Understanding Dry Skin: It’s a Skin Type!
Dry skin is often a hereditary trait, and its dryness is evident across all layers, from the deepest to the uppermost layer. This is a permanent skin type prone to early signs of aging because the glands do not produce enough oil to nourish the skin.
Understanding Dehydrated Skin: It’s a Skin Condition!
Dehydrated skin can essentially be normal, oily, or mixed skin – but its upper layers are dried due to a compromised protective layer. This condition can lead to irritations, redness, and sensitivity to skincare products. Unlike dry skin, dehydrated skin is a temporary condition that can be remedied with proper treatment.
The Basic Distinction
The fundamental difference between dry and dehydrated skin is that the former lacks oil, while the latter is characterized by a lack of water in the corneum, the outermost layer of the epidermis. Since dryness is a lack of water in the skin, it can also occur in oily skin. Therefore, if you are dealing with dryness or dry skin, you should adjust your daily skincare routine accordingly.
What Triggers the Onset of Dry Skin?
Several factors can influence the level of dryness in your skin. These include the natural aging process, environmental elements, and lifestyle choices. For instance, as we age, our sebaceous glands diminish their oil production, causing the skin’s natural moisture levels to decrease over time. Changes in hormonal levels during aging or puberty can also reduce blood flow to the skin, leading to decreased oil production. Moreover, environmental factors such as cold wind, dry air, and prolonged sun exposure can cause skin dryness. Even your diet can contribute to skin dryness.
Unbeknownst to many of us, we continually wear away our skin’s outer protective layer at any age, particularly when we use products containing acids or retinol without taking the necessary steps to restore the skin’s protective layer, resulting in permanent damage.
How Does Diet Affect Dry Skin?
A diet low in fat can contribute to dry skin
Adopting a low-fat or fat-free diet can deprive the body of essential fatty acids, leading to skin dehydration. These acids are crucial for the body’s overall health and functioning. They aid in oxygen transmission through the bloodstream, stave off premature aging, and maintain skin health. They also prevent water loss from the skin and keep it supple and youthful. A deficiency of these essential fatty acids can lead to itching, chronic dryness, thin skin, and an imbalance of prostaglandins, which help control inflammation.
Is Your Skin Dry? Restore Its Protective Barrier in a Day
At some point or another, we all may find ourselves dealing with dehydrated skin. The most common symptom is when the skin feels “too tight,” as it does after emerging from a pool. When you apply a water-based cream or gel to it, the skin instantly feels relaxed and loosened. This condition can be corrected by restoring the skin’s hyaluronic acid, water, ceramides, and moisturizing substances. These elements help restore the skin’s outer protective layer to prevent water from evaporating.
Presently, there are solutions for replenishing the skin’s water content by using sprays or mini sprays of hyaluronic acid and ceramides, which can be applied throughout the day to restore and balance the skin’s water content.
Is Your Skin Dry? Consider Adding Fatty Ingredients
Dry skin is a result of hypoactivity of the sebaceous glands. If these glands do not produce enough oil to cover the skin’s surface, the skin suffers from oil deficiency and can also become dehydrated.
Dry skin requires rich, fat-based creams to replenish its oily layer. Creams containing oil-soluble vitamins such as vitamin E, and rich moisturizing creams made with a water-in-oil emulsion, will feel great on dry skin.
A consistent and correct treatment routine can prevent or alleviate dry skin and dehydration, making it crucial to develop a personalized skincare routine. It is recommended to have your skin evaluated and treated by a dermatologist every six months.
* Liat Feliser Halpert is the VP of Training at Dermalogica Israel