While Survivor has been plagued with questions about its authenticity since the show premiered in 2000, there is no doubt that the CBS show is as real as they come. The castaways actually spend 39 days on location, they really do lose tons of weight, and it's been confirmed that they often come home with parasites and infections galore.
But a lot of fans still have questions about how the show's contestants deal with issues of hygiene while they're on the island. Here are the answers to every Survivorquestion you've ever wanted to ask.
Do Survivor contestants get razors?
While the only noticeable hair growth seen on the show is often just beards on the guys, Andy Dehnart, msnbc.com's Television Editor and creator of Reality Blurred, told Today that the castaways do not receive any kind of hair cutting devices.
"The contestants do not have access to razors, nor do they shave during their time on the island," Dehnart said. "Any lack of growth you notice probably has to do with waxing or laser procedures, or the quality of the footage on your TV screen."
Okay, but do the Survivor contestants get toothbrushes?
The cast learns to get inventive in order to brush their teeth. Hannah Shapiro, runner-up on the 33rd season of Survivor and contributor to Men's Health, told Micthat the contestants brush our teeth with bamboo while they're on the island.
All Survivor contestants have access to items like feminine products, birth control, vital medications, sunscreen, and insect repellent. Items like soap and toilet paper are not included.
Speaking of toilet paper, they must have secret bathrooms somewhere...right?
Nope! The castaways have two glamorous options when it comes to doing their business: they can either dig a hole in the dirt or swim out into the ocean and "just let it go," as Reality Blurred succinctly put it. Hannah recently spoke to a bunch of former Survivor players to get their bathroom stories, and their tales included stepping in poop and nearly getting knocked over by the tide while doing their business.
I'm guessing the Survivor contestants don't shower either, then?
No showers for our castaways. In an AMA on Reddit, Peih-Gee Law from Survivor: China and Survivor: Second Chance explained how she and her cast mates would try to get clean.
"Daily hygiene consisted of splashing around in the water and using a piece of someone's cut off jeans to scrub myself. I remember in the beginning I thought I was tan, but once I scrubbed, I realized it was just a dirt tan lol," she wrote.
What happens if you get sick?
While we've seen the medics get called in for major injuries, the medical team is also around for the little stuff too. They check on each contestant before and after each immunity challenge, and there are also psychologists on hand to monitor the contestants’ mental health.
In her AMA, Peih-Gee also added that the castaways constantly get scrapes and cuts from the game, and that "one time the medics felt really sorry for us and hosed down some of our cuts with saline."
Unfortunately for players, toothbrushes, toilet paper, soap, and other personal hygiene items must be left at home. Fortunately for us viewers, we're only watching — not smelling. "Certain items are allowed such as contacts, feminine products, and specific approved medications," the producers reveal.
The "Survivor: Island of the Idols" contestant Elaine Stott said that competitors have access to a medical box in the woods with supplies like sunscreen, bug spray, and vitamins. Stott also said that competitors submit tampons and contact lenses in their "own personal little bag" before they get to the island.
Can you shave on survivor? The answer is absolutely not. Um, we were not given any razor, so. I don't know if that's changed since I was on the show, but we were absolutely not taken off camera to shave.
As always, the cast members do receive essential items such as tampons and condoms, and he said that birth control comes into play soon, as there are "love affairs this season, plural," including "some of the most intimate footage we've ever had."
There are no proper flushing toilets during the Survivor experience, but rather a "drop hole" – a toilet seat and a 10-metre long drop. There, contestants can access pads and tampons, but things can get a bit sticky if your flow is heaviest when you're out at a challenge that's far from camp.
I'm like a mom now, I need a bathing suit,'" she said. Shallow said when she asked the production crew why players weren't allowed to wear swimsuits anymore, she was told that producers felt it would be "more authentic-looking" for contestants to play in their underwear.
Can they smoke on the island? Unfortunately, if you're a smoker, you've got no choice but to quit before heading to the beaches of Samoa. "You need to quit and have your withdrawals on the island," Bentley says.
The show generously compensates all contestants, or castaways, who make it to the final tribal council. Typically, each receives around $10,000 for the reunion show.The third-place winner can tack on an additional $85,000 (before taxes), with the second-place adding an extra $100,000.
Appearances. The jury consists of a group of eliminated castaways (typically past the merge portion of the competition) that return to witness the remaining castaways' actions at Tribal Council.
He tells SELF that, during his runs on the show, he was sometimes able to take medications—but not always. In that personal medical box that you're allowed to keep at camp, people also stash preapproved drugs: “[Production] checks it out, and you turn it in beforehand,” he explains.
There are 3 possible reasons for medical inadmissibility: danger to public health, danger to public safety, and excessive demand on health . Vital medications are allowed, but the show's medical team needs to be informed beforehand.
But in an interview with TMZ, Jonny Fairplay spilled the beans on how much castaways allegedly make: the first person eliminated can make $12,500, according to the infamous villain, who noted jury members get $40,000.
The most famous showmance in series history is its first, between Colleen and Greg on “Borneo.” The two young members of the Pagong tribe connected over their free spirits and while nothing explicit ever aired, by night 14 the two were choosing to sleep together away from the rest of their camp.
No.Survivor contestants are not allowed to bring makeup and don't wear any makeup while on the show. A Survivor contestant can only be spotted wearing makeup when they join the jury. Skincare and beauty trends are huge today, and most people may not be willing to leave their products behind.
Okay, but do the Survivor contestants get toothbrushes? The cast learns to get inventive in order to brush their teeth. Hannah Shapiro, runner-up on the 33rd season of Survivor and contributor to Men's Health, told Mic that the contestants brush our teeth with bamboo while they're on the island.
The production also does some color-editing in the post-production, which makes the players' teeth look whiter. In an Instagram post about getting some damage on his two front teeth, Millennials vs. Gen X winner Adam Klein revealed that there is color correcting.
Some competitors tried to clean their clothes by boiling them or scrubbing them with hand sanitizer. Weeks without a washing machine can make it hard to stay fresh, but players come up with different ways of cleaning their clothes on the island.
There's a reason the cast members leave their location looking scruffy: the contestants are stripped of toiletries like razors, hairbrushes, and toothbrushes. The only things they do have access to are important necessities like medication, sunblock, insect repellent, or contact solution.
Introduction: My name is Pres. Lawanda Wiegand, I am a inquisitive, helpful, glamorous, cheerful, open, clever, innocent person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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