Detox with Dry Brushing

I love things that are good for me that also feel good.  I first came across dry brushing as a potential detox method when I was reading one of my favorite (and now very worn) books, Secrets of Longevity, by Dr. Mao Shing Ni (find it here).  It’s an eight-week program of simple, but powerful longevity-boosting techniques to improve and extend your life, in every area from sleep to nutrition to de-stressing.  In the first chapter on detoxification, one of the suggested methods of daily detoxification is dry brushing.

I’ve actually had a body brush for a long time, but it always just hung from a lonely hook in my bathroom, with the effect of making my bathroom look a little more spa-like.  And I always thought it was just for scrubbing those hard to reach places.  I hadn’t, until reading Dr. Mao’s book, thought of it as a health tool.  And though there are no clinical studies I’ve found providing actual scientific evidence of the dry brush’s detoxification effects, I find Dr. Mao’s explanation compelling, and consistent with ancient, ayurvedic practices.  Unlike new, untested health trends, I feel most confident putting my faith in practices that have endured for centuries in populations boasting the wisest centenarians.

“Brushing your body daily can activate lymph circulation, which is important to clear out toxic debris, slough off dead skin, and stimulate immunity.” –Dr. Mao, Secrets of Longevity

So, what are the benefits of dry brushing, and how do we do it?

Benefits of Dry Brushing

1. Dry brushing exfoliates your skin, which rids the surface of your skin of rough, dead skin cells, helps clear pores, and leaves your skin more luminous.  Yes please!
2. Dry brushing increases circulation, which similarly contributes to healthier, more vibrant looking skin.
3. Dry brushing is also thought to activate lymph circulation (see my prior post about the importance of activating your lymph system through movement), which is directly connected to detoxification of the body, and a stimulation of the immune system.
4. Through all of the above mechanisms, dry brushing is highly energizing!

And maybe not an official benefit, but dry brushing feels amazing—super refreshing and invigorating!  Some also claim dry brushing aids in cellulite reduction, but as far as I can tell, that claim is relatively unfounded, and any visible benefit is likely a result of better circulation and skin health.  But I’m not an expert, and hey, if it’s true, then bonus!

How to Dry Brush

The general guidance is to brush moving from your extremities to your trunk.  So, brush upward from your toes toward your torso, from your fingertips to your upper arms, down from your head to the sides of your neck, and on your abdomen, in clockwise motions.

A few pointers:

1. Make sure to use a brush that is not too stiff.  Not only will a stiff brush feel less awesome, but it could aggravate the skin.  I like this one sold by Goop;
2. Along those same lines, you don’t need to brush very hard.  A little pressure goes a long way.  And, of course, if you have uniquely sensitive skin, use your discretion as to whether dry brushing is right for you;
3. Make sure to get a style brush that works for you.  Some are hand-held, so they make brushing easier overall, while others have long necks, and make it easier to reach certain areas of your back, if that’s something you need;
4. Generally brush in the morning (or at least not right before bed), because it’s energizing, and I think we all want to avoid revving up before we hit the sack;
5. Consider dry brushing right before a shower, so you can rinse all of the sloughed-off skin cells;
6. Though dry brushing has “dry” in the name, some people do use a body oil to brush.  If you do this, make sure your skin is clean, so you’re not rubbing oil into dirt-clogged pores. 

At the end of the day, dry brushing, at a minimum, feels amazing and makes the skin luminous (that’s enough for me!).  It also likely helps flush toxins through your lymphatic system, which is an easy, safe way to help your body detox on the daily.  You can even make it into a couple’s affair – I’ll brush your back if you brush mine!