How to Make a Homemade Apple Cider Vinegar Body Wrap

Combining apple cider vinegar with a rejuvinating body wrap can help you feel and look better. According to Cal Orey's "The Healing Powers of Vinegar," apple cider vinegar can help remove toxins from the body, clear up acne and soothe dry skin. Adding the heat and mild compression of a body wrap can help pull excess water out of the body, notes the online Consumer Guide to Plastic Surgery, giving the skin a smoother, more toned look and feel.

Things You'll Need

• 4-qt. pot
• 1/2 gallon distilled water
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar
• Skin brush
• 8 to 10 elastic medical bandages
• Thermal ("space") blanket

Instructions

1. 

   Using hot water will help open the body's pores to allow toxins out.

   Place 1/2 gallon of distilled water in a 4-qt. pot and bring it to a boil over high heat.

2. 

   Remove the pot from the stove and allow the water to cool to a comfortable temperature.

   Remove the pot from the stove, add 1 cup of apple cider vinegar, and let the mixture sit for 15 minutes or until it has cooled to a temperature that is warm but not too hot.

3. 

   Brushing the skin helps remove dead skin cells.

   Get into a warm shower and use a skin brush to exfoliate your skin.

4. Get out of the shower and lightly towel off, leaving your skin moist.

5. 

   Medical bandages create light compression to help rid the body of water weight.

   Dip the first bandage into the warm water/vinegar mixture. Once it is fully saturated, begin wrapping it around your left leg, using gentle pressure and working your way up from your toes.

6. Dip the second bandage into the pot to saturate it. Begin wrapping it securely around the leg where the other bandage ended.

7. Repeat the process of dipping one bandage at a time and wrapping it around each body part (right leg, stomach, chest, left arm, left leg) until your whole body is wrapped.

8. Lie down and cover yourself with a thermal blanket. Relax for 45 to 60 minutes to allow the apple cider vinegar to work its way into your skin.

9. Remove the bandages and take a warm shower.

Tips & Warnings

• For easy cleanup, do the wrap while lying in the bathtub or on a lawn chair outside.

• If you don't have medical bandages, you can use long strips of cotton cut from an old sheet.

• Consult a health care provider before giving yourself a wrap if you are pregnant or have any medical conditions, such as high blood pressure or diabetes.

• Be sure to allow the water/vinegar mixture enough time to cool. Using a mixture that is too hot could burn or otherwise irritate the skin.

• Drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration.

• To avoid cutting off circulation, do not wrap the bandages too tightly.

• Don't shave for 24 hours before the wrap to help avoid skin irritation.

References

• Consumer Guide to Plastic Surgery: Body Wraps
• "The Healing Powers of Vinegar"; Cal Orey; 2006
• "Natural Awakenings"; Body Wraps; Lee Walker; July 2008