Do you have dehydrated skin?
Carla
Specialist in plastic and reconstructive surgery.
Overview
With a simple test called a pinch test you can check if your skin is dehydrated or not. You can pinch your skin to see if it keeps its shape, if it has wrinkles or in some cases because it is already dehydrated. See with your fingers if you can feel the natural oils in your skin, if the oil production appears fine, or if the skin looks dull and scaly, you have dehydrated skin.
Signs of dehydration can be hard to notice unless you know your skin well.But once you have identified your skin as dry or dehydrated, you can change your routine to give your skin what it needs to achieve better results.
What is dehydrated skin?
Dehydrated skin is a condition that can occur in anyone.Dehydrated skin typically does produce enough oil; however, it does not retain enough moisture.If you know your skin type is not dry, but you are exposed to changes in weather and temperature and feel stiff and taut or know that you do not drink enough water, it is likely that the dehydrated skin will react.
What causes dehydrated skin?
Dehydration can be caused by many factors but the most common are low humidity, nutrition, hot showers and central heating, all of which saturate the skin with water and make it difficult for the skin to be sensitive, particularly during the cold winter months. If you don't drink enough water, your diet is based on junk food or packaged foods, you lack fresh fruit and vegetables, you live in a polluted area or the weather is too dry or hot, it is the weather that sucks moisture and water from your skin and leaves it dehydrated.
Dry and dehydrated skin: What’s the difference?
One of the main differences is that dry skin can affect all skin types but is most commonly related to moisture resulting from external factors such as weather, environment, diet, and diuretics such as caffeine and alcohol. For example, in winter, when temperatures are cold and the winds are hard, the skin can become drier and drier than usual.
Dry skin can appear scaly, rough, red, scaly and prone to breakouts and inflammation. Other telltale signs of dry skin are small pores, skin that does not look bulging, products that are not well absorbed and are easily irritated.
How to treat dehydrated skin?
Because dehydrated skin needs water rather than oil, use water-based skincare products and Take the time to moisturize your skin every day with the right products for your skin type, especially day cream and night cream. Drink plenty of water and limit certain beverages such as coffee and alcohol when treating dehydrated skin.
HiSqin™ Gotu Kola Calming Gel
This Seaweed-based soothing gel provides the ultimate hydration while calming botanicals tend to sensitive or irritated skin.
May be used daily or nightly as a moisturizer or as a post treatment on irritated or inflamed skin.
You can make a few slight changes to your lifestyle that could go a long way in maintaining skin hydration. Alcohol dehydrates your body, so try and cut down on drinking too much.
Takeaway
Dehydrated skin does not mean that you are dehydrated and that you drink more water often. It is dehydrated skin when water evaporates from the skin due to environmental factors or skin barrier problems, say Dr. Psomadakis and Dr. Cristina Psomodakis.
Knowing where your skin falls on the spectrum of dryness and dehydration can make a big difference when it comes to preventing, treating and maintaining these problems.
DISCLAIMER Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purposes only and should not be construed as professional medical advice.
