Dry, Itchy Skin? Try Dry Brushing

Paula Gallagher on
Dry skin brushing can help with dry, itchy skin and has other health benefits.

Is your skin rough and flaky even though you have tried all the lotions and oils? If the cold weather is making you itch, you may want to try dry skin brushing.

Dry brushing is a gentle treatment that not only removes dull, rough skin but also stimulates circulation and lymphatic drainage. It helps the body detoxify by removing excess dead cells that make our skin feel rough and dry.

Benefits of Dry Skin Brushing

Dry brushing is thought to have even more benefits than just softer skin. Other benefits that are touted from dry brushing are:

    Improves Blood Circulation

    If you've noticed that your skin is red after dry brushing, it's not just a result of irritation, and it actually isn't a cause for concern. The redness, which may be just a bit of inflammation, is the result of increased circulation in the areas you've been dry brushing. Your body is simply pushing more blood to those areas.

    Improves Lymphatic Drainage

    All blood carries lymph fluid, which filters through the lymph nodes. Dry brushing speeds up the rate of blood pumping, which helps get the lymph through the body, therefore removing toxins and pathogens more quickly.

    Wakes You Up

    Dry brushing helps to maintain alertness during the day and enhance sleep at night (so may be best to do this in morning).

    Steps to Body Brushing

    If you want to start dry brushing, make sure to use a soft brush with natural bristles. Avoid synthetic bristles, as they can be too hard on the skin.

    1. Start with completely dry skin, and pass over each area two or three times. Always brush toward the heart to encourage proper blood and lymph drainage.
    2. Begin with the soles of your feet; use smooth, gentle strokes, moving from the toes to the heel.
    3. Carry on up the legs with long, upward strokes. Start on the inner calf and thigh, then move to the outer leg.
    4. Continue brush strokes over the buttocks and lower back.
    5. On the arms, start at your fingertips and continue to your armpit. (You may want to do an extra pass or two over the dry, often tough, knees and elbows.)
    6. Over your abdomen, work in gentle clockwise circles.
    7. Brush your back by starting at the nape of your neck and brush downward – this is where a long-handled brush comes in handy.
    8. Continue over the shoulders as far down your back as you can reach.
    9. Lastly, start just under the earlobes and brush down your neck to the front upper-chest area.
    10. After body brushing, shower or bathe to rinse away all those loosened skin cells. Gently towel dry, then smooth on a nourishing vegetable oil such as almond or jojoba.
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