Can TikTok's caveman method give you 'mouldy' skin? Experts break down the controversial regimen

If you've been on skincare TikTok of late, you will have inevitably seen (and been grossed out by) a video of a woman whose face looks like it is literally growing mould.

The creator in question is Tia Zakher, and for the past six weeks, she has allegedly adopted "the caveman method". This controversial regimen has been around for some time, but never in this way. It's as minimal as it gets, Dr Clare Kiely, co-founder of The Skin Diary and consultant dermatologist, tells Marie Claire UK. This means that you don't use any cleanser, moisturiser, any skincare products at all... And crucially, not even one splash of water.

Zakher first posted about her controversial routine earlier this month. "After eight years of picking and exfoliating, I’m healing my skin barrier by doing the only thing I’ve never tried before…nothing," she said in a video, showing off her thickened, crusty-looking skin. Every post since has been dedicated to her commitment to "caveman skincare", and she's really copped it in the comments, with people encouraging her to see a doctor, and others calling it out as a fake.

In a follow-up video, she added: “What you’re seeing is dead skin that’s gonna flake off eventually while like new healthy skin forms underneath. It’s just going to take time. My skin is basically just shedding all the damage and attempting to re-regulate itself.” Ahead, we break down the trend and what might actually be going on with her skin...

@tiazakher

thank you for all the sweet & supportive messages!!! to my fellow pickers & those with dermatillomania i know the struggle & im always a message away :) now back to some regularly scheduled programming 🤍

♬ original sound - tia zakher

Does the caveman method work?

Unsurprisingly, the caveman method does not work, and is not advised by dermatologists. As Dr Kiely says: "Although many people do have overly lengthy and complicated skincare routines that may be causing more harm than good, I don’t think not washing your face at all is a healthy alternative. We have all come across a man who just use a shower gel for everything and have perfect skin; but the key here is that they’re still washing!"

"The truth is, even the most minimalist self-care routine will involve some level of regular exposure to water, followed by towelling skin dry - this will all provide some degree of exfoliation to aid natural shedding of the skin and would prevent the build-up of skin cells and dirt."

What are the risks of the caveman method?

While there is some credence to adopting a minimalistic routine, according to your skin's needs, the dermatologist stresses that there is "no benefit to totally avoiding your face." If you're to do this, particulate matter from pollution would be left on the skin for prolonged periods of time—this would lead to oxidative stress and inflammation.

"If you have sore or irritated skin from over exfoliating, or peri-oral dermatitis is the issue, a reset could be a good thing. I would argue, however, that using a super gentle cleanser or even water alone, followed by a simple moisturiser suitable for sensitive skin would be a better way to approach this," Dr Kiely continues.

What has happened to Tia Zakher's skin?

According to the dermatologist, if you totally avoid washing your skin, like Zakher alleges, you can develop something called dermatitis neglecta. "As a NHS dermatologist and someone who has worked in NHS hospitals for 13 years, I have come across individuals who have had these skin changes. Skin will look rough, thickened and sometimes waxy due to layers of trapped dirt building up in addition to the layers of skin cells that are perhaps desquamating slower than usual due to lack of exposure to washing and drying," she says.

However, Dr Kiely adds that she's rarely seen this spread to the face, and is compelled to believe that Zakher's case is fabricated. "I have never seen it as an isolated extreme phenomenon on the face, where body skin is unaffected, which appears to be the case with this creator," she explains.

"The individuals that I’ve come across with these skin changes have all been unable to care for themselves and were isolated. I would say in the cases I came across it took several months to years to develop. Furthermore, these skin changes would be associated with malodour due to the altered skin microbiome. Therefore, I do not believe this skin appearance to be consistent with total avoidance of washing and use of skincare for a few weeks, as suggested by the timelines of posts on her TikTok."

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