Understand what you are drinking!
“Influencers claim that because of its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties, ingesting chlorophyll water gets rid of acne, clears the skin, increases RBC count, detoxes the liver and helps in weight loss. However, what you are actually drinking is not the chlorophyll that plants use to make food, it is chlorophyllin, a compound that is extracted from chlorophyll. There has been no study to prove the effectiveness of drinking chlorophyll every day,” stresses cosmetic dermatologist Dr Rinky Kapoor.
It can benefit the skin, but indirectly…
Celebrity cosmetic dermatologist Dr Chytra Anand says that although it might help the skin with its detoxifying property, it does not work directly on acne. “Chlorophyll water or drinks or pellets (which are added on salads and fruits) are different ways of taking it. It is an antioxidant and it protects one’s body against free radical damage that is typically a detox mechanism for the body. It is not going to give you direct acne relief but by helping reduce free radical damage and help the body detox, it helps clarify the skin pores. It has an indirect way of acting against acne,” she adds.
Switch to green leafy vegetables instead
Experts advise caution and also urge us to get our eating habits right. Starting with a good amount of greens. “If one looks at the amount suggested, it is said that around 15 ml of extracted chlorophyll daily has anti-acne and anti-aging properties. Well, that’s around 10 cups of spinach or any greens, daily,” points out Dr Shoba. “If you are eating a good amount of greens, then you don’t need this supplement. While chlorophyll water does not do any major transformations, it will not harm your body either,” says Dr Rinky.
Does liquid Chlorophyll work for the skin?
Dr Shoba says that research is still going on around this and it doesn’t look like chlorophyll has a direct effect to clear acne, apart from providing antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties.
