The Dry Brush Rush
At Cha Cha Mamma, we always say how much we live for a low-risk, grounding ritual that is guided by evidence-based research. We strive to combine the recommendations of western medicine, while respecting the wisdom and effectiveness of alternate forms of medicine in an effort to best support the minds, bodies, and souls of modern women and the next generation.
While there is not an abundance of western research on the effects of dry brushing specifically, it has been practiced for centuries in Ayurvedic medicine (a natural and holistic approach to medicine that originated in India). When examining the intentions behind dry brushing, however, we see that there actually is plenty of scientific evidence to support the goals of dry brushing during pregnancy and beyond. It involves gently circulating a brush all across your body in an effort to increase blood flow, exfoliate dead skin cells, and potentially reduce the appearance of cellulite. Let’s break down each of the potential benefits to dry brushing and why they are important, particularly during pregnancy.
1. Blood Circulation
It is no secret that growing a human will likely pose all sorts of changes to your body inside and out, and that does not exclude your cardiovascular system. This is because of the increased metabolic demands that are placed in you in order to support the growth of a healthy Babba. As you can imagine, inadequate blood flow is not so Cha Cha for you or your Babba, so we want to keep that blood fresh and flowing! Any type of gentle movement and manipulation to the skin can help get that blood moving, which can in turn assist in supplying nutrients to the body and releasing unwanted toxins.
There are also tons of factors that may interrupt healthy blood flow when you are not pregnant as well, such as stress and being sedentary, so it may be a good idea to give dry brushing a try to see if it works for you!
2. Removing Dead Skin Cells
Everyone has a bunch of dead skin cells on the surface of their skin just waiting to be exfoliated! This may be even more prominent while pregnant, especially because you are going a lot of growing at a very rapid pace. Try using a dry brush before you shower so you can wash away all of those dead skin cells and reveal your renewed, silky skin. Make sure to moisturize with your favorite serum or oil after for some extra softness.
3. Reducing Cellulite
There is no real evidence to support that dry brushing reduces cellulite, but it may help plump the skin and make cellulite appear to be less. That’s about it. We are totally okay with that though, because cellulite is a beautiful part of our bodies and our journeys.
*Taking a moment to dry brush before your bath or shower can be an incredibly relaxing and invigorating ritual not only for your body, but for your soul and for your senses. Think of it like you are shedding your old skin and awakening a new you every time you do it. It could serve as a great time to practice some positive thinking and meditation as well.
How to Dry Brush:
Start from the feet and work your way up using long stokes on your limbs and then using circular motions on your torso and back.
You do not need any oils or water. Just the brush and your body.
Always move in an upward direction (it's okay to do downward motions on your back).
Be sure to use gentle motions and be sure not to apply too much pressure.
We want to avoid irritating the skin or breaking it.
Going over each section of the body twice is plenty.
*Here are some gorgeous dry brushes we found for you to enjoy!
Boar Bristle Body Brush
Hydrea London Dry Brush
ROSENA Dry Brush
The information for this post is based off of the 2014 article titled, “Cardiovascular Physiology in Pregnancy”, by Monkia Sanghavi and John D. Rutherford.
