Overview

With age, your skin loses elasticity, causing poor skin turgor. As a result, an older person’s skin may take 20 seconds to return to normal, even if they aren’t dehydrated. In addition, a 2015 review found that skin turgor wasn’t very effective on its own for detecting dehydration in people over 65.

Skin turgor measurement, whilst part of the initial assessment of children with suspected dehydration, is only moderately reliable and other clinical signs should be sought to confirm this diagnosis.

What is skin turgor?

Skin turgor refers to the elasticity of the skin and can be described as the skin's ability to return to its normal position after being pinched. Normally, when the skin is pinched and then released, the skin will immediately return to its normal position. This is a sign of good skin turgor. However, if a person is dehydrated, the skin may not return to its normal position once the pinch is released. The skin may stay pinched together for a couple seconds even after the pinch is released. This is a sign of poor skin turgor.

How is it tested?

To assess your skin, your doctor will first examine it by simply looking at it. To determine skin turgor, the doctor grabs the skin on the back of the hand, forearm, or abdomen with two fingers so that it is taut, and then notices how quickly it will return to normal. If your doctor suspects that you are dehydrated, they will most likely check your skin turgor.

What causes poor skin turgor?

Skin turgor is a sign of fluid loss (dehydration). Diarrhea or vomiting can cause fluid loss. Infants and young children with these conditions can rapidly lose a lot of fluid, if they do not take enough water. Fever speeds up this process.

Like every other organ in our body, our skin is made up of mostly water. When our skin lacks moisture, it can’t function as well as it normally does. Well-hydrated skin has less friction between its fibers because the water acts as a lubricant. When our skin is dehydrated, it feels stiff and can’t spring back after being pulled or pinched.

How is poor skin turgor treated?

Mild changes in skin turgor, such as your skin slowly springing back in place after being pinched, usually indicate only mild dehydration and can be treated at home. Start by increasing your fluid intake, mostly with water. You may also want to incorporate electrolyte-replacement drinks.

When to see your healthcare provider?

If turgor is severe, indicating moderate or severe dehydration, see your healthcare provider right away. If you notice your skin turgor is very different from normal, it’s time to talk with your practitioner. For example, if you pinch the skin on your arm, and it stays tented after you let go, this could indicate moderate or even severe dehydration.

Takeaway

Anyone can become dehydrated, but it is usually more serious in children and older adults. People with chronic illnesses or those who exercise outdoors in heat are also at higher risk. In rare cases, dehydration can lead to serious health complications such as seizures and hypovolemic shock.

One way for healthcare professionals to determine hydration status of a patient is to pinch their skin. If the patient's skin does not immediately return to its normal position after being pinched, it could be a sign of dehydration.

DISCLAIMER     

Tips and suggestions mentioned in the article are for general information purposes only and should not be construed as professional medical advice.