5+1 Benefits of Activated Charcoal for Your Skin, Hair and Teeth

Activated carbon is produced by exposing regular charcoal to steam or very hot air, which erodes the internal surfaces of the charcoal and thereby increases its absorptive surface area. It is the adsorbent properties of activated carbon that determine its health and beauty benefits. Let’s check them out!

1. It Cleanses the Skin

Activated charcoal is used to treat poisonings due to its ability to adsorb poison. Just like that, it sucks up dirt, excess sebum and toxins from your skin’s pores. Facial masks and scrubs with activated carbon effectively remove all kinds of impurities from the skin surface and pores, combat blackheads and acne, tighten pores and keep them clean, reduce inflammation, and prevent acne scars and pigmentation.

2. It Balances Oily Skin

If you have oily or combination skin prone to shiny complexion, activated charcoal may be just the ingredient you need to keep your skin in check. Charcoal-based cleansers or masks not only remove excess oils and other dirt from your skin, they also help normalize sebum secretion and thereby reduce the amount of oils produced by the skin. To achieve this effect, you need to use such products once a week. Be sure not go to overboard though because excessive cleansing can lead to dry patches.

3. It Whitens the Teeth

Black toothpastes formulated with charcoal have become quite a hit recently because activated charcoal has a double whitening effect. As an adsorbent, it helps get rid of organic stains caused by coffee, tea, wine, or tobacco. As a mild abrasive, it removes plaque and tartar from the surface of the teeth. The result is clean, white and shiny teeth.

If you can’t find black toothpaste, you can simply clean you teeth using activated charcoal from your local drugstore. Crush one or two tablets, then mix well with a small amount of water to form a thick paste. Use the paste to brush your teeth for at least 3 minutes, rinse thoroughly, then brush your teeth with your regular toothpaste. Charcoal will probably stain your toothbrush black, so you may want to use two separate toothbrushes.

4. It Is Good for Your Scalp

Shampoos only remove surface dirt from your hair roots and scalp. If you need deep cleansing, try shampoos or scalp treatments with activated carbon. They effectively remove dirt and excess oil, pull out toxins from the hair follicles, relive itchy and flaky scalp, help combat dandruff, and make the hair feel lighter and have more volume. Again, if you can’t find charcoal shampoo, you can make a paste using crushed charcoal and water, apply it to your scalp, massage, and then shampoo as usual.

5. It Soothes and Heals Minor Injuries

Charcoal paste can be applied topically to soothe insect bites, stings, scrapes, and minor cuts. It lessens pain, brings down swelling, and speeds up the healing.

Bonus! It Is a Hangover Cure

Yes, it’s true. Activated carbon can help get back to normal after a night out. A hangover is actually a toxic reaction or even a mild form of alcohol poisoning, so it makes sense to use a poisoning medication to relieve the symptoms. Activated charcoal adsorbs toxins from your digestive tract, making you feel better. However, you should keep in mind that activated charcoal can interfere with the absorption of some medications. So if you have a headache, take a headache medicine first, wait until it starts to work, and only then you can safely take charcoal.