13 Proven Causes of Dehydrated Skin and Prevention Tips

Key Takeaways

1. Common causes of dehydrated skin include :
   • Inadequate water intake
   • Alcohol Consumption
   • Aging
   • Hot Shower
   • Air-conditioned Space
   • Overexfoliation
   • Cold Climate
   • Travel
   • Medicine
   • Wrong Skincare Practices
2. NMF (natural moisturizing factors) and lipids in the outer layer of epidermis play a key role in keeping your skin hydrated.
3. Damage to the skin barrier results in loss of moisture and dehydrated skin.
4. Simple lifestyle adjustments and skincare practices can restore skin dehydration.

Think about your average day. A hot morning shower, coffee on the go, hours in an air-conditioned workspace, and winding down with a glass of wine, maybe. By the end of the day, your skin feels tight, itchy, or just bleh. That’s because it is dehydrated.

And the tricky part? Causes of dehydrated skin are not always obvious. They often sneak their way in through your everyday habits and the environment you move through.

And the first step towards regaining dewy skin is understanding the triggers behind skin dehydration.

Continue reading to uncover the hidden causes of dull, flaky skin.

Skin Hydration Process – Simplified

Before diving into the details of what dehydrated skin is, let’s understand how your skin naturally maintains hydration.

So your skin is basically made up of three layers

• The Epidermis: The outermost layer that forms a barrier and protects your skin from the environment
• Dermis: The middle layer that contains hair follicles, blood vessels, etc.
• Hypodermis: The innermost layer that connects your skin to the muscle.

The Epidermis:

It is made up of lipids and cells called corneocytes.

• Corneocytes: contain NMF (natural moisturizing factors) that hold water in your skin
• Lipids: form a barrier and prevent water from escaping.

And then there is a process called (TEWL) trans epidermal water loss. It just means the water is escaping from the skin. It is natural, healthy, and vital to keep the internal balance of your body.

What is Dehydrated Skin?

In simple terms, dehydrated skin means your skin lacks sufficient water.

When, certain internal and external factors damage the protective barrier of the skin epidermis, water starts to escape rapidly from the skin. It is lost faster than it can be replenished. It is as if your skin’s water tank starts running low, and this leads to dehydration.

The Result? A flaky and tight skin, with visible fine lines and a dull complexion.

Unlike dry skin, which is a skin type lacking sufficient oil, skin dehydration is a temporary condition. And it can get better if you follow an effective hydrating skincare routine and make a few lifestyle adjustments.

But to do that, you must first identify the actual cause behind your dehydrated skin.

Internal Causes of Dehydrated Skin

Insufficient Water Intake

The first and the most common cause of dehydrated skin is not drinking enough water. Most of you would know that your skin contains almost 70-75% of water. This water is one of the main reasons your skin feels plump and elastic.

According to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, men should consume an average of 3.7 liters of fluids, while women should consume 2.7 liters. And interestingly, 80% of this fluid comes from drinks alone.

That’s why keeping your water level optimized is vital to avoiding lifeless dry skin.

Stress

A study conducted on women tested how different types of stress affect their skin function. And guess what? The results showed interview-related stress delayed the recovery of their skin barrier and increased water loss. Here’s why:

Stress situation causes your body to release two hormones

Cortisol: it reduces the lipid production that makeup your skin barrier. An impaired skin barrier cannot trap water, so your skin end up flaky and dehydrated.

Adrenaline: it slows the movement of your skin cells. So it is harder for them to come together and form a healthy barrier. Result? Your skin remains flaky, itchy, and irritated for a longer time.

Aging

Estrogen, often referred to as the beauty hormone, naturally declines with age. According to URMC menopause blog, lower estrogen levels lead to a thinner epidermis and lower hyaluronic acid levels.

At the same time, the sebaceous glands in your skin also slow down and produce less oil.

Put it all together, and you have a recipe for dehydrated skin. A skin with a weak barrier that is unable to hold moisture and starts getting wrinkled, flaky, and dry.

Medicine

Certain medicines can also contribute to dehydrate skin. Some act as diuretics, which means they make you pee more, while others might induce vomiting or diarrhea. All this results in excessive fluid loss from the body, leading to overall dehydration in the body.

This dehydration also reflects in your skin, making it dry, rough, and tight.

Lifestyle Habits that Contribute to Dehydrated Skin

Alcohol Consumption

Alcohol consumption is another reason you might feel dry and wrinkly.

That’s because the alcohol itself is diuretic, which means it causes your body to make more urine. The more you pee, the more water you lose. And this, in turn causes dehydration throught your body, even in your skin.

Not only that, alcohol also interferes with the lipids in the outer layer of skin. The lipids make up your skin barrier which locks in moisture. A damaged skin barrier cannot retain moisture, causing dehydrated skin.

Hot Shower

Hot showers feel amazing and relaxing, but your skin isn’t a big fan. They cause your skin to lose oil and moisture. When you remain in the hot water for too long, your body temperature starts to rise. And you start sweating to cool off. All that sweating pulls water from your skin.

The longer you stay in the shower, the more your skin loses moisture and gets dehydrated.

That’s why dermatologists recommend taking short, lukewarm showers to keep your skin healthy and hydrated.

Travel

Have you ever noticed how your skin feels parched after a flight? Air travel is another reason your skin feels dry and dehydrated. That’s because cabins in the airplanes have low humidity. The dry air pulls moisture not only from your skin but also from your nose and throat. Consequently, you step out of the plane feeling dry, dehydrated, and drained.

Diet

What you eat shows up on your skin. A diet full of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants helps it stay healthy and hydrated. When you are deficient in vitamins like A, D, E, iron, and zinc, your skin is more likely to feel dry and parched.

Adding Omega-3-rich foods such as flaxseed and salmon is essential to keep your skin barrier strong. And don’t forget water-rich foods like cucumber water and watermelon to restore water levels in your body.

Environmental Causes of Dehydrated Skin

Sun Exposure

Soaking up winter sun feels like a warm hug. But that warmth also brings UV rays that are not so skin-friendly.

Too much exposure to those harsh sun rays strips away natural oils in your skin and speeds up trans epidermal water loss. And the result is a skin that feels dehydrated and irritated.

So, it is advisable to always apply SPF outdoors and avoid prolonged sun exposure.

Air-Conditioner

I know sitting in an air-conditioned room feels like pure heaven on a hot day. But this can be one of the sneaky causes of dehydrated skin.

AC  not only cools the air but also pulls the moisture out of it, reducing humidity levels. And when the air is dry, your skin’s epidermis loses more water to the environment.

As a result, your skin feels dry, flaky, and tight.

Cold Weather

During colder months the air loses its ability to hold moisture. Low humidity in the winter air draws water from your skin, leaving it dry and flaky.

To make this worse, Indoor heating systems further dry out the air, stripping hydration from your skin.

Couple that with a long hot shower in winter, and you will know why cold weather is one of the most common causes of dehydration.

Skincare Mistakes that Lead to Dehydration

Over-Exfoliation

Exfoliation is amazing for keeping your skin fresh and speeding up cell turnover. But going overboard with it can cause more harm than good.

Overexfoliation not only removes your dead skin cells but can also damage the protective lipid barrier in the outer skin layer. Your skin can not retain moisture with a weakened barrier and becomes dehydrated.

So dermatologists recommend exfoliating one to two times a week, depending on your skin type.

Wrong Skincare Practices

Understanding your skin type and its triggers is first step when buying skincare products.

Practices such as using harsh cleansers, applying products in the wrong order, or overusing them could disrupt your skin’s moisture balance, leaving it dehydrated.

Tips To Prevent Dry Dehydrated Skin

Here are some derm-approved tips you can follow for that plump and hydrated skin.

• Drink plenty of water to keep your skin hydrated from within
• Do not overconsume alcohol or caffeinated drinks since they cause fluid loss
• Use a humidifier in heated or air-conditioned rooms
• Choose gentle, hydrating skin care products that won’t strip your skin
• Use broad-spectrum SPF daily. That one’s a non-negotiable.
• Opt for lukewarm showers instead of hot ones to avoid all that moisture loss
• Go for a moisturizer with humectants and emollients.
• Moisturize damp skin to lock in the hydration.
• Manage your stress levels because stress hormones weaken your skin barrier

Wrap Up:

The causes of dehydrated skin often lie in our everyday habits and environment. Luckily, with a few lifestyle tweaks and hydrating skincare, you can get back your plump and glowing skin.