Blog

Dry, cracked, flaking– dehydrated skin is as unpleasant as it sounds. If you are suffering from this condition, your skin is more than just a little dry: it’s depleted of water, making it look and feel parched and wrinkled. To protect your skin, you need to recognize the signs of dehydrated skin and learn how to treat it.

Understanding Dehydrated Skin

Your skin needs to maintain a certain water content to look and feel healthy. Everyone naturally has a barrier that retains this water. The stratum corneum is a stacked layer of dead skin cells. Lipids (fats) hold these skin cells together to prevent water from escaping. Sadly, this system doesn’t work well for everyone and their skin’s moisture leaks. If your skin loses too much water, it becomes dull, flaky, and even painful.

Dehydration Causes

Your lifestyle choices can cause skin dehydration– while it may sound like a simple inconvenience, parched skin can be quite painful. Long hot baths and showers can feel wonderful, but they can deplete your skin’s moisture. Drinking too little water can contribute to the problem, as can certain detergents and soaps, and spending too much time outdoors in the heat or cold. Some people have skin conditions such as eczema that contribute to dehydrated skin, a common condition but an unpleasant one.

Treating Dehydrated Skin

Moisturizers can help the surface of your skin feel and look better, but they do not reach beneath the skin barrier. They do improve the smoothness of the top layer and help prevent water from escaping, however, rehydrating your skin requires reaching beneath the top layer and resupplying water into the dermal layers. For the best results, chemical peels and other recommended cosmetic treatments can go beyond smoothing out the rough skin cells. Talk to Baird MD about your options for improved water retention.

Preventing Dehydrated Skin

If you are suffering from dehydrated skin, consult with an expert dermatologist. The skin is the body’s largest organ and requires regular care to keep you healthy and glowing– make sure it keeps the water it needs. Dr. Baird can assist you in your hydration journey, providing you with insider tips that will boost your skincare beyond your imagination. To get started, schedule a consultation.