Can A Colon Cleanse Really Improve Your Acne?

 

“A colon cleanse completely cleared my acne!” Wait, what? "Oh yeah, I get a colon cleanse done all the time! It totally helps my skin." Well, color me interested.

I'll be honest, nothing about the words colon cleanse sound appealing to me. But then again, nothing about laser hair removal sounds appealing, either, but I'm sure enjoying the results.

Let’s look at this a little closer, shall we?

WHAT IS A COLON CLEANSE?

First things first, what the heck is a colon cleanse?

A colon cleanse (also known as a colonic) involves multiple infusions of water into the colon, intended to cleanse it of toxins and impurities. A speculum is placed in the anus, connected to a plastic hose, and filtered water is pumped slowly into the colon. The water contracts the muscles of the colon and pushes waste out of the hose.

WHAT ARE THE ALLEGED BENEFITS OF A COLON CLEANSE?

Advocates claim that a colon cleanse will rid the digestive tract of sticky bits of undigested food and the toxins that accumulate on them, which can cause health problems.

A colon cleanse will supposedly help with everything, including depression, arthritis, headaches, bad breath, hemorrhoids, and psoriasis. Acne, too.

WILL A COLON CLEANSE REALLY IMPROVE YOUR ACNE?

While a healthy digestive tract is imperative to a healthy body and clear skin, there's no evidence that a colon cleanse does anything except cleanse your wallet.

Colonoscopies and countless studies have shown us that colon cleanse claims are false. Not only that, they're dangerous, too.

In a review in the American Journal of Gastroenterology, not one available study on the effects of a colon cleanse showed any evidence that it improves or promotes general health.

More research is needed before a colon cleanse can be recommended for any health-related purpose.

WHAT DOES A COLON CLEANSE REALLY DO?

But people are seeing results - how could all the glowing testimonials of the benefits of a colon cleanse be wrong?

A colon cleanse may have you believe that your body is getting rid of toxins by including carefully-selected ingredients that change your bowel movements in frequency, size, and appearance. This makes it appear as though your body is getting rid of accumulated toxins. Something is different, it must be working, right? Not only that, some ingredients can even cause headaches, digestive upset, and cramping which might lead you to believe that your body is being “detoxified”.

A colon cleanse can contain any number of ingredients, including but not limited to chemical laxatives, bentonite clay, psyllium, senna, rhubarb root, and aloe bitters.These ingredients mix together to increase the frequency of your bowel movements, absorb fluid, create bulk, and land you with a strange, rope-like stool.

Essentially, the product produces the issue that it claims to treat. It’s not your body getting rid of toxins, it’s the company fooling you into thinking that by changing aspects of your stool.

WHAT CAN  YOU DO INSTEAD?

Because dangerous and serious side effects such as bowel perforation and infection are common of a colon cleanse, it is not recommended that you try it for anything, let alone curing your acne.

If you think that toxins are accumulating in your body or that parasites are lurking in your colon, no colon cleanse in the world will fix either of those problems.Only appropriate drugs and medical treatments given by a licensed doctor will help.

And if you're feeling constipated, try drinking more water and eating more fiber.You could also try taking a probiotic supplement.

The bottom line: A colon cleanse is not only ineffective, it’s also very dangerous.

If you think that your acne might be caused by an issue with your digestive tract, eating more fiber (fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds) will do more for your skin than a colon cleanse ever could.