How to tell if your skin is dry or dehydrated

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How to tell if your skin is dry or dehydrated

We lean towards hydrating products when our skin is dry, just as we increase our water intake when we are dehydrated.

But did you know having dry skin and having dehydrated skin are two totally separate issues? 

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Melbourne based dermatologist, Dr Shyamalar Gunatheesan, explains that when referencing ‘dry’ skin it is your ‘genetically determined skin type’, whereas ‘dehydrated’ describes the skin’s ‘current state or condition’. 

If you’ve got oily skin, this still may be of relevance to you as “individuals with oily skin can also suffer from dehydrated skin if this homestatic state is disrupted.”

How to tell the difference between dry or dehydrated skin

When identifying dry skin, the telltale signs are anything flaky and scaly, with particular attention drawn to “scaling around the eyebrows, corners of the mouth and nose,” says Dr Gunatheesan.

However, when suffering from dehydration, she explains the skin will feel tight, while looking sallow and dull, as well as an increase in appearance of wrinkling and dark circles under the eyes. “I see this commonly present as sensitive, inflammed skin with areas of congestion and breakouts”.

If you’re still unsure, “pinch the upper part or apples of your cheek to have a feel of the underlying dermis or collagen”.

After this step, “if the skin does not spring back immediately or there are fine lines and wrinkles, this might suggest loss of turgor or elasticity”.

The pinch test will immediately expose side effects present in dehydrated skin. 

How to prevent dehydration

While most causes of dehydrated skin are reversible —”harsh cleansers, over-washing skin with hot water, central heating, air-conditioning, incorrect skin care and inadequate fluid intake” — the prevention methods for dry and dehydrated skin are even easier.

Dr Gunatheesan cites “soaps or sulphates, harsh exfoliants, hot water, alcohol, smoking” as some of the major players to avoid and also encourages getting an adequate amount of sleep as she reveals, “studies have shown sleeping less than six hours per night increases trans-epidermal water loss”.

Diet plays an important factor too, with Dr Gunatheesan recommending “water rich fruits and vegetables such as watermelon and cucumber” as well as “foods rich in omega-3 oils” to nourish the skin from the inside.

As for your topical routine, products that are “rich in hyaluronic acid, and ceramides” will work wonders, with serums applied first, followed by moisturisers while “the skin is [still] moist” for “best penetration, absorption and less trans-epidermal water loss”.

Vitamin C as well as niacinamide are important ingredients to look out for too, as they’re both considered an “antioxidant that can repair photo-ageing, thereby preventing one of the causes of dehydration”. 

bh recommends:A’kin Age-Defy Firming Night CreamSkin Physics Oxygen-C Gentle Vitamin C Exfoliating Mask

Main image credit: @laraworthington

Do you suffer from dehydrated or dry skin?  Or perhaps both?

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Comments 25

  1. Never had dry skin (but oily to oily/normal), but can get dehydrated for sure. Especially when drinking coffee, having salt… and not having bowl of fruits for a day. Skin looks dull, bit tight and crepey under the eye. Luckily it is easy to bounce back (raw fruit/veg/nuts loading and juicy skincare). Dry skin thing is harder I think.

  2. Thank You BH some great advice on Dry Skin and how to care for it and hopefully eliminate it.
    Always have dry areas especially on my ankles and calves on my legs.
    Keeping up the moisture is the key absolutely love Serums.

  3. I tend to get dry flaky patches when I react badly to skincare . Now I’m retired I manage to keep my hydration up and my skin is so much better not sitting in air con 8 hours a day.

  4. I’m sensitive/combination but I am prone to dryness & dehydration, especially at this time of year. I also battle with eczema, so it can be hard to tell whether some dry patches are just dry patches or eczema.

  5. My skin is very dry and dehydrated at the moment, due to illness. I’m finding that facial oils work the best for me. I especially love my beloved Nuxe oil, and Rageism facial oil that I trialed for BH a few months ago.

  6. Great article that explains the difference. I didn’t know that when my skin feels tight it means I’m dehydrated. I do have dry skin as I get flaky skin around my mouth

  7. My skin tends to get oily during the day after a long period out in the sun. I’m rather hydrated and I try my best to keep myself sheltered as my skin is rather sensitive to heat. Reading more into this makes me understand more on how to take better care of my skin. I read most of them on, https://luxondemand.com/blogs/beauty-on-demand . I like how beautyheaven have an active comments sections for us to share our views and personal experience. I’m excited for more articles on this website!