As addicted social scrollers ourselves, we already know you’ve heard of the latest craze to hit #SkinTok: the ‘caveman routine’.
But if you haven’t heard of this wording, we’re sure you will have seen videos from Tia Zakher, 22, who has been going viral this month for her use, or lack of, rather unusual skincare steps.
Before we dive into that, for those who don’t know, this routine consists of doing absolutely nothing to your face. Yes, you read that right, no moisturiser, no cleanser (I know!) and even no water. More extreme versions of the trend avoid even touching your face at all.
The name appears to come from the prehistoric era, where cavemen obviously didn’t have the array of skincare products we have nowadays, and allegedly didn’t have any problems such as acne.
Who are we to judge though, if cavemen had a few spots? There’s no proof to say they all had clear glowy skin.
However, some online have been attempting by this routine, with others saying it has done wonders for their skin.
One woman trying it out is Tia Zakher.
In a video with 9.4 million views on TikTok, she explains how her new method is trying absolutely nothing, to let dead skin flakes – flake off, leaving new ones underneath. Here is her explanation of what’s happening under the surface.
From this, it appears that dead skin cells have now built up on her face, as seen in her videos.
Many comments have accused it of being a publicity stunt, with others claiming it to be a fungal infection.
However, dermatologists online have replied with concern for her face and for this method.
Does it provide any benefit?
It appears from the general consensus of dermatologists and other skin experts online, that this method has limited to no positive benefits for the skin.
Obviously we should be using SPF on our skin during sunny weather, which isn’t done as part of the caveman method.
What are the dangers of not using anything?
This lack of sun cream can pose risks of sunburn and further damage from the sun, increasing the risk of skin cancer.
During skin turnover, if dead skin cells are not removed, these dead oily cells can build together, forming a scale-like texture on the skin. Over time this can lead to blocked pores and a build-up of skin.
So if you were thinking of starting the caveman method any time soon, it’s probably a miss from us.
But as always, if you’re having serious skin issues, it’s advisable to speak to your doctor or dermatologist for proper guidance, we’re just here as a helping hand.
