Skin Detox Diet

For people who want clear, beautiful skin, they can need more than just adding chemicals and ingredients found in many facial creams and cleansers to the skin. A skin detox diet used to purify the body both internally and externally can be done with a detox cleanse or fasting period in order to remove built-up toxins. Improving the skin's appearance is actually something that needs to be done from the inside as well as the outside.

Food to Avoid

The food and chemicals we eat often show up on our skin. Pimples, oiliness, wrinkles and dryness are all a result of what we put in our bodies, and they can be helped with better nutrition. When we consume a diet full of processed, high sugar or fatty foods, the body works harder at getting rid of them than it does at creating new, healthy and vibrant skin cells. The organs responsible for toxin elimination--the colon, kidney and liver--are often overwhelmed with them, so the body removes any excess through the pores, causing clogging, breakouts, redness and skin irritation. To detox the skin, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables and get at least 64 oz of water each day. Refrain from consuming vegetable oils, caffeine, refined carbohydrates, alcohol and sugar to begin detoxing the skin and receiving a more healthy appearance.

Food and Supplements

While detoxing the body, it is important to still supply it with proper vitamins and minerals for skin health. Taking antioxidant supplements will help the fight against free radicals, which cause cancer and harm healthy cells. Consume fruits and vegetables primarily for a day or two to begin the detox, and add fish into the diet instead of red meat. Omega-3 oils from fish are healthy for the organs as well as the skin. Vitamin A from butter or cod liver oil and zinc from eggs and seeds are beneficial for the skin, as well as Vitamin B-12, which helps the body deal with stress. Vitamin C helps build and renew collagen, while vitamin E offers the body plenty of antioxidant support. Magnesium and manganese are minerals that help the liver in the detox process.

Cleansing

During a detox, keep the skin clean of dead skin cells and remove toxins that have been expelled from the body. Brush or wipe down the body two or three times a day, and use a soft washcloth to wipe down the face. Use a sauna or steam room to help expel excess toxins from the body, or take frequent hot showers. In many instances of detoxification, symptoms can get worse before they improve, but they should never last more than a week. If they do, seek a doctor's opinion to make sure the body is able to handle a detox period.