How To Do A Skin “Detox” (7-Day Skin Fast)
At VMV Hypoallergenics, we have received less than 0.1% reports of reactions in over 30 years, and almost all of those reactions were due to us not being able to make recommendations based on one’s patch test results, incorrect use of the product, a cross reaction with another product, or an underlying irritation that might have been chronic but not yet obvious. In these cases, a 7-Day Skin Fast normally (over 98% of the time) results in a clearing of the problem and the client’s ability to use the products without a reaction. This process — similar to an elimination diet for food, but for skin — has been so successful for our clients for decades that we created our Skin “Detox” Kit to allow anyone to easily do a Skin Fast at home, any time.
Why Should I Do A Skin Fast?
1. To get your skin back to baseline…
A Skin Fast helps skin return to its most natural, non-irritated state. This can have several benefits (more on these below), including giving your skin a seasonal “reset.” As with all the body’s organs, our skin changes over time. Observing your skin in its natural state now may show you new dryness, for example, that can help you adjust your skincare regimen appropriately.
2. To recover from a skin reaction…
Anyone, even someone who has never had problems using any product before, can develop a skin reaction. Reactions can include an allergic reaction, an irritation, hyperpigmentation (darkening), dryness, redness, itching, flaking, an acne breakout, or other symptoms. Anything applied on reacting skin can worsen the situation. A Skin Fast gives your skin a break from what might be causing the reaction (and other possible contaminants), allowing it to recover.
3. To help identify the cause of a reaction or a chronic skin problem…
Believe it or not, the cause of a reaction is not always (or even frequently!) the last product you applied. A product you’ve been using for a long time “without a problem” could actually have been causing an underlying irritation that was too subtle to notice, increasing your skin’s sensitivity over time until another product (even one you’re not actually allergic to) was the final straw — your skin couldn’t take any more and finally reacted. In food, a common way to help identify a sensitivity is an elimination diet. The Skin Fast works similarly, helping you (or your doctor) more accurately identify the trigger of your skin problem.
Note: While a Skin Fast can help identify a trigger, the most accurate way to identify which ingredients and other substances you are sensitive to is a patch test. If you have a history of sensitivity or stubborn skin problems, or a skin condition that is worsened by external stress, ask your doctor about a patch test (or photo-patch test, for hyperpigmentation).
4. To recover from treatments, clinical procedures, medications, or injuries…
Many treatments (like active ingredients), clinical procedures (lasers and peels), and medications (chemotherapy, certain neurological drugs or even ibuprofen) can make the skin temporarily more problematic. It can develop acne or become drier, more sensitive and/or more photo-sensitive (more prone to sunburn, redness or darkening due to sun or indoor light exposure). Doing a Skin Fast after a procedure, or keeping your skin in a Skin Fast throughout therapy or recovery, can help increase comfort and decrease the risk further vulnerability or injury. Keeping skin in “detox” can also be helpful when skin is injured from a rash, flare-up, burn or other injury — it keeps the skin cared for very gently, so the skin is left unstressed and its cells can focus on rebuilding and healing.