Your skin is the largest organ in your body, and it plays an important role as a barrier from the external world. It comes as no surprise, then, that there are many practices to help protect and enhance your skin health. One of these practices is detoxing. Whilst you may think that detoxing is usually done through your kidneys and liver, you can also detox through the skin.
This article will explore this practice, how to detox through the skin, and the benefits it can have on your health.
Detoxing, in simple terms, means cleansing your body of toxins. Your body can accumulate toxins from the environment through pollution or lifestyle choices such as smoking and diet choices.
Your body naturally removes toxins through your:
Doing a detox through the skin involves removing, deactivating, or avoiding substances that can harm or affect your skin. These substances include bacteria, chemicals, heavy metals, and UV rays. You will also need to take steps to protect your skin against these substances.
A detox through the skin can provide many benefits to your health including:
To detox the skin, there are several strategies you can employ. To receive optimal results, these practices should all be done together.
Skincare is an important practice that can help to preserve your skin's health. It includes gently removing harmful substances from your skin as well as protecting your skin from the environment. The main steps in skincare that can help you detox through the skin, are cleansing, exfoliating, and sun protection.
Cleansing helps to remove dirt, oil, bacteria, and other substances from your skin. This helps to reduce any damage to your skin and can help to keep your pores open. Using a gentle, natural soap or cleanser is a good idea for this.
The next step is exfoliation. This is the process of removing dead skin cells from your skin. Your skin naturally exfoliates around every 28 days but this can be prolonged due to oily skin and aging. However, you can speed exfoliation using a skin product or through a body or facial roller. Exfoliating assists your body in removing the dead skin cells from your skin and can help contribute to a brighter complexion. This process does not need to be done every day, and if you decide to exfoliate, it is important to be gentle on your skin and stop if your skin becomes irritated.
This step is important because, even if you are living in a cooler climate, the UV rays from the sun can still do damage to your skin despite the season. Damage from UV rays can cause your skin to lose its firmness and elasticity and can also cause skin cancer. When you do go outside, it is important to use appropriate clothing and sunscreen to protect the skin exposed. When choosing a sunscreen, opt for one that is broad-spectrum and water-resistant, and reapply it every 2 hours as it will eventually wear off. Wearing a hat as well as sunglasses will also help to protect your skin.
Exercise plays many different roles in a detox through the skin. It can help to remove waste products through increased sweat. It can also help to enhance detoxification through your bowel and bladder.
When you exercise, your heart rate along with blood flow. This increase in blood flow can help to flush out old skin cells from your body. The extra blood also helps to carry oxygen and nutrients to the skin cells, keeping them healthy. It also can help to stimulate your bowel and bladder, resulting in your body passing waste products through the urine and stool.
To make use of the benefits of exercise on your skin as well as on your overall health, your body needs around 20 minutes of moderate exercise per day. You can incorporate different types of exercise to maximize the health benefits such as cardio and strength training. However, do note that if you have a health condition like adrenal fatigue, it may be best to start with very gentle exercises to avoid stressing your body.
Sweating is a great way of getting toxins out of the body. Besides exercise, infrared saunas are a popular way of allowing the body's pores to open up without needing to spend a long time in a dry and heated sauna. Sweat can help move the toxins from the internal environment to the external environment, where they can be washed away.
There are multiple supplements that can assist in your skin health. These include commonly known supplements such as glutathione, vitamin C, zinc, and omega 3, and lesser known supplements such as chlorella and milk thistle.
Due to your bodily processes, pollution, and sun rays, waste products called free radicals are produced, and they can cause damage throughout your body, including to your skin. Glutathione, Vitamin C, and zinc are common sources of antioxidants. In simple terms, this means they can neutralize the free radicals preventing further and future damage to the skin. Vitamin C and zinc can also help to reduce inflammation in the skin.
Omega 3 is not an antioxidant, but it can help to reduce inflammation in the skin as well as help to balance the oil production in the skin. If the oil production is in balance, it reduces the chances of your pores becoming clogged with oil and causing poor natural exfoliation.
Chlorella is a type of algae rich in vitamins C, A, E, and omega 3. This makes it rich in antioxidants, helping to remove free radicals and assist in detoxification.
Milk thistle has an active ingredient called silymarin which may have antioxidant properties. It also can assist with inflammation.
Supplements to assist in a detox through the skin are available in capsule form, as well as in facial masks and skincare products.
Your skin is sensitive to hydration levels within your body, and if your body is dehydrated it can cause your skin to become dry, flaky, and susceptible to wrinkles. To adequately hydrate your body and prevent this from occurring, drinking water every day is important. There is some disagreement as to exactly how much water your body needs, but eight glasses per day is a good start. This will increase with exercise.
In addition, opt for water rather than caffeinated products such as coffee and sodas, as the caffeine will dehydrate the skin. If you are looking for a warm beverage, herbal tea is free of caffeine.
You may need to take extra precautions with detoxification if you have adrenal fatigue. Adrenal Fatigue Syndrome (AFS) is a condition brought on by long-term stress. Your body can handle short-term stress through the adrenal glands the NeuroEndoMetabolic (NEM) Stress Response System. Your adrenal glands are the first to respond to stress and produce hormones to support your body.
However, in long-term stress, the hormones produced by your adrenal glands become depleted and this can cause imbalances within your NEM system. Six circuits make up the NEM system, with each circuit made up of three organs.
One circuit in the NEM system is the detoxification circuit. The liver, interstitium, and immune system make up this circuit and are responsible for removing toxins from your body.
When this circuit becomes imbalanced, toxins cannot be effectively removed from your body and can build up. This can result in multiple symptoms such as sensitivities to chemicals and supplements and brain fog. With this imbalance, your skin's ability to naturally detox and protect itself is reduced, resulting in an increase in sensitivities to chemicals and supplements.
An imbalance in the detoxification circuit and AFS, in general, can cause your body to be extra sensitive to external products that are introduced into the body. This can cause your body to react negatively and can set you back in your healing journey. To reduce the chances of this occurring it is important to be careful when selecting products for your skin.
Skincare products and supplements can contain chemicals or ingredients that your body will react to. It is also important to note that supplements are not regulated by the FDA, which means the safety of the ingredients is not guaranteed.
This is why, when selecting products to assist with detoxing through your skin, consult your healthcare provider first. It's also important to talk to your doctor about supplements, exercise routines, and sauna regimens before beginning if you have AFS, to avoid a healthy measure backfiring and setting your healing back.
Your body can remove toxins in many ways, and detoxing through the skin is one. You can detox your skin through exercise, supplements, sweating, and skincare. However, always talk to your doctor first if you aren't sure whether something is suitable for you. If you would like guidance on how to detox safely, you can give the Dr. Lam team a call at +1 (626) 571-1234 for a free initial session, or click here.
After a detox through the skin, your skin may be more sensitive than usual. It can also become more dry or oily. Small breakouts can sometimes occur afterward; however they generally only last between a few days and a few weeks. Some detox measures, like exercise and sauna use, can also lead to overheating or dehydration, so be sure to drink plenty of water and use safe sauna practices.
