Dry Skin Brushing

Have you heard about it? Well you should consider trying it, dry skin brushing has detoxing health benefits for your body and your largest organ the skin. It’s not new it has been around for a long time.

Centuries ago originating with the Russians and Scandinavians dry brushing was used to help detoxify, exfoliate and stimulate the skin and lymphatic system. Dry skin brushing was first prescribed by a Finnish doctor Paavo Airola to help his patients with their circulation. It was also sited to be used by the Greek Olympic athletes and also in Japan before their traditional hot baths. It’s stimulating and brings a fresh and alive feeling to you and the skin you’re wrapped in.

How To Do Dry Skin Brushing

What you need:

A natural fiber bristle body brush, one with long handle so you can reach hard places like your middle back area.

When to do it:

Mornings seem to be a great time to dry brush because it is stimulating, wakes the circulatory system and gets your lymph flowing. I don’t suggest doing this before bed because of the stimulation. Everyone is different and some may find it a very comforting routine before bed especially if you bathe before you sleep.

Depending on your skin health and type, starting once a week is a good protocol to follow at first and you can increase frequency if you feel and want more. Be aware of how it makes you feel, both during and after. Thinner skin types may stick to once a week, thicker skin may benefit with more often skin brushing even up to once a day.

How to do it:

Dry bushing is easy and takes very little time. Start with dry skin and begin from the left sole of your foot and brush upwards using long and short strokes toward the heart. Then brush your right leg. Avoid your lady or man parts but do get in around them because that’s where we have lots of lymph nodes.

Use circular counter clockwise bush strokes in the abdomen area. Then brush your arms, starting at your finger tips working towards your body. Taking extra care and time in your arm pit areas. We have sweat glands, lymph nodes and hair follicles that may need a lighter touch but a few extra brushes to get the lymph flowing. Your neck and chest area can be done by brushing downwards and when on your neck and shoulders brush toward the heart. Spend a little extra time on your back also to get some circulation going on around that back bone!

A few things to remember:

• Clean your skin brush once every couple weeks with soap and water (I use castile soap).  After rinsing, place your skin brush in a sunny window to dry and prevent mildew.  The sun will naturally kill any bacteria.  Be sure that everyone in the family has their own personal dry brush, for sanitary reasons.
• Do not dry brush over skin rashes, sensitive areas, open wounds or cuts.  Let your body be your guide.  If it doesn’t feel right, don’t brush over that spot.
• Apply as much pressure as you like while dry brushing.  Start out light as you get used to how the brush feels (it will be coarse and feel rough at first).  Condition your skin over time and increase the pressure you apply as you can stand it.

It will take about 30 days of routine dry brushing to begin noticing changes in your skin. For a full lymphatic cleanse and detox, it will take at least 3 months of daily dry brushing. Keep it up from there — the results are worth it!

We would love to know what you think about dry skin brushing in the comments below.