Why Dry Brushing Promotes Detoxification and Energy

We brush our hair and our teeth daily, but what about our skin? Enter dry brushing, an ancient Ayurvedic ritual that promotes detoxification. Using a firm bristle brush, it exfoliates dead skin, enhances blood flow, and facilitates the elimination of waste via the lymphatic system, promoting the efficient transport of nutrients to tissues and organs. 

What the heck is a lymphatic system?

The lymphatic system is made of a complex network of delicate tubes, serving as the body’s drainage system. Unlike your circulatory system, which relies on the heart to pump and clean your blood automatically, your lymph lacks a built-in pump. Lymph only moves through manual interventions like exercise, massage, and diet, making it susceptible to congestion, especially in our modern sedentary lifestyle. The lymphatic system’s main functions are to filter toxins and bacteria in the blood and return it back to circulation, help absorb dietary fats and work with the immune system to tackle pathogens and abnormal cells to prevent disease. 

We go into more details about the lymphatic system in our Deep Dive on the Lymphatic System post. 

Benefits of dry brushing

While dry brushing is great for cellulite, glowing and smooth skin, the benefits of dry brushing go far beyond the skin. Dive deeper into the expansive benefits of this practice by continuing to read.

Stimulates lymphatic function and detoxification

Dry brushing stimulates the lymphatic system. The lymph is the body’s largest circulatory organ, being twice as large as the circulatory system. As the body’s drainage system, it’s primary function involves filtering and draining fluid from the bloodstream, as well as helping the immune system react to bacteria, viruses and other pathogens and support their elimination via the kidneys and liver. The lymphatic system is also involved in absorbing dietary fats from the intestines. 

Unlike blood circulation, the lymph moves at a slower pace and requires manual movement. Things that move our body and skin stimulate lymphatic drainage. Think sweating, sauna, exercise, massage, movement. 

When our internal drainage system is backed up, there is a lack of vitality, energy and immune function. Signs of a sluggish lymphatic system include: water retention, skin issues, morning stiffness, fatigue & lethargy, joint pain, headaches, cysts, difficulty losing weight,
cold hands and feet...

Enhances circulation and energy

Dry brushing gives you energy by stimulating blood flow towards the heart and encouraging the movement of lymphatic fluid throughout the body. Personally, I incorporate dry brushing into my morning routine before a shower, experiencing a noticeable energy boost and a vibrant complexion. Its effectiveness lies in enhancing circulation, offering a natural and caffeine-free surge of energy.

Brings back the glow

Aging reduces skin elasticity due to a decline in collagen and elastin proteins. As we age, feedback mechanisms, including toxin elimination, slow down. Detoxification is affected by poor lifestyle, stress, and environmental exposure, impacting the skin’s health. Dry brushing aids in skin detoxification, exfoliation, and anti-aging by opening pores, removing dead skin layers, and reducing the appearance of blackheads.

Relaxes stress and tension

Surprisingly, dry brushing has a calming effect, akin to the relaxation you experience after a massage. It’s comparable to a lymphatic massage – providing an initial boost of energy followed by a soothing sense of calm.

Consider trying it before your evening shower or bath and observe its impact on your sleep. If the evening doesn’t suit you, give it a shot in the morning and see if it makes a difference.

Melts cellulite away

It works wonders in reducing the dreaded cellulite appearance. You know that ‘orange-peel’ texture, often found in areas like hips, buttocks, abdomen, and thighs. In a study with women aged 19 to 36, the results were impressive. Lymphatic drainage, through dry brushing, significantly improved cellulite in 13 out of 14 participants. On average, there was a remarkable reduction of 3.2 cm in thigh cellulite. The best part, its free! You just need a dry brush and a few minutes every day.

How to Dry Brush?

OK, now that you understand the incredible benefits of dry brushing, if you want to know more about how to integrate dry brushing into your daily routine and how it actually works, head over to my post about How to Dry Brush for Glowing Skin!

 Sources

  • Schwartz, N., Chalasani, M., Li, T. M., Feng, Z., Shipman, W. D., & Lu, T. T. (2019). Lymphatic Function in Autoimmune Diseases. Frontiers in immunology, 10, 519. https://doi.org/10.3389/fimmu.2019.00519
  • How does skin work? (2009). Cologne, Germany: Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG); 2009 Sep 28 [Updated 2019 Apr 11]. InformedHealth.org [Internet]
  • Moore, J. E., Jr, & Bertram, C. D. (2018). Lymphatic System Flows, Annual Review of Fluid Mechanics, 50, 459–482. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-fluid-122316-045259
  • Zhang, S., & Duan, E. (2018). Fighting against Skin Aging: The Way from Bench to Bedside, Cell Transplantation, 27(5), 729–738. https://doi.org/10.1177/0963689717725755
  • Pflege Z. (2000). Alternative skin care: fit and revitalized with the aid of dry brushing,  53(2):95-6. German. PubMed PMID: 10797750.
  •  Schwartz, N., Chalasani, M., Li, T. M., et al.  (2019)., op., cit., 1
  • Vickers, A., Zollman, C., & Reinish, J. T. (2001). Massage Therapies, Western Journal of Medicine, 175(3), 202–204.
  • Moore, J. E., Jr, & Bertram, C. D. (2018)., op., cit., 3
  • de Godoy, J. M., & de Godoy, M. (2011). Treatment of cellulite based on the hypothesis of a novel physiopathology, Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 4, pp.55–59. https://doi.org/10.2147/CCID.S20363
  • Williams A. (2010). Manual lymphatic drainage: exploring the history and evidence base, British Journal of Community Nursing, 15(4):S18-24. PubMed PMID: 20559172.