Skin Detox

Deeply Detox and Rejuvenate Your Skin with these Ayurvedic Tips

The skin is the largest organ of your body. It is your first defense against toxicity, pollution, environmental factors and irritants. It works day and night, but sometimes it may need to overwork. It is this overexertion that may lead to skin problems and the need for detox.

Contrary to what most people think, chronically dry, wrinkly and irritated skin cannot be treated with a quick-fix, like gulping down a few litres of water! This is due to the fact that skin is not only what you see on the outside, but a multi-layer system which connects to one of the most vital internal organs – the gut.

Understanding the Gut-Skin Connection

Our 23-feet (7-metre) long intestine is directly connected to the skin, a relation Ayurveda practitioners have been familiar with since ancient times. This is why, as soon as the gut heals, the skin also heals and rejuvenates, much like a mirror-reflection of what is going on inside the body.

The communication between the gut and the skin is known as the gut-skin axis. Similarities between the two organs are also worth noting, such as the fact that both the gut and the skin are defenders against pathogens and are neuroendocrine messengers, sending signals to the brain and other organs. Another similarity is that they both have what is called a microbiome; the gut’s microbiome is a protective barrier within the gut, much like the skin’s microbiome, which externally protects against pathogens, pollutants and irritants. If the gut microbiome is impaired, the skin’s protective barrier will also be insufficient in doing its job.

Are you now convinced that you would need to heal your gut in order to detox and rejuvenate your skin?

Warning Signs

5,000 years ago, Ancient India was not ridden by pollution or the modern toxins and irritants we are bombarded with today. Despite this, the need for skin detox was a prerequisite for good health and Ayurvedic healers would regularly massage and cleanse the skin of their patients to ensure good blood circulation, lymphatic drainage and optimal organ function. The main Ayurvedic principle, after all, is detox and rejuvenate!

Today, we don’t bother much about our skin unless the warning signs show up. This is your body’s way of crying out that it needs urgent help, communicating with you through the largest visible organ of your body! These signs may include:

• Chronically dry skin
• Chronic or severe acne
• Rashes or eczema
• Itchy skin
• Psoriasis
• Fungi on skin or nails
• Clogged pores
• Digestive problems

Addressing these problems with an Ayurvedic practitioner will lead to a safe, holistic, drug-free treatment that your body will truly thank you for. But how is it done?

The Ayurvedic Skin Detox Process

In our YATAN Holistic Ayurvedic Centre, we have been successfully helping patients detox through Panchakarma for two decades. Panchakarma is a popular Ayurvedic rejuvenation experience that can be tailored for you only by a professional Ayurvedic practitioner.

Upon visiting our clinic for a deep skin detox, you would be provided with the following treatments:

1. Steaming. For a deeply detoxifying and “skin-melting” effect, you would firstly be seated a steaming chamber with your head on the outside. Your Ayurvedic practitioner will have most likely added herbs to the steam bath depending on your Dosha.
2. Massage. The next step after steaming, and since your skin will now be dry, would entail an Ayurvedic Oil massage. The Ayurvedic practitioner will know what oil to choose depending on the organ or part of the body that requires the most intensive treatment. Expect smooth, supple and energised skin as well as clean, relaxed pores.
3. Bath. Your skin detox treatment would end with a cleansing bath. Including Ayurvedic herbal powder in the bath or Ayurvedic Rock Salt is known to penetrate the skin and detoxify its deepest layers.

Once your treatment is complete, you would be advised to implement some self-help tips at home. These would include:

• Adding hydrating and oily foods to your diet, such as butter, ghee, lentil soup, brown rice and meat soup.
• Avoiding sugary foods and beverages, particularly if you have acne.
• Practising Yoga, particularly breathing techniques (pranayama) such as Bhastrika Pranayama and Kabalbhati Pranayama. For those untrained in Yoga, you can sign up for our Online Yoga Course.
• Taking care of your skin’s surface by exposing it to the sun only very briefly, keeping yourself hydrated in hot and dry temperatures (though this will not resolve deeper skin issues) and using skin-friendly products such as our Yogi Soap and Shatavari Body & Face Oil.

Looking for a customised, all-natural and drug-free way to detox your skin and reverse damage and aging?  Contact us for a free no-obligation Ayurveda consultation today!

All information and resources referenced in this article, including medicinal preparations, exercise and dietary recommendations, are based on the opinion of the author. All content is intended to inform and encourage the reader to seek professional advice if the aforementioned conditions and symptoms are present. No information in this article should be considered a diagnosis or prescription.