Devotees of detox diets and spa treatments have long insisted that fasting, slathering yourself with mud and mineral salts or taking certain types of oral supplements and vitamins can remove chemicals, pollutants and other vague ''impurities'' from the body. Now beauty companies have jumped on the bandwagon, claiming that their products also have detoxifying benefits.

Don't waste your money on these ''skin detoxing'' formulas. I don't know of any product on Earth that can suck toxins out of the skin. Beauty companies love buzzwords like ''detox'' because they don't have any concrete meaning -- it's really all just marketing hype. These products will not undo the damage caused by sun, cigarettes, stress and sugar.

Vitamins and oral supplements that claim to ''detox'' may benefit the liver and other organs; however, they can actually make your skin worse. These often have B vitamins that can cause acne breakouts. Some types of B vitamins are used to treat acne, but vitamins B6 and B12 can actually worsen it. If you begin breaking out after beginning one of these detox supplements, discontinue use.

Not all products that claim to ''detox'' you are worthless. Many actually contain beneficial antioxidants, which fight skin-aging free radicals that are triggered by smoking, sun exposure and pollution. Look for products that contain grape seed extract, green tea, coffeeberry, lycopene or Coenzyme Q10. One of my new favorites is Combray -- a strong antioxidant serum that contains oxofulleram.

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