Dry vs Dehydrated Skin: Learn to Tell the Difference and Protect Your Skin

Seasons come and go, temperatures vary, and your skin could suffer more than you can imagine. Symptoms like peeling, flaking, and roughness can be too much to deal with, especially when seasons change from hot to cold abruptly. So what should we do?

According to specialists, skin dryness is a severe skin condition that we mustn’t ignore. However, as bad as it might sounds, there’s a huge difference between dehydrated skin and dry skin.

Learn to tell the difference now and what can you do to cure them.

Here is what you need to know.

Dry vs Dehydrated: What’s the Difference?

Dehydrated skin represents a skin condition, while dry skin is actually a skin type. To understand better, picture this: your skin is like a brick wall, and the bricks are made of some epidermal cells and different types of lipids.

If those lipids are compromised, so does your skin. You’ll notice how your skin dries, cracks, peels, and finally flakes. The feeling could be unbearable and highly annoying.

On the other hand, dehydrated skin means a lack of water. Even if your face is oily, you can still have to deal with dehydrated skin. But why does this happen?

One of the sources is a lack of water in the intracellular space and inside the cells. Such a thing happens, especially when we don’t drink enough water or don’t moisturize properly.

Possible Causes

Hormones, age, and climate can influence dry skin. Tina Alster, M.D., states that dry skin can be a genetic predisposition, too. She explains:

“[…], people with dry skin notice their family members are similarly affected.”

If dehydrated skin is what troubles you, the causes can be multiple. That includes climate, altitude, excessive caffeine, air conditioning, or lack of proper skin care.

Learn to Tell the Difference Efficiently

Of course, for any questions and recommendations is best to check up with a specialist. However, you can also try with an easy pinch test.

Just pinch a small area of skin on the back of your hand and hold it for three seconds. If your skin is returning into position quickly, you’re probably dealing with dry skin. However, if your skin returns to its initial position after a few seconds, dehydration might be to blame.

Treat Your Skin

As previously mentioned, moisturizing is essential for treating dry skin. Try to moisturize your skin every time after cleansing or over-washing.

As for dehydrated skin, you can choose to eat more hydrating foods, like strawberries, tomatoes, cucumbers, and cabbage. These fruits and vegetables contain the perfect amount to keep your skin hydrated and healthy. If you’re still having trouble staying hydrated, NAD IV therapy in Miami can rehydrate your body and give your skin’s health a boost. NAD can reverse damage at the cellular level to help your skin look and feel younger.

Remember to talk with a specialist for more support and the best recommendations!

Georgia Nica
Writing was, and still is my first passion. I love all that cool stuff about science and technology. I'll try my best to bring you the latest news every day.