Dry Skin Brushing 101

External support for our inner beauty.

Just below the surface of our skin lies a web of connective tissue called the fascia, and running through the fascia is the lymphatic system; networks of tiny vessels that contain our lymphatic fluid.

Even little kids tend to know about the heart and how it pumps our blood for us. But not many adults that I speak to know about the OTHER circulatory system in our body – the lymphatic system.

Blood carries oxygen and nutrients to our trillions of cells. First it’s pumped out of the heart into the aorta that keeps branching off into smaller arteries, then arterioles, and then finally capillaries. It’s like the blood cells are first on a highway, then a major road, then a smaller road, finally a side street, and into a tiny lane that’s only one vehicle wide.

The body cells take what they need and trade gases with the red blood cells. “Thank you for the oxygen. Here’s some carbon dioxide for you!” and the red blood cells bring that back to the heart and lung system for disposal and to restock on oxygen. And round and around they go…

Since the red blood cells don’t pick up the metabolic waste that the cells excrete, just the CO₂, the cellular “garbage” is just pushed out of the cell into the extra-cellular fluid. In order to keep our tissues bathing in clear, health fluid, it’s the lymphatic system that collects the waste and brings it back into circulation up near the heart (in a reverse analogy of lane, to side street, to bigger road, major road, and finally a wide highway).

Dry skin brushing is simply a way to gently slough off dead skin cells, move the lymphatic fluid in the network below the skin, and consequently to stimulate blood flow throughout the body, particularly to the skin! More blood flow means more nutrients and better waste removal which in turn means healthier cells inside and out.