The human body is roughly 60% water while the skin is our biggest organ by far. Naturally, then, the links between dehydration and damaged skin are colossal.
In fact, even a 1-2% dehydration level can take its toll on the body with the skin being one of the first body parts to show it. Checking the skin’s elasticity, otherwise known as turgor, by pulling it and seeing how quickly it returns to its normal shape and position is the perfect way to test whether your skin is suffering from dehydration. If it doesn’t return immediately, there’s a strong chance that you are dehydrated.
Common symptoms of dehydrated skin can also include itching, dullness, dark spots under the eyes, fine lines and wrinkles, sunken eyes. Meanwhile, you may encounter the symptoms linked to general dehydration too. This can include headaches, lightheadedness, thirst, and general feelings of weakness.
Dehydration and especially dehydrated skin should not be ignored. Here are eight great solutions that are shown to have a telling impact on the skin and your overall hydration levels.
#1. Drink More Water In The Morning to Fix Dehydrated Skin
Rehydrating your skin is just one of several reasons to drink more water in the morning. The average person sleeps for 7-9 hours each night, which means you’ve not replenished your fluid levels for an extended period of time. Therefore, this is the moment when your body is most likely to be severely dehydrated. This is why you must focus on this aspect right away.
It is suggested that drinking a total of 16 oz of water [2] when you first wake up is the perfect way to bring your hydration levels back to the desired level, which will aid the skin as well as other parts of the body. Essentially, you need to treat your dehydrated skin from the inside out, and taking the right steps when you first wake up will form the strongest foundations.
#2. Drink More Water At Night to Fix Dehydrated Skin
While you may worry about the thought of needing to get up in the middle of the night to use the toilet, drinking a glass of water could be key to avoiding dehydration. After all, going to bed after being slightly dehydrated for an hour or two will make a huge impact compared to if you can delay dehydration by hydrating yourself before bed.
In a vicious cycle, dehydration causes poor sleep patterns while inadequate sleep leads to dehydration. Studies show that those that sleep for six hours are up to 59% [3] more likely to be dehydrated than someone that gets eight hours sleep. A glass of water increases your hopes of getting the right amount of sleep, which can help fight the symptoms – including skin issues.
#3. Fix Dehydrated Skin and Drink More Water Throughout The Day
The fact of the matter is that skin dehydration is a sign of overall dehydration, which ultimately comes from lack of water. Each day we lose up to 900 ml of water through sweat and exhaling alone, and that’s without factoring in exercise. Therefore, it’s imperative that you learn to keep drinking water throughout the course of the day.
While it’s a good idea to drink a relatively large volume of water at the start and end of the day, it is better to drink small amounts regularly throughout the day. Lawrence E. Armstrong states that: “Our thirst sensation doesn’t really appear until we are 1 or 2 percent dehydrated.” [4] This means that you want to stay ahead of thirst. Topping up your water levels with regular sips is the best solution.
#4. Fix Dehydrated Skin and Avoid Excessive Alcohol & Caffeine
It’s very easy to assume that all liquids are good for rehydrating your body from the inside. However, alcohol is scientifically shown to act as a diuretic, which will naturally leave you feeling more dehydrated due to the effects of urinating more frequently. In truth, anyone that has had a big drinking session without having glasses of water in between alcoholic beverages will relate to this.
Caffeine is another ingredient that, when consumed in large quantities, will have a negative impact on the body. Drinking in moderation should be fine, but it’s important to avoid the danger of sticking exclusively to caffeinated drinks. Be sure to have one water for every coffee or tea that you consume throughout the day, and your skin should see differences in no time.
#5. Don’t Just Replace Your Water Levels to Fix Dehydrated Skin
While increased water intake is the foundation for building better hydration levels to protect the skin and other body parts, it’s not the only item lost through sweat. The body also loses salts, electrolytes throughout the day. Workers in summer are shown to experience average sodium (Na) losses over a work shift of 4.8–6g [6] while electrolytes are also lost at a rapid rate.
The rates can vary on a number of factors (height, weight, exercise levels, climate, etc.) but it’s vital that you replace those key ingredients too. Adding a Hydrant sachet to a glass of water allows you to do this in the most efficient manner while additionally making your water a little more exciting. This can play a key role in helping your skin stay hydrated.
#6. Treat The Skin and Fix Dehydrated Skin
While it’s important to support your skin from the inside out, you should not ignore the need for hydrating the skin at the surface level too. Healthy skin takes 25 days to renew itself [7], but dehydrated skin takes significantly longer. One of the best ways to prevent this from becoming a problem is to choose the right products for your skin.
Adding water alone won’t work while harsh face scrubs can actively do more harm than good. A gentle exfoliate is far better for your skin while using moisturizers throughout the day is useful too. Once again, opting for a little and often approach is more effective than choosing to slather the products on once before ignoring the skin for hours.
#7. Locking The Moisture In Will Help Fix Dehydrated Skin
Putting the right ingredients on your skin will aid the cause, but the results are far greater when you lock the moisture in. Keeping the moisture barrier intact is the best way to achieve this by far, and there are many products that include ingredients like jojoba oil to help prevent moisture from leaving the skin, which actively boosts the skin’s hydration even if the body’s overall hydration levels aren’t great.
Dry skin and dehydrated skin are two different things [8], although it is possible to simultaneously treat the two conditions. This cannot be used as a substitute for maintaining good overall hydration levels, especially as the benefits extend far beyond the condition of your skin. Nevertheless, dedicated care for the biggest organ, particularly overnight, can work wonders.
#8. Make Smarter Home Choices To Fix Dehydrated Skin
While fueling your body in the right manner is essential, you should not ignore the fact that your body will be significantly influenced by your surroundings. Dry air containing little moisture vapor can actively lead to dehydration [9] as it impacts every breath you take. Therefore, it’s worth investing in a humidifier if you live in an area with poor quality.
Daily habits such as taking long hot showers might not be the best idea either, and should at least be followed with replenishing the water and nutrients you’ve lost. In reality, it only takes a few short weeks to embrace new winning habits. As long as you make a conscious effort, there should be very few problems. This will allow you to love the skin you’re in once more.
