An ancient Indian exercise, yoga is popular for the many benefits it offers for our health, spiritually, mentally, and physically. But its health benefits for skin are often overlooked. Learn the following five yoga exercises which can make skin smoother, treat skin diseases, and provide your skin with a healthy glow. 

Yoga for Skin Diseases

1. Surya Namaskar (Sun Salutation)

This is a very common yoga exercise that, as suggested by its name, is performed in the morning as the sun rises. The routine does wonders for your face, keeping your skin free of impurities and improving blood circulation. This yoga exercise contains several poses. Read to learn how to do each of them.

• Facing the sun, stand with your spine straight. Fold your thumbs in a namaskar pattern touching your chest. Raise your hand, inhale, and exhale, folding your palms together.
• Inhale deeply as you slowly raise your hands. Stretch your arms and keep your feet flat on the ground as you bend backwards in the Ardha Chandrasana, or Half Moon Pose.
• Bend forward and touch the ground with your hands. Your forehead should touch your knees. This position is the Padangusthasana, or Hand to Foot Pose.
• To do the Surya Darshan, or Sun Sight Pose, sit with bent knees. Support your weight with your palms. Inhale deeply and pull your left leg back away from your body. Raise your head towards the sun.
• For the Purvottanasana, stretch your right leg backwards parallel to your other leg, maintaining your hands' position and arching your hips into an arch. Exhale fully.
• Lie face down and stretch your torso. Put your hands on the floor on either side of your chest. This is the Saashtanga Namaskar pose. Breathe normally and gently turn your head on either side so each ear comes into contact with the floor.
• Inhaling deeply, slowly raise your upper body from the floor. 

You can watch the following video to see the demonstration of the poses. 

2. Sarvangasana (Shoulder Stand)

This exercise stimulates the flow of blood to your face and is another great yoga for skin diseases. However, this routine is not advisable for patients with high blood pressure and heart problems, chronic thyroid disorders, detached retina, glaucoma, and neck or shoulder injuries.

• Lie flat on your back. Now lift your buttocks, legs, and back in one motion until your body is resting on the shoulders. Use your hands to hold up your back.
• Move your elbows together and work your hands across your back until they reach your shoulder blades. Keep straightening your legs and spine. Support your weight with your shoulders and arms, not your neck.
• Lock your legs and lift your heels towards the ceiling until your toes reach past your nose, then point your toes up. Press your sternum towards your chin to protect your neck and release the position if you feel discomfort in your neck area.
• Maintain your position for 30-60 seconds while breathing deeply.
• Lower your knees to your forehead and put your palms back on the floor. Bring your spine and legs down slowly until you are lying flat on the floor.
  

3. Kapalbhati

Also known as the sanjeevani medicine, this helps cure cancer, asthma and diabetes. It also cures acne and rids your body of toxins. Pregnant women and patients with high blood pressure are advised to exercise caution when trying this. Do this on an empty stomach in the morning.

• Cross your legs in a sitting position.
• Inhale normally, then exhale from your abdomen with full force. Imagine that you are throwing out all impurities.
• Repeat 10-15 times. Experienced yoga practitioners can continue for 30 minutes.

4. Janu Sirsasana (Head to Knee Pose)

This yoga for skin diseases helps clear toxins from your body and clear acne.

• Sit with your spine straight and your legs stretched out.
• Extend both legs as far as you can on either side.
• Bring your right leg inward at the knee. Touch your right foot to your left inner leg.
• Touch your left toes with your right hand and your left elbow to the ground.
• Hold this pose and breathe normally. Repeat on the other side.

5. Uttanasana (Standing Forward Bend)

This routine helps acne by increasing circulation. It also induces your body's parasympathetic response and calms stress.

• Stand with your spine straight and your knees and feet shoulder-width apart.
• Inhaling deeply, lift your hands up straight.
• Bend forward and exhale.
• Touch the ground with your hands. If this is too difficult, hold your ankles instead.
• Move your neck from side to side as you hold this pose.
• Inhale deeply as you stand back up. Repeat.

More Yoga Tips for Healthy Skin

• Other asanas that increase blood circulation to the face include the Cobra, Fish, Plow, Triangle, and Child Poses. These yoga for skin diseases promote better oxygenation and are called chest openers. Their inverted and forward bends cause blood to rush to the head for clearer, glowing skin.
• To get rid of acne, try pranayamas like Sheetali and Sheetkari, which cool the skin and help retain its glow. Doing the Jalneti technique daily and the Shankh Prakshalan every six months also achieves this while facilitating physical and emotional cleansing.
• Improving digestion leads to detoxification and glowing skin. Beneficial exercises include the Kneeling Pose (Vajrasana), Wind-Relieving Posture (Pavanamuktasana), Nadi Shodhan pranayama (Alternate Nostril Breathing), Bow Pose (Dhanurasana), and Kapal Bhati pranayama (Skull-Shining Breathing Technique). These should be done on an empty stomach.
• You can also practice at least 20 minutes of facial yoga exercises daily to tighten face muscles. Try massaging your jaws and eyebrows to reduce stress and do the "kiss and smile technique" for facial exercise.