Rash and Itch during Detox

Dear Vaidya Mishra,

Last Spring, I followed your SVA Home Detox program by using your DVD. I loved it. Everything went well, I felt lighter, clearer in my mind and heart. However, I did have a small problem and I am wondering about it. During detox, particularly on the weekends, my back, my belly, calf muscles and sometimes my thighs would develop an uncontrollable itch. When I would scratch, I would feel there was heat under the skin. I was doing abhyanga with SVA Pitta and Magnesium oil in the mornings and that would help it. But I wondered whether I shouldn’t just have applied coconut oil to cool things off? This year, I want to do your detox again , but I am afraid that the itch may come back and perhaps be worse. Why did I develop that itch and what should I do if it reappears again?

With gratitude, Mary K.

Dear Mary: in general, developing an itch or a rash during detox is actually not a bad sign! All it means is that transdermal detox is happening: old amavisha and garavisha is being evacuated through your skin, as you know our skin is our largest detox organ. You developed a rash or itch because the detox protocol you were following unclogged your channels and toxins got evacuated through the skin. But what happens is when hot acidic inflammatory toxins come out through the skin, they aggravate the bhrajak pitta of the skin. This is the pitta subdosha that governs the skin and keeps the skin balanced and cool. When toxins imbalance the environment of the skin, then bhrajak pitta increases and you develop a rash. In addition, the skin is also governed by vyana vata. This vata subdosha supports the circulation of nutrients and moisture to the skin. When it gets imbalanced due to the presence of hot acidic toxins then the skin becomes dry and/or flaky, losing its luster and elasticity.

It is possible that you may develop a rash again this year during detox but here is what you can do. Address the toxins through the same path they are getting evacuated from, that is: transdermally. I have put together bath pouches for safe home use called Shodhana for Self Detox and Rasayana.  Use the Shodhana  pouches 3 days in a row, and then use the Rasayana pouches 3 days in a row. In this kind of situation, the detox bath pouches will help extract the toxins and your rash should be minimal – if any at all. You can then apply SVA Surya Shanti or Surya MahaShanti. These creams are made with sandalwood and are very cooling and nurturing to the skin. They will soothe it without clogging. They particularly help with rash conditions or situations. I do not recommend applying coconut oil because that can have the counter effect – coconut is heavy and cold and it can freeze your channels and counter the detox process.

Alternately, after your bath, you can also apply a thin layer of the SVA Pitta Massage oil with Magnesium and leave it on if you live in a warm climate. If you leave in a cooler climate, it is best to clean it off with a paper towel after a few minutes. Your skin will have received the nourishment and it should help abate your rash, specially after the bath detox. Please consider perusing my new Home Detox Manual as it has been revised and may offer you some additional helpful details. You can also add the Garavisha Tea to your protocol to help redirect the toxins to get evacuated through the urinary tract rather than the skin. Thank you.