" wasn't as dramatic as everyone made out. My skin was definitely dry and a little flakey, but it wasn't until week 5 or 6 that I started to kind of want to wash my face to get rid of the accumulating dead skin. I can now say though, that coming up to week 7, all that dead skin is just sorting itself out and my face is becoming smoother and smoother every day, without washing!

Good luck, keep us updated on your progress!

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MemberMember
17
(@arts)

Posted : 03/30/2015 5:46 am

OK, week 6 and my face is still getting worse. I have lesions along my jawline as well as a couple on my cheeks and my forehead is covered in pustules. I probably have to mention that I still pop them. If they stare at me from the mirror with their firm white heads for more than 2 days I simply can't take it. I leave closed pustules and lesions alone though and I never use my bare fingers.

The breakouts are weird in a lot of ways. For one, forehead was never really my issue except for the constant whiteheads. Also, often there are 2,3 or even 4 heads in one pimple that seem to form a lesion after a week or so. The breakouts are incredibly stubborn and take weeks to go away (by that time there are more in that exact area).

All in all, my "progress" is nothing like I've read before.

Decided to go completely grain free. Today is day 2 and I'm already hungry a lot of the time. Also made a promise to myself to drink a lot more water (at least 3 litres).

From now on I'm going to splash my face with cold water once a day since the no-wash regimen is not working anyway.

Oh, and today I started using BP for spot treating some of my most inflamed areas that keep breaking out.

I think I'll contunue doing it this way for another month or two. If by then there is no sign of improvement I'll have to conclude it has nothing to do with either the acid mantle or nutrution.

Still hoping for the best, though!

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MemberMember
113
(@canucklehead12)

Posted : 03/30/2015 11:39 pm

OK, week 6 and my face is still getting worse. I have lesions along my jawline as well as a couple on my cheeks and my forehead is covered in pustules. I probably have to mention that I still pop them. If they stare at me from the mirror with their firm white heads for more than 2 days I simply can't take it. I leave closed pustules and lesions alone though and I never use my bare fingers.

The breakouts are weird in a lot of ways. For one, forehead was never really my issue except for the constant whiteheads. Also, often there are 2,3 or even 4 heads in one pimple that seem to form a lesion after a week or so. The breakouts are incredibly stubborn and take weeks to go away (by that time there are more in that exact area).

All in all, my "progress" is nothing like I've read before.

Sorry to hear things aren't going as well! I can tell ya that since I cut out the rice and oatmeal from my diet I haven't seen a pustule since. Hopefully it works for you!

How's your diet otherwise? Are you taking any probiotics or supplementation? Are you exercising regularly? I know from experience that fish oil breaks me out in cystic acne.

Just a suggestion, but I would try using a triple antibiotic in your ears and nose. Some people on the forums have had great results doing this, since their acne was caused by staph in those areas. I used polysporin, but it could be called something different where you are. Here's a link to the thread

 

Cheers,

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MemberMember
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(@arts)

Posted : 03/31/2015 12:38 am

Sorry to hear things aren't going as well! I can tell ya that since I cut out the rice and oatmeal from my diet I haven't seen a pustule since. Hopefully it works for you!

How's your diet otherwise? Are you taking any probiotics or supplementation? Are you exercising regularly? I know from experience that fish oil breaks me out in cystic acne.

Just a suggestion, but I would try using a triple antibiotic in your ears and nose. Some people on the forums have had great results doing this, since their acne was caused by staph in those areas. I used polysporin, but it could be called something different where you are. Here's a link to the thread

 

Cheers,

I exercise regularly, 3-5 times a week, sleep 7-9 hrs per night, so my health in general is supposed to be fine. I stopped taking all supplements (used to take a multivitamin every day) since I read a series of articles saying that they don't usually do anything for you or may even be harmful. As one author put it "Be the kind of person who takes supplements and then skip them".

Thank you so much for the link! I googled folliculitis and it is EXACTLY what I have on my forehead (maybe not washing my face actually exacerbated the problem). Now all I have to do is figure out what TAO is called in russian :) I'll definitely give it a try asap. I'm so exited!

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MemberMember
17
(@arts)

Posted : 04/07/2015 5:44 am

It is with some regret that I announce that I'm going back on benzoyl peroxide. After a short period of calm skin, today a got a huuuge cystic zit on my jawline that I already know will take months to go away as well as a bunch of small pustules on my forehead and temples. At this point I'm more concerned about the scarring that the acne is leaving.

I've been on the caveman regimen for almost 1.5 months and it's clear that it's not working the way it's supposed to. So, sadly, it's not the answer for me.

I'm going to continue on the anti-staph regimen till the end of april and the diet for a couple more months (loving all the fruits and veggies I'm eating now) and will probably attempt to go off BP again in the summer.

Cheers!

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(@nubecita)

Posted : 04/10/2015 6:23 pm

I have also experience stinging in my eyes, especially at night when I'm tired. i had never had my eyes burn like that before going on the caveman regimen. Mine is modified: sometimes I apply Apple cider vinegar and water to remove some of the gunk. I quit proactiv cleanser with BP cold turkey and got on this regimen about a week ago. It's not going well at all. Worst break out ever! My nose is not oily like before and my skin tone is evened out, these are the pros but the breakout is terrible with whiteheads all on my forehead, inner cheeks and chin.

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MemberMember
17
(@arts)

Posted : 04/12/2015 6:05 am

I have also experience stinging in my eyes, especially at night when I'm tired. i had never had my eyes burn like that before going on the caveman regimen. Mine is modified: sometimes I apply Apple cider vinegar and water to remove some of the gunk. I quit proactiv cleanser with BP cold turkey and got on this regimen about a week ago. It's not going well at all. Worst break out ever! My nose is not oily like before and my skin tone is evened out, these are the pros but the breakout is terrible with whiteheads all on my forehead, inner cheeks and chin.

I would suggest monitoring your progress for 1-2 more weeks. If it doesn't start working by then, switch to something else. My worst breakouts were arond weeks 5 and 6, I'll have to deal with the scarring and hyperpigmentation for the next few months In hindsight, when it comes to the skin (or anything else for that matter) I believe slowly easing into it is the way to go. Cold turkey was definitely a mistake for me.

I think I will also ditch the diet. I don't see any results after almost 2 months anyway, and it also contributes to stress, which I start to suspect is the main reason of my acne.

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(@nubecita)

Posted : 04/12/2015 7:20 pm

I couldn't take it anymore and ordered another bottle of Proactiv Renewing Cleanser. I need my face to be clear around July, that's when I plan on getting married. I can't risk having terrible skin. This has gotten me really sad. I hope to slowly wean off it after the wedding and find alternatives. Right now, I need a quick fix and I hope I won't have to experience so much scarring.

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