From behind your spa’s curtain to behind your bathroom door, dry brushing is the latest fad in the skincare world. A natural bristle brush is the preferred dry-brushing tool and should be used before a shower.
How To Dry Brush
Dry brushing is very simple. Before getting in the shower, take a soft, natural bristle brush and move in gentle circles from your ankles to your hips, from your wrists to your shoulders, and on your stomach and back before hopping in the shower.
People who advocate for the easy-to-do body treatment claim that dry-brushing exfoliates the skin and “increase[s] circulation, which helps to bring skin-tightening and collagen-building nutrients to the skin’s surface.” There are also rumors that this technique helps to rid your body of cellulite through removal of toxins [Read more].
Does It Get Rid of Toxins?
A 2010 New York Times article featuring a proponent of dry-brushing, also urges consumers to not be too quick to believe the miracle-worker claims of dry-brushing. Dr. Tina S. Alster, a Washington D.C. based dermatologist and professor at Georgetown University, echoes Dr. Weil when discussing the idea of ridding the body of toxins. She explains that the liver is “the body’s largest eliminator of waste.”
Does It Really Help Cellulite?
While using such a brush does exfoliate the skin, doctors have been quick to debunk the cellulite claim, which Dr. Andrew Weil says, “makes no sense.” The renowned doctor explains how cellulite is formed when “fat is arranged in large chambers separated from each other by columns of connective tissue. If fat overflows these chambers as a result of being overweight, or if the connective tissue slackens with age (as it invariably does), the result is the classic pitting and bulging we have come to know as cellulite.”
Weil also refutes the claim that dry-brushing removes any significant amount of toxins from the body, noting that your body “does a pretty good job of cleansing and purifying itself.” Dr. Weil adds that if you enjoy dry-brushing, it can’t harm you, but don’t expect it to work miracles.
In the above New York Times article Dr. Carolyn Jacob of Chicago explains that “cellulite is a complex problem that involved thin skin and the kind of fibrous bands holding in women’s fat.” She continued to explain that dry-brushing cannot alter the fibrous bands. Dr. Jacob also warns that excessive dry brushing can lead to skin irritation in some individuals.
Bottom Line
While many caution against the irritation dry-brushing can cause, there are still those that swear by the method, such as Hollywood’s Molly Sims. Additionally, while some of the claims of dry-brushing are inaccurate, the exfoliation benefits are definitely present, which Dr. Neal Shultz explains in his DermTV video.
I myself have yet to try this beauty treatment. Please share below if you have!
Earth Therapeutics Purest Palm Body Brush ($7.86, amazon.com)
Fantasea Natural Bristle Body Brush ($4.15, amazon.com)
Ecotools Bamboo Bristle Bath Brush ($9.95, amazon.com)
