My first experience with activated charcoal happened about a year ago when I came down with a nasty bout of food poisoning. Instead of seeing a doctor or taking medicine, I took a friend’s advice and tried activated charcoal. Charcoal only becomes “activated” when oxygen is added to it, increasing the charcoal’s porosity and surface area. I took 2 capsules and quickly started feeling better, but it was faster than I ever would have imagined it to be. A few hours later, I took 2 more capsules. By the time I fell asleep and woke up the next morning, I was feeling 100% back to normal!
Since activated charcoal is extremely porous in nature, it is able to attract and hold onto material and debris within its pores. It isn’t absorbed by the body — but it does bind to and eliminate toxins within the body. It is important to note that activated charcoal can also bind to good things that we WANT in our bodies (vitamins, minerals, etc.) and shouldn’t be taken on a regular basis or with supplements, vitamins or prescription medication.
Activated charcoal is inexpensive and can be a lifesaver in many situations. Since a little bit goes a long way, activated charcoal lasts a LONG time. I still have the same bottle filled with charcoal capsules I bought more than a year ago.
Here are some of the more unconventional ways I’ve found activated charcoal to be extremely useful.
Ultra Cleansing Face Mask
Since my teenage years, my skin has never been all that great. While I have definitely experienced less breakouts since starting jogging regularly and making other lifestyle changes, my skin is still far from flawless. However, activated charcoal is helping to change that.
Just as activated charcoal binds to toxins inside of the body, it does the same on the outside — which is why I LOVE using it as a deep cleaning face mask. Since I began using activated charcoal as a facial mask, I’ve already noticed a major shift in the cleanliness of my skin. My pores appear to be smaller and less filled with gunk.
To make it, I just mix one opened capsule of activated charcoal powder (or 1/2 teaspoon) with about 8 drops of water (so that it has the consistency of a paste — not too cakey and not too runny). Then mix and apply — easy! I leave the mask on for about 30 minutes before thoroughly rinsing it off with soap.
Note that activated charcoal is extremely messy, but it does come off of most surfaces if washed right away. Be careful not to touch your face or let your face touch anything when wearing the mask. In fact, you might want to wear an old t-shirt when handling activated charcoal powder. I also recommend applying the activated charcoal mask right before a shower so that it would be easier to wash it off.
If you have big pores, the activated charcoal may temporarily “stain” your pores for up to 48 hours, giving them a darker, more obvious appearance than normal. This isn’t very noticeable and will always go away, but it’s something to consider especially if you decide to apply the mask before an important event.
Quick Pimple Treatment
After indulging every holiday there is, I get my fair share of pimples popping up. It’s unfortunate but I have no regrets. I don’t mind indulging once in a while!
The first time I noticed a new pimple brewing, I decided to slather it with activated charcoal. The puss from inside of my pimple sat on top of my skin, and the pimple itself had all but disappeared. The charcoal literally pulled the toxins and puss right out of my skin in less than an hour — a process that would have normally taken 2-5 days to happen by itself!
Normally, I use one capsule (also mixed with a few drops of water) just for my pimple and the surrounding area. I would leave it on for about 30 minutes before washing it off.
Natural Teeth Whitener
I used to go pay for laser teeth whitening and visit my dentist twice a year for several years. It did the job of keeping my teeth white. However, as part of my decision to MINIMIZE toxic chemicals in my life, I stopped using the brand and started using activated charcoal as a teeth whitener. Since activated charcoal has the ability to bind to toxins and other materials, it can help to remove discolorations and stains on the teeth, leaving teeth cleaner and more white than they were before.
For the last few months, I’ve been brushing my teeth with a mixture of regular toothpaste (mine has no fluoride) and 1 capsule of activated charcoal. I only do this at night. I brush with my usual toothpaste alone in the morning. I’ve been super happy with the results so far! It may not be exactly be better than laser teeth whitening but it’s the best way to naturally whiten teeth!
Insect Bite First Aid
This was probably the most astonishing experience I’ve had with activated charcoal to date. A few months ago, I got a really bad bug bite on my forearm.
I had no idea what it was from but it had been huge and red. Also, it wasn’t going away. After a few days of not being able to move my wrist in any direction due to the extreme swelling, I decided to experiment with my trusty activated charcoal. I made a paste of activated charcoal mixed with a few drops of water and applied it to the bite. I covered it with a very large bandage to keep it from getting all over my blankets and left the paste to sit on my arm overnight.
When I woke up, the swelling had gone down significantly and I could move my wrist around like a normal person once again! I applied the paste again the following night and didn’t need to do anything beyond that as my bug bite had already healed faster than I’ve ever had a bug bite heal.
– McDaniel
