Dehydrated Skin Symptoms and How to Treat It

Hydration is often heralded as a key element to glowing skin [1]. On the flip side, dehydration can have less desirable consequences for your complexion.

So, how can you tell if you have hydrated skin or suffer from skin dehydration? Also, what’s the difference between dry vs. dehydrated skin?

Below, we’ll review five common dehydrated skin symptoms, along with ways to treat and prevent them. We’ll also discuss how to identify dehydrated skin and dry skin to help you target your skin concerns correctly.

5 Dehydrated Skin Symptoms

Dehydration occurs when your body loses more fluids than you consume. Some common causes of this condition include insufficient water intake, hot weather, excessive sweating, and certain illnesses [2].

When you have skin dehydration, it can develop the following symptoms: 

• Tautness – Dehydrated skin can lose some of its elasticity temporarily [3]. Thus, you may notice that your skin feels tighter than normal throughout the day. If you gently pull your skin, you may also discover that it doesn’t bounce back to its original shape right away.
• Dullness – Next, dehydrated skin may look duller than usual. That’s because water loss can slow down your skin’s cell turnover [4]. With more dead skin piling up, your complexion may not be as clear.
• Elevated sensitivity – Your skin barrier is responsible for maintaining optimal moisture levels [5]. If you’re dehydrated, your skin barrier may be impaired, making it more sensitive to bacteria, irritants, pollution, and other environmental stressors.
• Itchiness – When your skin is longing for water content, it can become rough, flaky, and itchy [6]. In turn, you may find yourself scratching your sensitive skin more often.
• Fine lines – Lastly, dehydration may cause fine lines and wrinkles to develop seemingly out of nowhere. Similar to dried fruit, dehydrated skin isn’t as juicy as its water-rich counterpart. Fortunately, these wrinkles should wash away once you get your skin’s water levels back up.

Dry vs. Dehydrated Skin: What’s The Difference?

Many people confuse dry skin and dehydrated skin. After all, they sound similar and share many of the same symptoms, including roughness, tightness, itchiness, and irritation [8]. 

However, these two skin concerns are distinct from one another. Here’s a brief overview of their differences:

• Dry skin is one of the four skin types, along with oily skin, normal skin, and combination skin. People with this skin type don’t produce as much sebum, the skin’s naturally-occurring oil [9]. While you can’t change your skin type, you can make up for its lack of natural oils using skincare that’s specifically formulated for dry skin. At PROVEN, we make it easy to find the best ingredients for dry skin and a skincare routine that’s right for your unique skin type.
• Dehydrated skin, as we’ve discussed already, is a temporary skin condition that is caused by either an inadequate water intake or an excessive water loss. It can affect all four of the skin types. Thus, someone with oily skin is at a similar risk of developing dehydrated skin symptoms as someone with dry skin. Since dehydration is a short-term issue, it can resolve quickly if you treat it at the source.

To sum it up, any dryness that is present in the skin is due to a lack of oil, while any dehydrated skin is caused by a lack of water.  

How To Treat Dehydrated Skin

If you’re struggling with dehydrated skin, you can restore its vibrancy by implementing certain healthy habits and adopting the right skincare routine for your skin type. 

Here are some strategies for treating and preventing dehydrated skin symptoms:

• Drink enough water – The best way to keep your skin hydrated is to sip water throughout the day. The U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine’s recommended daily water intake is around 15.5 cups for men and 11.5 cups for women [10]. You can adjust this amount to suit your body weight and activity levels.
• Drink fluids during and after workouts – Exercising is excellent for your health, but it can lead to severe dehydration if you don’t replenish your fluids throughout the process [11]. 
• Cut back on alcohol and caffeine – While fine in moderation, these two substances are classified as diuretics [12]. In turn, they can flush fluid from your body, leading to dehydration.
• Eat water-rich foods – You don’t have to consume all of your water in liquid form. Adding plenty of plant-based, water-rich foods into your diet can also enhance your hydration levels [13].
• Moisturize – A high-quality day moisturizer can keep your skin soft and supple by drawing in more moisture, locking it in, and strengthening your skin barrier [14].

Restore Your Skin’s Radiance With PROVEN

By being mindful of these healthy habits, you can maintain your skin’s moisture levels with ease. But first, make sure you have skincare products that are right for your skin type. 

Here at PROVEN, we craft personalized skincare products based on your answers to our proprietary skincare quiz. Our custom skincare line includes a gentle facial cleanser, nourishing daily moisturizer with SPF, and restorative night cream. Each of these products is non-toxic, dermatologist-tested, and cruelty-free. 

Are you ready to replenish your skin? Order your custom skincare from PROVEN today.

Get your formula