I first heard about dry brushing from my holistic doctor and then when she recommended thermography as a mammogram alternative, and they also recommended dry brushing. After hearing about it twice from two different healthcare providers, I decided to do a little research on 1. What is dry brushing and 2. What are the benefits of dry brushing? 3. How do I “dry brush”
- What is dry brushing? Well, it is exactly what it sounds like, it is a brush with natural fibers that you use to “brush” your skin when it is dry. You would typically do it before taking a shower.
- What are the benefits of dry brushing? There are many different benefits for dry brushing, the one that really sold me on it was the one that both my healthcare professionals told me about:
- Lymphatic draining- The lymphatic system is responsible for removing and destroying waste, toxins, and cancer cells. Dry brushing pushes the lymph system to help it move toxins that cannot be transported in any other way back into circulatory system for elimination. Dry brushing helps get the lymph liquid moving in your body.
- Exfoliates your skin- Because the bristles are coarse and dry and dry brushing can “brush” away dead cells from your skin and helps with cell turnover. It will leave your skin softer and smoother.
- Increase circulation- Dry brushing stimulates circulation, which leaves skin looking more radiant.
- Reduce the appearance of cellulite- Due to massaging your body and areas that may have cellulite, you are “plumping” the skin which can reduce the appearance of cellulite.
- Detoxify your skin- Because dry brushing increases circulation it also helps your body detox.
- How do I dry brush? There is a particular way to dry brush you don’t just want to do it in any direction, too hard, etc.
The most important thing to remember is you ALWAYS brush towards your heart.
- Start at your feet and move up your body.
- Brush your skin using long strokes always towards your heart
- Use light pressure in areas where your skin is thin and harder pressure on thicker skin.
- Brush your arms after you have brushed your feet, legs, and mid-section. You should brush upward towards your armpits.
- After dry brushing, take a shower to help remove the dry skin.
- After your shower, dry off and then put on your moisturizer.
Dry brushing does not take long, I would say 2-5 mins a day, I personally try to do it every day before I jump in the shower. But you can start with 2-3 times a week. You can also do your face, but I would use a smaller, less coarse brush for your face. My provider gave me a set of brushes (one for my body and one for my face) and you can get them on Amazon for less than $20. The link is below! You should give it a try!