Kristina Das
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Written By: Kristina Das | Updated : July 10, 2018 4:32 PM IST
The beauty industry offers you a plethora of skin care ranges to safeguard your skin and give it the desired glow. But sadly, most of these products are infused with harmful chemicals that offer you only cosmetic benefits and cause internal damage. However, the good news is, there is no dearth of safer, natural and organic alternatives nowadays. Take mud therapy for example. A technique introduced by naturopathy, this procedure detoxifies the body and rejuvenates the skin by removing dead cells and restoring your pH balance.
What is mud therapy?
Since ancient times, mud therapy has been around for a good reason. Mud helps us use the earth's resources to solve many skin-related problems. Earth contains several minerals that are beneficial to our skin. For the therapy, mud is dug up at least 4 inches below the surface of the earth. After that, pebbles, soil impurities and decomposed matter are extracted from it. The pure mud is then placed under the sun in order to activate all the 'good' minerals. In a scenario where sunlight is scarce, it is heated artificially up to 50 degree celsius after moistening it with water. Mud is good for extracting toxins from the skin. There are various kinds of muds and each of them is different in their attributes.
Read: 3 natural home-made face packs to get rid of tanning
Types of mud
Brine Mud: Obtained from salt water bodies or from the dead sea.
Moor Mud: It is a kind of organic mud, obtained from plant residue.
Fango Mud: This is basically the soil that is obtained from thermal hot springs.
How your therapist works
Your therapist mixes the mud with water to make a thick paste before applying it to the skin. Until it becomes dry and starts to fall off, it is allowed to dry under the sun. The time limit for this drying process will range from 20 minutes to 1 hour. Some spas, in order to prevent heat dispersion, may wrap you with strips of cloth. The dried mud is watered again, followed by an intense massage. Finally, the mud is then scrubbed off the skin. Your therapist will ask you to conclude the session with a warm water bath. It will be followed up by a cold shower. These alternate baths have a therapeutic effect as well. Do not use any soap after a mud bath therapy.
In this process, the skin absorbs the essential minerals of the mud and they make an entry into our bloodstream. Mud therapy also has an overall purifying effect on the body. In order to reap the maximum benefits, the treatment should be taken for a minimum duration of 2 weeks.
Benefits of Mud Therapy:
Who should avoid mud therapy?
People suffering from allergy, cold and cough and sinus should not go for mud therapy. Women going through their menstrual cycle or having pimples or wounds on their face should also avoid it for the time being. Anyone who has undergone surgery can opt for this therapy but only after consulting the doctor.
Smart Tips: It is best to apply mud to your skin before 12 noon so that it doesn't take time to dry up. Men can apply mud pack after shaving their beard. Children above age 10 can also go for this therapy but the mud should not be applied to the upper lip or near the nose.
Read:How to use Multani Mitti or Fuller's earth for skincare problems
Image Source: Shutterstock
