Health and Beauty Benefits of Dry Skin Brushing

Many people have never heard of dry skin brushing. There are many health and beauty benefits for the person who put dry skin brushing into their daily routine.

Facts about Skin

Our skin is the largest organ of our body that works to eliminate toxics and debris from our systems. It provides up to a quarter of our body’s total daily detoxification, it eliminates waste acids, nearly a pound a day.

The skin (dermis) gets about one third of our blood supply circulating through it. It works to protect our bodies against infection.

Our skin will often reflect a persons’ overall health. When ill, many times someone may appear washed out, pale and dull looking. Conversely, when a person is in great health, the skin has a vibrant, healthy ‘glow’ to it. Some people opt to use a microdermabrasion machine on their faces for a deeper level of exfoliation.

What is dry skin brushing?

Dry skin brushing is a method using a soft, natural fiber brush (or a loofa sponge may also be used) on dry skin to exfoliate and slough off dry skin. It stimulates the formation of new skin cells and helps the lymphatic system drain.

Aids digestion – By eliminating clogged pores, it aids in your skin’s ability to better absorb nutrients.

Dry brushing helps to tone muscle by stimulating nerve endings which causes individual muscle fibers to activate and move. It aids in a more even distribution of fat deposits, including cellulite. This also provides a real, cosmetic beauty reason to dry brush your skin.

Dry brushing helps to clean the lymphatic system. Lymph is considered part of the immune system and consists of white blood cells called lymphocytes. Detoxification happens first through the lymph system. Dry brushing is an essential part of any intestinal cleansing and healing program, as it assists in getting this out of our bodies quicker.

It helps to support and strengthen the immune system. It may reduce duration of infection and quicken the clearing of toxins. By stimulating the lymph vessels to drain toxins into the organs of detoxification, the entire system can be cleansed. Some cancer patients use dry skin brushing for these reasons as well.

Dry brushing stimulates hormone and oil glands, helping the body to perform at its peak function. When not working properly, the elimination duties of the skin tax the kidneys to take up the slack. If the skin is sluggish, the pores get overloaded with dead cells, uric acid, other toxins and impurities that remain in the body, putting extra stress on the liver and kidneys to compensate.

Dry brushing exfoliates dead skin cells, which helps improve skin texture and healthy cell renewal. Dry skin can be a signal of detoxification. It also helps to naturally moisturize skin because as those new, healthy cells rise to the outer layer of the dermis, they have a higher degree of body oils present. You may find your need for moisturizers reduced or even are eliminated. Winter season can be especially rough on dry skin.

You’ll want to dry skin brush right before bathing, so you immediately wash off skin debris and toxins. Use a natural fiber dry brush, on your dry body, and lightly begin brushing in soft upward strokes towards your heart. You can start at either your hands or feet. We’ve included a video demonstration below that shows more.

Do not brush over sun burns, or areas of skin condition such as rosacea, poison oak or ivy, eczema, wounds, infections or other skin disorders.

It may take 30 days or more to start to see the visible signs of skin changes, but keep with it and don’t lose patience. It’s also very relaxing and soothing.

Read another related article with pamper gifts in mind, having to do with skin - Great low-priced special gifts you can make. Whip up a batch of your own body butter.

Getting plenty of beauty sleep is also important to skin and overall health.