If you can't "pull toxins" out of the pores, why does the myth still persist?

JamiSings

Wasn't sure if I should put this under "skin care", "Beauty Science or BS" - so I stuck it in general. Though if the BBs feel like blogging about it they can.

So I'm sitting here with a clay mask on pondering this. The BBs have told us before that masks don't really pull acne causing toxins out. Or any other toxins. However, people still believe they do.

Now I've said before that I've had very stubborn zits form heads or even pop while wearing a clay mask. I've formed a theory that this is because of the pressure that is exerted by the clay as it dries. Like those times I've went against everyone's advice, bought one of those cheap "pore vacuums" - despite everyone claiming it can severely damage the skin - and held it over a large cystic pimple for several minutes - forcing a white head to form. Only clay can do it on a large scale and without my arms getting tired from holding something in on position. (Except when I decide to speed the drying by using a hair dryer....)

So think I'm right? That the gradually increasing pressure is what causes the pimples to surface and even pop, which helps keep the myth that the clay is "pulling toxins" out of the pores to survive?

And then there's epson salts. I've noticed a lot of female celebrities lately saying how they take epson salt baths to "draw toxins from their pores."

I know that when I take a bath with epson salts, especially after doing a lot of physical activity, I hurt a lot less then just a hot bath without epson salts. But can they really "pull toxins" out?

Now not a toxin - but when I was a teenager I stepped on a small piece of broken glass that went deep into my heel. The doctor could not get it out so he told me to soak my feet every day until it came out on it's own. After almost two days of not being able to walk completely on that foot, I went into the bathroom, grabbed the bandages, ointments like Bag Balm, Tiger Balm, and Neosporan, mixed them together with epson salts on a large square of gauze, taped that to my foot, put on an old sock, and went to bed. Next morning when I took it all off there was the glass sitting on the top of the cut.

So was it the poultice that drew the glass out? Did my body force it out and it was all a coincidence? Or does epson salts have some almost magical property that makes it draw out things like broken glass - and also toxins?

Thoughts? Theories? Bueller?

sarahf

Hmm. I think it would be important to define "toxin." Certainly, we don't use sweating to detoxify actual poisons. So maybe that's where the confusion lies. The gunk that comes out of your pimples, splinters, or cuts isn't poison--it's pus. At least I think so. Pus, plus the splinter (if there is one) or dead skin cells and debris (if such is the case). Maybe there are things (like masks, and warm compresses) that help encourage softening of this kind of pus and debris, making it easier for your body to extrude it. But it doesn't mean that sweating or pores are an important way that the body gets rid of things like cancer-causing substances or poisons. So like if you eat aflatoxin, or breathe carbon monoxide or formaldehyde, your body doesn't need to sweat those things out in order to excrete them. What do you think about this idea/distinction?

Ally E.

i'm not as scientific as BB, but I do have life experience. What do you guys say about having less pimples after sauna visits? If I visit sauna weekly my skin becomes much cleaner, KP gets better and skin is just overall more even.

sarahf

Hi Ally,

I never use saunas. Back when I used to be more acne-prone and less sun-avoidant, I would find that UV exposure helped my acne. People used to even advise it--sunbathing to clear your skin.

Ally E.

yeah, sunbathing cleared my acne and KP too. also the same happens when I use fake tan :) any science behind that?

Ally E.

also dehydrated skin clears from acne, like after a good hangover :) my personal experience of course

rozy

i think a tan draws less attention to the blemishes than the stark contrast of the pink/red with pasty white skin. thats why some people think black people have better skin.

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