Have you ever suffered from dry or itchy skin? Have you looked in the mirror and noticed a wrinkle or two, even though you’re nowhere near retirement age?
If so, it’s probably because you’re not drinking enough water to hydrate your skin.
When you stay hydrated, you will do much to protect the health of your skin and as a consequence, you will maintain your youthful appearance for longer.
Of course, drinking water isn’t the only to hydrate your skin but you should still get into the habit of drinking 6-8 cups of water a day (or any healthy alternative) to maximize hydration.
Why Does Skin Lose Hydration?
Your skin becomes dehydrated when it lacks moisture. Thankfully, our skin contains a built-in barrier that locks moisture inside of our skin cells but if this barrier dries out, we can end up with flaky, dull, and wrinkled skin.
Sometimes, the things we do can cause the moisture to become depleted. For example:
- Spending too much time in the bath or shower
- Using harsh soaps on our skin
- Using rough exfoliation products
- Drinking too much coffee or alcohol
- Eating salty foods
It’s possible to hydrate our skin if moisture is depleted but to prevent the onset of any skin problems, we should drink plenty of water and avoid any habit that can lead to dehydration.
Signs Of Dehydrated Skin
Signs that your skin is lacking hydration include:
- A dull complexion
- Dark circles under your eyes
- Wrinkles
- Itchy skin
- Dry eyes, lips and mouth
- A breakout of acne
- Skin inflammation, such as a rash
- Increased skin sensitivity
It’s not difficult to tell if your skin is dehydrated but if you want to try a simple test, you could pull back a small portion of your cheek. If it doesn’t bounce back when you let it go, that is a sign of dehydrated skin.
The Benefits Of Hydrated Skin
#1: Prevent excess oil production
Everybody’s skin produces oil but some people have oilier skin than others. An excess of oil can lead to clogged pores, pimples, and acne. This oily excess is a result of not staying hydrated.
When our skin becomes dehydrated, the body detects the low level of moisture in our skin and activates the sebaceous glands which produce oil.
There are things you can do to make your skin less oily. You can purchase skincare products, such as nonsoap cleansers and hydrating vitamin C creams, such as those available in the Medik8 range.
You can also eat those foods that can help you avoid oily skin, such as the fresh fruits and vegetables that contain the nutrients needed to keep your skin looking soft and healthy.
#2: Reduce the appearance of wrinkles
As we age, the body produces less collagen, and our skin becomes less elastic. As a consequence of this, wrinkles start to form on our face. But while this is a natural part of the ageing process, there are steps we can take to prevent the early onset of wrinkles.
Unsurprisingly, one way to reduce the appearance of wrinkles is to stay hydrated. When you drink plenty of water or use a moisturizing lotion, your skin will retain its moisture and improve elasticity. As such, your skin will look smoother, healthier, and wrinkle-free.
#3: Flush out harmful toxins
You don’t need to go on a juice diet to reduce the toxins that age your face as regular glasses of water and a healthy food diet can also flush out those toxins that could impact your skin.
It’s better to drink water than certain other beverages to stay hydrated as such drinks as coffee, tea, and sugary sodas contain unnatural ingredients that can add to the toxins that enter your body.
How To Hydrate Your Skin
If you realise your skin is dehydrated, you can take steps to replenish its hydration level.
As we have already mentioned, one way to hydrate your skin is to drink enough water during the day. You can also use hydrating skincare products, such as those we linked you to earlier.
Hydrating face masks and water-rich foods are two other ways to hydrate your skin.
To ensure your skin stays hydrated, you should:
- Quit smoking
- Cut down your caffeine consumption
- Exercise regularly (with occasional sips of water)
- Spend less time in the bath or shower.
By taking these steps, your skin should look softer, plumper, and more youthful for longer.
So if you have looked in the mirror recently and noticed the telltale signs of dry or wrinkled skin, now is the time to hydrate your skin to improve your overall appearance.
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