Topical Detoxification

There are several ways by which one is able to detoxify oneself externally and these include rinsing out skin lesions as well as other problems related to the skin; and drawing out toxic substances from the body by means of applying various substances on the skin surface that help to extract as well as detoxify. A number of these treatments have the aptitude to stimulate the immune system as well as augment the count of white blood cells (leukocytes).

When you apply compresses, packs and poultices to cleanse your body, they help to promote circulation, induce perspiration excreting toxic substances and also pull out dirt or contamination. These treatments are non-invasive and may facilitate the body in getting rid of several dissimilar types of infections and toxins.

Caution: At times, people who are sensitive are likely to develop skin rashes following any specific treatment. In such as situation, never use the same treatment another time.

Compresses

Precisely speaking, a compress is a supple pad made from cloth or gauze and is put on a part of the body with variable levels of pressure. You may use compresses to hold back bleeding; lessen inflammation and pain; or even avoid infections.

ICE OR COLD: Applying ice or cold compresses helps to alleviate pain as well as lessen swellings. Cold compresses should be changed or removed when become warm, same as the body temperature.
Cold or ice compresses are effective for treating sprains, strains, headaches, arthritis, bursitis, sore throat, swellings, inflammations, hemorrhoids and even fever.
HOT: You may apply hot or warm compresses to invigorate blood as well as lymph circulation, in addition to heating the cold joints. You need to change or remove them when they become cold, same as the body temperature.
You may also apply hot compresses to alleviate headaches, earache pains, diverticulitis (inflammation of any diverticula), cystitis, old injuries and also flatulence.
ALTERNATING HOT AND COLD: Applying hot and cold compresses alternately to the affected body parts will facilitate in flushing out accumulated fluids from those areas, draw out toxins and waste materials during the contractive (cold) phase, while introducing blood as well as nutriments (fresh fluids) during the expansive (hot) phase.
It is advisable that you use heated compresses for roughly 3 to 4 minutes and follow this up by applying cold compresses for about 30 to 60 seconds. Do this again and again for 3 to 5 times and ensure that you always end the process applying a cold compress. This treatment is useful for treating several conditions, counting hepatitis, nephritis, hemorrhoids, sinusitis, glaucoma and even inflamed ovaries.
EPSOM SALTS: Liquefy one cup (250 ml) of Epsom salts in half a gallon (roughly 1.89 liters) of hot water and use it in the form of a compress to pull out boils or any kind of infection. Keep the compress till it cools down. You may repeat the process if necessary.
HERBAL: Particular herbal compresses may be used for different conditions, such as bruises, hematomas, swelling and pain. Herbal compresses are prepared by attenuating herbs in water. If you are using a warm herbal compress, apply it till it becomes cool, while cool compresses should be left till the body temperature makes them warm. Do this several times with a view to get the much-needed relief.
ESSENTIAL OILS: You can prepare a compress with essential oils by drenching a piece of cloth in water and adding essential oils in the measure of six drops and apply it directly to the body areas that have been affected by wounds, injuries, skin disorders or to joint aches and sore muscles.
Use essential oils to prepare hot compresses by adding a few drops of the oils to hot water. However, ensure that the compress cools down to a safe temperature for the skin before using it. Apply it to the affected area and allow it to remain till it cools down to normal body temperature. While using cold compresses with essential oil, you may use ice and let it remain in place till it warms up to the body temperature. If required, repeat either/ both these compresses a number of times.

Poultices

A poultice is basically a hot, damp preparation which may be put on any body part that requires alleviating pain, relieving congestion, lessening inflammation, promoting absorption or treating an abscess, promote relaxation of muscles, lessen swelling of tissues as well as tension, promote healthy granulation (new tissue formation), make the crusted lesions softer, as well as disinfect or deodorize.

Poultices are different from compresses, as no pressure is required while applying poultices and the substances like herbs or clay are used as a whole, instead of diluting them in water. Poultices enclose a moist heat that is able to roughly enter the body by an inch - sometimes even as much as three inches. It is important to note that the poultice ought to be somewhat larger compared to the organ that it heals.

Unlike compresses, a poultice can be allowed to remain overnight. Majority of poultices are used in a lukewarm state and they should never be heated again. When a poultice cools down, you should throw it away.

CLAY: Clays are known to be very effective in drawing out toxic substances from the body. Clay may be employed in poultices in the form of a clay and water paste or added with glycerine to form a clay-glycerine mixture.
Before preparing a clay poultice, disinfect the clay by putting it over an oven at 350�F and continue till it is heated all over. Next, blend the sterilized clay with glycerine or water. Put this paste on the skin and cover it using a piece of cotton cloth. Ensure that the poultice is always kept damp. You may leave the clay poultice on the affected body area for anything between 6 hours and 10 hours. When you remove the poultice, wash the skin thoroughly and dry the area using a towel lightly. You may apply the poultice again after a gap of one to two hours.
Clay poultices are very useful for treating acne, corns; boils; callouses; insect stings; gangrene; hemorrhoids; ulcers; skin sores as well as ringworm.
CHARCOAL: Poultices made with charcoal are highly effective in alleviating pain and swelling caused by bee stings and spider bites. Charcoal poultices also help to draw out the insect venom from the body.
Prepare a charcoal poultice by blending water and pounded flaxseed (used in the form of a congealing agent) with charcoal. You may apply this poultice externally on nearly all parts of the body. The recipe is blending three tablespoon grounded flaxseed, one cup (250 ml) of water and one to three tablespoon of charcoal. Set this mixture aside for about 20 minutes to set in. Alternatively, you may also gently heat the mixture to congeal it.
Smear this charcoal blend roughly 1/ 4 inch dense on a square piece of white cotton cloth or paper towel and cover it with another towel or cloth. Apply this poultice to the area afflicted by insect venom and cover it using a plastic sheet and place a towel over it. Keep this poultice in place for anything between six hours to ten hours. When you remove the poultice, throw it away and gently massage the skin using a cold and damp cloth.
You can also prepare mini poultices that are useful in dealing with mosquito, ant and chigger bites. In addition, such poultices also decontaminate eruptions due to contact with poison ivy. Spread the charcoal on a gauze or Band-Aid and apply it to the affected area. You may also dip a piece of moist gauze into powdered charcoal or chafe a charcoal tablet on a wet Band-Aid or gauze till they turn black and put it over the injured area.
Another type of charcoal poultice may be prepared by blending powdered charcoal and olive oil in equal proportions. Apply this poultice to the bite or sting area using a piece of cotton or paper towel that is totally saturated with the blend. Cover the poultice using a plastic and keep it in place using an adhesive tape. Allow the poultice to remain for quite a few hours.
CORNSTARCH: You may prepare a poultice using a blend of cornstarch and fresh lemon juice or witch hazel. This poultice helps to provide relief from the itching caused by mosquito bites. Blend cornstarch and witch hazel/ fresh lemon juice in equal proportions and apply the paste to the area bitten by mosquitoes. Hold the paste in place for about 30 minutes to 60 minutes by covering with a cotton cloth or paper towel or Band-Aid and fastening it with an adhesive tape. If required, apply the poultice a number of times again.
HERBAL: You can prepare herbal poultices by making a paste of herbs or pounding herbs, moistening them and applying the paste/ pounded herb to the body directly or by placing them between gauze layers. Ensure that the thickness of the poultice is no less than 1/4 to 1/2 inch. Keep the poultice in place with the help of a stretchy bandage or an adhesive tape. You may let the poultice stay in place for a minimum of three hours or throughout the night.
MUSTARD: A mustard poultice is generally referred to as a mustard plaster. In fact, many people remember having been given mustard plasters during their childhood and, at times, these are not very pleasing memories. Nevertheless, provided the mustard plaster is applied appropriately, it can be very useful in alleviating congestion as well as improving circulation.
You may prepare a mustard poultice/ plaster by stirring one tablespoon of dehydrated mustard into four tablespoons of flour. Prepare a paste by adding sufficient water and spread it thinly on a clean piece of cloth placed on a warm plate. While you should ensure that the plaster is sufficiently thin, but not runny, you should also be careful not to spread the plaster to the edges of the cloth. Position a piece of clean cloth over the chest of the patient to ensure that a layer of cloth is there between the patient's skin and the mustard plaster/ poultice. Set the poultice in position and cover it with a small plastic sheet with a view to avoid soiling the clothes of the patient as well as the bedclothes. Put a towel on top of the plastic and pin it to the clean cloth carefully to help keep the poultice in position.
Allow the poultice to remain in position for just 20 minutes. If you let the mustard poultice to remain for a longer period, it may result in skin blisters. You may remove the poultice even earlier in case the patient nags about a burning or stinging sensation or if the skin turns somewhat reddish. Once you have removed the mustard poultice, clean the skin using a cloth or tissue drenched in any tolerable oil, for instance, a cooking or mineral oil, with a view to take away the traces of mustard. Subsequently, cover the patient's chest with a towel or flannel and leave it for the entire night.

Packs

A pack is useful for treating a part of the body or the entire body by means of swathing it to offer protection, restraint or healing. When used for detoxification, packs are employed with a view to keep a treatment ready or offer a hot or cold application to a more extensive body area.

COLD PACK: Cold packs actually denote administering a cotton cloth immersed in ice cold water, wrenched in a manner that it does not dip on the area that needs to be treated. Ensure all the time that you place a piece of dry cloth between the skin and the cold pack. Replace the cold pack when it becomes warm due to body temperature.
It is important to note that you should wrap cold as well as hot applications with a dry cloth with a view to place them in position.
HOT PACK: Generally, hot packs are administered with a piece of cotton cloth drenched in tremendously hot water. Put the cloth on the area requiring treatment and substitute it with another pack when it has cooled down to the body temperature. Before applying the hot pack, ensure that you are able to endure its high temperature.
CASTOR OIL: You may apply castor oil packs on the tummy area where the liver is present with a view to detoxify the organ. In addition, it may also be used on the thymus gland with a view to reinforce the immune system. Castrol packs possess the aptitude to draw out toxins and waste products that may be four inches deep into the body. It is advisable that you always use a woollen flannel (preferable) or a white or un-dyed cotton cloth to soak the oil for applying on the affected area. It is important to drench the wool flannel in castor oil obtained by the cold pressed method. This is important, because using castor oil obtained by the heat process actually obliterates the therapeutic properties of the oil.
Apply the castor oil drenched cloth or flannel to the body area requiring treatment and cover the pack with a plastic sheet. Put a towel on the plastic and place a hot water bottle or heating pad on the towel. In case you are making use of a heating pad, it is important that it is just warm enough for the skin to tolerate. Provided you are using a hot water bottle, you need to refill the bottle if it cools down quite rapidly. Allow the pack to remain in position for about one hour to one-and-a-half hours. After removing the pack, rinse off any oil that might have been left behind with a solution prepared by dissolving baking soda in water.
Several healthcare professionals are of the view that you can store the cotton cloth in a Ziploc bag or in a container and use it many more times again prior to washing it. There are others who also advocate the reuse of the cloth, but say that the cloth should be reused just a couple of times prior to washing it. However, the number of times you can reuse the cloth safely depends solely on the amount of toxicity that the castor oil drenched cloth is being used to treat.
CLAY: Clay possesses anti-bacterial attributes and has the aptitude to draw out toxic substances from the body in the same manner as charcoal. You may use clay packs to lessen edema and also to cure boils. Clay possesses the power to draw toxins and surplus fluids from deep inside the body via the surface of the skin. Clay packs are useful for treating superficial as well as deep infections and they have the aptitude to aid in lessening pain as well as swelling. Many types of clays are apt for making packs, for instance, green clay, bentonite, and Indian Healing Clay. These varieties of clay as well as others can be obtained from stores selling health foods.
In order to prepare a clay pack, blend the clay with water till it becomes soft and does not have any lumps. The consistency of the pack should be similar to that of cream cheese or a heavy salve. Apply the pack directly to the area you are treating ensuring that it is 1/4 inch dense. Cover the pack with a moist cloth and leave it in place for anything between 30 minutes to 60 minutes. Subsequently, wash the clay using water and pat the area dry. Provided the clay pack results in rashes, never use it again.

Medicated soaks

Medicated soaks are solutions prepared with substances that soothe the skin and are applied externally for detoxifying specific body areas. In fact, soaks are very much same as detoxification baths, but their action is concentrated on specific body areas that require treatment, instead of the entire body.

BAKING SODA: Soaks as well as baths prepared with baking soda are alkaline, which are somewhat analgesic and sedative. They pacify reactions due to poison ivy and drugs, itching caused by heat rash, eczema, insect bites, sunburns, sensitivities to chemicals and plants as well as other common skin complaints and reactions.
Prepare the soak by adding one cup (250 ml) of baking soda to one tub of hot water at roughly 94�F to 98�F. Dip up the soaking water using a cup ensuring that it bathes all the affected skin areas continuously. Use this medicated soak for about anything between 30 minutes and one hour. Allow the surplus water to trickle down the skin and then pat the body dry using a clean towel.
STARCH: Soaks prepared with starch are generally used for treating skin complaints that are also treated using baking soda soaks. Prepare a starch soak by stirring 1/2 cup (125 ml) starch into a bucket or sparkling dishpan of hot water. If you are preparing a bath, stir one cup (250 ml) starch into a low water tub. The ideal temperature for this soak or bath ought to be anything between 94�F and 98�F. Ensure that you stir the water frequently to keep the starch on the brink.
Dip the soak or bath water with a cup to ensure that it covers all the entire affected skin areas. Immerse the effected body part in the bath and remain in the tub for about 20 minutes to 30 minutes. Subsequently, dry the skin in the air or gently pat it dry using a towel.
EPSOM SALTS: Take 1/2 gallon of hot water and add one cup (250 ml) of liquefy Epsom salts to prepare a therapeutic soak. Immerse your hands, fingers, toes and feet in it for about 30 minutes to drag out infections. For best results, repeat this many times daily.
OATMEAL: Therapeutic soaks and baths prepared with oatmeal soothe the skin conditions attributable to eczema, hives, any type of itching as well as the effects of exposure to poison ivy.
To prepare an oatmeal bath, tie one pound raw oatmeal in sufficiently large gauze and dangle it beneath the bath faucet in order that the water flows via the oatmeal. Always use hot water, as it will help to make the oatmeal softer as well as draw out the starch. When the bath tub is full, place the oatmeal bag in the water or use it to rub the skin. Instead of using the oatmeal bag, you may also add a cupful of raw oatmeal finely pounded in a blender. Soak yourself in the bath for about 20 minutes to 30 minutes, get out of the tub and gently pat yourself dry.
If you wish to prepare a soak for your hands or feet, you should stir 1/2 cup raw pounded oatmeal in a bucketful of hot water.