How to Detox for Skin Issues

If you listen, your skin screams when something is wrong. 

The message is literally printed on your face, and it’s the loudest signal that you need to detox for skin issues. You might break out or struggle with oily or dry skin naturally, but the toxins in your environment seep into the body to make matters worse. Without change, your skin will continue to look dull and lead to further health complications. 

The health of your skin  is essential for your well-being. Taking care of your skin results in less disease and health issues later in life (7), but it also boosts your self-esteem and confidence when you look and feel your best. 

In this post, I’ll show you the role toxins play in your skin troubles and what you can do about it. 

The Role of Toxins in Your Skin Issues

There are two main ways toxins cause skin issues: what you eat and what you put on your skin. Your environment and lifestyle also play a huge role, as everyone is exposed to free radicals daily. The skin reacts accordingly, and your overall complexion or “glow” reflects the number of toxins inside you and when you need to detox for skin issues. 

If you have too many toxins in your body, you may notice:

• Fatigue
• Irritability
• Mood swings
• Headaches
• Nausea
• Constipation
• Bad breath
• White or yellow-coated tongue
• Weight gain, particularly in the belly
• Inability to lose weight
• Sensitivity to smells
• Muscle aches and pains
• Abdominal bloating
• High-stress levels

The skin attempts to tell you when something is wrong, but symptoms vary. They may come and go, remain persistent, or change over time. Knowing what your skin is going through can take patience until you see what the signs mean for you. When toxins build-up, look for detox symptoms skin may show like:

• Dull skin
• Pimples and blackheads
• Skin not maintaining moisture or overproducing oil
• Itchy, bumpy, rough, dry, or uneven skin
• Acne, rosacea, eczema, psoriasis, or puffy eyes
• Severe other skin problems like rashes
• Signs of an infected hair follicle 

How Toxins Lead to Skin Issues

Whether you ingest a toxin or put it on your skin, the chemicals seep into the bloodstream. But the body is quite good at ridding itself of harmful substances. The three organs responsible for eliminating toxic substances include:

• Liver
• Kidneys
• Colon or large intestine

Your organs filter out what you eat and process the nutrients. Over time, multiple or large amounts of exposure to toxins leads to disease and immediately show on the skin. 

Which Toxins Have the Greatest Effect on Skin Health?

When looking for natural products free of toxins, disregard labels that read “all-natural,” “toxin-free,” or “chemical-free.” Instead, look at the ingredient list. If you can’t pronounce everything inside the product, it’s not natural. 

Here are the most toxic skincare ingredients that pose a negative effect.

Parabens 

A family of preservatives meant to prevent bacteria growth and increase shelf-life, parabens are in nearly every skincare product. The body absorbs the chemicals through the bloodstream within hours after application, and they mess with your hormones. Europe even restricted parabens due to a link to breast cancer and reproductive issues (1). 

Commonly In: Cosmetics (especially foundation), shampoo, body wash, sunscreen, antiperspirants, hair products, face wash, mouthwash, night cream, and body lotion. 

Phthalates

Phthalates are in nail products and cosmetics to help them stick. However, they’re highly dangerous for kids and can cause severe ongenital disabilities (4). Even though they’re banned in U.S. children’s products, phthalates hide in labels under “fragrance.”

Commonly In: Cosmetics, nail products, lotion, deodorant, hair spray, and fragrances.

Synthetic Fragrance

The word “fragrance” hides the ingredients a company doesn’t want to disclose, which often include chemicals that cause hormone disruption, allergies, sensitive skin, breakouts, rashes, and other health problems (6). 

Commonly In: Hand creams, makeup, moisturizers, and hair products. 

Formaldehyde 

A known carcinogen, formaldehyde is linked to various cancers (2). It’s a preservative in cosmetics (among other things like plastics, gas stoves, and toilet cleaners), and might be listed on products as other ingredients like:

• Diazolidinyl urea
• Imidazolidinyl urea
• Methenamine

Commonly In: Makeup, shampoo, body wash, and bubble bath. 

Formaldehyde is also found in cigarette smoke (2). It plays a massive role in your skin issues if you smoke, vape, or spend a lot of time around a smoker. 

Detoxification and Your Skin: Why is Detoxing Important?

A properly functioning body won’t show outward signs like breakouts, excess oil, redness, eye bags, puffiness, discoloration, or dullness. Completing a detox for skin issues is crucial because it can help rebalance your health, which reflects both inside and out. 

Benefits of Detox for Skin Issues

A detox for skin issues can help boost energy levels, improve skin, and decrease your likelihood of getting wrinkles or acne breakouts. You’ll feel better overall, and your skin shows it. 

Better Skin

We all want better skin, and that’s the most significant benefit of a skin detox. A natural skin detox can clear breakouts and acne, help the skin appear to glow, and overall boost the appearance. 

Wrinkles

Stress and clogged pores are the biggest causes of aging skin. Some products contain oils that deteriorate collagen and speed up wrinkles. Look for products with non-pore clogging oils. You can also maintain a healthy lifestyle with stress-busters like yoga, exercise, meditation, walking, reading, or the best cure, laughing with friends and family. 

To combat wrinkles, avoid topical products that claim to soften fine lines like retinol or vitamin A.  This ingredient is in anti-aging products and sunscreen, and it damages DNA and may increase the growth of skin tumors (5). 

How to Detox for Better Skin Health

Because the skin is the largest organ in the human body, fixing internal issues reflects on the surface. Even chronic skin problems begin inside, so changing what toxins you’re around is the best way to heal. Cleansing the skin with a natural detox remedy or completing a full-body cleanse can also help when issues arise. 

To detox naturally for better skin, start thinking about what goes into your body. The easiest way is to combat the toxins in your food and environment that cause skin issues by making diet changes and selecting natural skincare products. 

Food and Drink

Many toxins clog pores and dehydrate you from the inside. One of the best ways on how to detox the skin from the inside out is to drink plenty of water, exercise for at least 30 minutes per day, and avoid eating sugar. Dehydrating and processed foods kill skin as well, including:

• Alcohol
• Caffeine
• Soda
• White sugar
• White flour
• Dairy products, like milk, cheese, and ice cream

Inflammatory foods also exacerbate skin problems, along with a lack of the fatty acids your body needs. Replace these harmful foods with organic choices like:

• Herbal teas
• Water
• Turmeric milk
• Leafy greens or superfood greens supplement 
• Avocados
• Unripe bananas
• Chia and flax seeds
• Seeds and nuts

Cosmetics and Personal Care Products

How toxins lead to skin issues is complicated, but there is a wide range of toxic chemicals in cosmetics and other skincare products on the market today. While women are impacted the most because they tend to use cosmetics more, men and children also suffer from harmful ingredients in personal care products. 

The chemicals added to these products enter the bloodstream, where they pollute the body. Some even contain penetration-enhancers to help the chemicals enter your body faster. Fighting off toxins taxes the body and skin, resulting in serious skin issues. 

You can also naturally detox by:

• Adding probiotics to support digestion through fermented foods like yogurt, kefir, sauerkraut, tempeh, miso soup, or kim chi. 
• Eating plenty of organic vegetables, particularly leafy greens.
• Purchasing only natural skincare products, which are free from ingredients like artificial fragrances, phthalates, sulfates, parabens, and other toxins. 
• Drinking an herbal detox tea like dandelion tea for liver support. 
• Using juice cleanses to add healthy green veggies (not fruit) loaded with fiber to your diet.
• Dry brushing your body in circular motions before your morning shower removes dead skin cells, stimulates the lymphatic system, and improves circulation.
• Using a detoxifying mud mask weekly to exfoliate and draw out impurities. 

How Does a Full-Body Cleanse Naturally Detoxify Your Skin?

How do full-body cleanses work? Well, they naturally detoxify the skin by cleansing the body from the inside out. They remove toxins starting with the liver, which drives detoxification through the intestines, kidneys, and out through the skin. The cleanse then improves blood circulation and adds nutrients in the body. 

How to Select the Right Full-Body Cleanse Program for Healthier Skin

To find the best full-body cleanse program for healthier skin, consider your needs and what may be causing your woes. Beware of store-bought cleanses too. 

Full-body cleanses that claim to flush toxins from your liver, kidneys, or colon can cause injury. Store-bought cleanses also run the risk of wiping out the good bacteria in your gut and instead cause inflammation and other issues due to the toxins they contain. 

Instead, try addressing the problem. The right cure for you may lie in your care. Your sleep habits could cause your chronic fatigue, for example. Detox skin rash pictures online can help you determine if synthetic fragrances are the cause of your problems. 

The Best Skin Detox Treatment for Acne and Breakouts

The best external skin detox acne treatment involves a nightly skincare regimen or weekly facials. Start by removing your makeup and deep clean using a natural cleanser to remove toxic build-up from outside. Next, apply moisturizer. An organic toner can also help remove dead skin cells. 

For a skin detox acne treatment when breakouts arise, apply a clay or charcoal face mask once or twice per week. Clay is known to provide a deep clean while charcoal helps balance oils, unclog pores, and clear up skin prone to breakouts or irritations (3). 

The Best Full-Body Cleanse for Skin Issues

The liver is vital in detoxing the skin, so the best full-body cleanse you can do for skin issues starts with aiding liver function. Eat only foods that promote gut health rather than problem-causing foods. Certain foods high in omega-3 fatty acids and healthy fats, like avocados, walnuts, and olive oil, speed up the skin’s recovery time. Herbs like cilantro and parsley help detoxify the liver as well. 

The Best Detox Supplements for Skin Issues

You can also incorporate supplements to make up for the nutrients your diet lacks. The best natural supplements to detox for skin issues include:

• Essential oils – Tea tree, peppermint, eucalyptus, lemongrass, orange, and lavender are all excellent for detoxification. You can either diffuse them, add to bath water, or add them to a veggie cap and dilute with a food grade carrier oil like EVOO.  To ingest essential oils in liquids, the ideal way is to mix the essential oil with a half teaspoon of honey. Then it can be taken by mouth or mixed into hot water if someone wants to drink the oil. I also have no problem with adding a drop of oil when I am blending a smoothie because it gets mixed much better.
• Apple cider vinegar – Add a cup of apple cider vinegar to your bath for skin issues like eczema or psoriasis, as it detoxifies and cures. Soak in the mixture with two cups of Epsom salt for 20 minutes. 
• Hydrogen peroxide – With a quart of 3% hydrogen peroxide in your bath, you can soak as the toxins leave your body and the skin rejuvenates. It’s great for detox and itching skin. 
• Detox water with activated charcoal pills – Drop the tablet in a glass of water to clear your complexion and drink the mixture in the morning. 
• Dietary supplements – Fatty acids are shown to aid skin issues like eczema. 
• Hydration Superfood Energy Supplement for daily detox and anti-aging support

How Often to Detoxify Your Skin

Everyone is different, so how long and often you need to detoxify your skin varies. More toxins in your environment and skincare products may increase the frequency you need to detox. Find a plan that works for you, based on your skin’s condition. Detox with every season change for the best results, or four times each year.

Can Detoxing Your Body Make Your Skin Breakout?

If you experience a skin breakout during detox, don’t worry. The body pushes toxins out through your skin, which may cause redness or breakouts at first. Continue your detoxification regime, and the issues will pass. 

Use these simple, yet essential ways to detox for skin issues to look your best inside and out. Check out our book called Clean Skin from Within for further help as you learn how to detox skin from the inside out. 

 

Sources:

1. Breast Cancer Prevention Partners. (2019). Parabens. Retrieved from: https://www.bcpp.org/resource/parabens/
2. National Cancer Institute. (2011). Formaldehyde and Cancer Risk. Retrieved from: https://www.cancer.gov/about-cancer/causes-prevention/risk/substances/formaldehyde/formaldehyde-fact-sheet
3. Reader’s Digest Best Health Magazine. Yep, You Can Detox and Purify Your Skin and Hair with Activated Charcoal. Retrieved from: https://www.besthealthmag.ca/best-looks/beauty/detox-and-beautify-your-skin-and-hair-with-activated-charcoal/
4. Braun, Joseph M. (2014). Phthalate Exposure and Children’s Health. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3747651/
5. Mukherjee, Siddharth, et al. (2006). Retinoids in the treatment of skin aging: an overview of clinical efficacy and safety. Retrieved from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2699641/
6. EWG Cosmetics Database. Fragrance. Retrieved from:https://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ingredient/702512/FRAGRANCE/
7. National Institute on Aging. Skin Care and Aging. Retrieved from: https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/skin-care-and-aging