7 Benefits of Dry Brushing

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Curious about dry brushing and why to do it? Today we are sharing 7 great benefits of this health technique from our friends over at Hello Glow.

Why is it that some of the healthiest habits make us look and feel kind of ridiculous? (See: oil pulling, yoga, turmeric masks.) Dry brushing is no exception, but just like sloshing oil in our mouths, hanging out in downward dog, and slathering our faces with neon-yellow paste, it’s totally worth it. Need a few reasons why?

7 Benefits of Dry Brushing:

It helps remove waste: Dry brushing gets your lymphatic system moving, which helps your body eliminate toxins lingering inside. Over time and from the impact of gravity, our lymphatic flow becomes sluggish and inefficient, so it is essential to support the body’s natural process of delivering nutrients and removing waste products [source].

This can be accomplished with dry brushing. Lymphatic congestion is a major factor leading to inflammation and disease, and massaging those lymph channels helps the body shed excess water and toxins.

It improves blood flow: No surprise, much like massage therapy [source], skin brushing can get the blood flowing. That circulation boost is important for delivering oxygen and nutrients to your cells and also carrying off metabolic waste. Poor circulation can lead to swelling, cellulite, pain, and varicose veins.

It helps smooth out cellulite: Dry skin brushing can help to soften fat deposits below the skin, which can minimize the appearance of cellulite when coupled with other lifestyle changes and home remedies. When toxins and excess water build up in the subcutaneous tissue, cellulite becomes more apparent. That’s the theory, at least.

Anecdotally, it has helped my lumpy spots, but there’s no research to back this up, and anti-cellulite road tests have had mixed results. Some find dry brushing helps smooth away less-than-perfect spots on legs, while others see no cellulite improvement.

It exfoliates the skin: A dry-brush routine is also great for skin exfoliation, as you’ll be sloughing off dead skin and unclogging pores from top to bottom [source]. As we age, our skin doesn’t renew as quickly, and excess skin cells build up, making the skin appear dry. With dry brushing, those unnecessary dead skin cells are gently removed, which not only gives you softer skin but also makes it easier for your body to accept hydration from your moisturizer and sweat out toxins.

It wakes up the nervous system: Dry brushing helps stimulate the nervous system by stimulating nerve endings in the skin. Brushing is often described as ‘invigorating’ because it provides a good energy jolt if you’re feeling sluggish.

It improves skin tone: Stimulating the nervous system also stimulates muscle fibers, which builds muscle tone that helps counteract sagging skin.

It eases anxiety: Dry brushing can be a soothing, stress-relieving ritual that eases tension in the body. Dr. Leslie Korn recommends dry brush therapy to patients with depression and anxiety. She writes that dry brushing is a “safe self-care activity that can be done daily as a way to check in and connect with feelings, sensations, and the boundaries and self-image of the body.”

Looking for a great dry brush? Here are the ones that the team at WOT recommends!