We all know that drinking plenty of water is important, because water is the main component of the human body and because all processes in body need water to function. Water is also important for our skin, for aesthetic and physiological reasons equally. However, it’s not always easy to keep skin hydrated, so here is some additional motivation and some ways to make sure your skin is always properly hydrated.
Epidermis
Your skin has three different layers: the subcutaneous tissue, the dermis above it and the epidermis on top. Since the epidermis is what covers the outside of your entire body, it is most exposed to everything the world has to throw at it. This means that weather conditions, our environment and our daily activities, all take a toll on our skin, and that’s why we have to take extra precautions to protect it. If the epidermis dries out, it can break, dry out to the point of hurting and lose elasticity. Elasticity is important because the way we feel the skin on our hands losing elasticity when it’s dry, we can translate that to what happens to the skin on our face. When skin loses elasticity, it becomes saggy, less radiant and our face starts to give in to gravity. On top of that, the lack of moisture can be very harmful as moisture helps skin flush toxins, carry nutrients and create a barrier against harmful bacteria in our environment.
Health benefits
Healthy skin will always look good, but more importantly – it will feel good. Nobody likes to have skin issues because not only are they uncomfortable, they are also highly visible, especially when they are on the face or on the hands. Dehydrated skin increases the possibility of itchiness and rashes, as your skin’s defensive systems are lowered and your skin is more susceptible to bacteria. It’s important to apply the correct treatment to the area after consulting with your dermatologist. This will usually be an antibacterial cream, which will hydrate your skin at the same time. However, it’s important not to scratch the skin while it’s inflamed, otherwise, you might make the rash worse, spread it to other areas or even rip your skin. In addition, dry skin also makes some chronic conditions, like acne, worse. Acne is not caused by oily skin, but oily skin does make acne worse, and a lot of people seem to think that drying out their skin will reduce the amount of oiliness. However, the two – dry skin and oils – aren’t connected in that way. Water and oils are two different things, and your body will actually produce even more oils to compensate for the lack of water in your skin, making the situation even worse.
Hydrating from the inside out
The first step to hydrating your skin is to hydrate your entire body. There’s no easier way to do this than to drink plenty of water. Still, with a busy lifestyle, we often forget to take care of ourselves and drink enough water. Well, filling up a reusable water bottle and putting it in your bag can be a huge help because every time you see it, it will remind you to take a sip. Remember, you will only feel the symptoms of dehydration (dry mouth, dizziness, thirst…) after you’ve already been dehydrated for some time, and that’s why you need to drink water constantly, and not only when you start getting thirsty. Of course, you can also get water from other beverages, the food you eat, and fruits with high water content, such as watermelon for instance. You can also set alarms on your phone or install apps to remind you to drink water, and if you don’t like water because it doesn’t have a taste, try plopping in some fresh berries or citrus fruits to make the taste more appealing. Different temperatures of your environment also dictate how much you should drink, so you should refill your bottle at every stop.
Hydrating from the outside
Sometimes hydrating from the inside just isn’t enough. Cold air, winds or the scorching sun can all damage skin, and that’s when it’ll need to heal from the outside as well. Hydrate your body by applying body milk all over it after you shower. Speaking of showers, try lowering the temperature of the water, since our skin absorbs less moisture from hot showers. Lukewarm, or as close as you can get to your body temperature, is the way to go. For your face, eye area, elbows, knees and hands, you should also get some extra help. These are all either sensitive areas, or the ones that are involved in a lot of moving and stretching, so you might want to pay attention to their dryness and up the moisture content if necessary. Make sure that the soaps you use don’t dry out your skin because many of them do, and in case they do, rehydrate your skin with a cream afterwards.
Taking care of your skin is a necessity both for beauty and health, and you should always try to pay attention to what your body is telling you. Most of us don’t get the hydration we need during the day, so don’t be a part of that statistic and get hydrated.