Fans Have Long Wondered Why Sue Smey Always Seems to Be Dirty on 'Survivor'

Being on Survivor, almost by definition, means roughing it. You're living outside on an island, which can mean that you accumulate some dirt as you move through the competition. While being dirty is just part of the competition, though, it's not as if you never have access to water that you could use to rinse off at least.

In spite of that access to water, though, some viewers of season 47 of the show have noticed that Sue Smey looks remarkably dirty, and appears to carry over many of the dirty marks on her face from week to week. This has become so noticeable that it's actually distracting some viewers. Here's what we know about why she might be so dirty.

While we don't have a firm answer to this question, there could be a couple of reasons that Sue always seems to have dirt on her face. Some have speculated that it's an intentional choice that she's making to use the dirt almost like makeup or to simply make it clear to the audience that she's really roughing it during her time on the show. It's also possible that it's just never occurred to her to rinse her face.

Some people also suggested that the dirt could be the result of Sue's fake tan and semi-permanent makeup wearing off, and leaving behind a sort of splotchy mess in their wake. Some of what appears to be dirt could actually be the remnants of a fake tan that's disappearing.

The most plausible explanation, though, might be that Sue has hyperpigmentation as a result of spending a lot of her life in the sun.

The prolonged exposure to the sun on Survivor has resulted in sun spots on her face that make her look older than she actually is. Basically, what looks like dirt on her face are actually patches of dark skin that she has slowly developed because of her time in the sun on the show. All that sun exposure could have reactivated what may be a long-running issue for Sue in her personal life.

Although the explanation for Sue's dirty face remains a bit of a mystery, it's enough of a problem to distract the people who watch the show.

"I couldn't focus this entire episode cos I couldn't wait to look this up and see who else was bothered," one person wrote on Reddit.

"I feel seen. I couldn’t figure out why she is the only one who looks dirty all the time," another person added.

Clearly, Sue's facial blotches are distracting viewers at home. Whether it's an intentional look to make her seem gritty or the result of too much time in the sun, Sue's face has commanded a lot of attention for a sort of unexpected reason. We know you're not going to look your best on Survivor, but that doesn't mean you have to be covered in dirt.