You can pile oils and creams on your skin as much as you want but it won't help if your skin is crying out for water.
Dry skin and dehydrated skin are often used interchangeably, but there is a big difference.
There is a big difference between skin type and skin condition.
Your skin type is what you are inherently predisposed to, and that is what your genetics dictate. You are born with your type of skin and all the genetic history of the skins of those who came before you. A condition can appear later on in life and your skin type can react and respond differently.
The difference between dry skin or dehydrated skin is that:
Dry skin lacks oil
Dehydrated skin lacks water
Your skin is defined by the amount of oil or sebum in your skin and the amount it is producing. If your skin produces little oil it will be defined as dry skin.
What is the difference between dry skin and dehydrated skin?
Dry skin lacks oil because it produces less sebum than 'normal' skin. The lack of sebum means the skin without the lipids it needs to retain moisture and to build a strong barrier to protect against external aggressors.
Dehydrated skin does not have enough water. Dehydration is caused by many factors with the commons ones being:
not drinking enough water
diet
caffeine
weather
pollution
Lack of sleep, sun damage and stress cause dehydration in the skin. Too much alcohol leaves dull, grey looking skin the morning after too.
Sebum is produced by the sebaceous glands in your skin. Sebum is our natural oil our bodies produce to protect our skin. It is made up of triglycerides and fatty acids (50-55%), wax esters (25%), squalane (12%) and cholesterol (4-5%).
Dry skin can feel itchy and tight. It can crack and lakes sometimes and often won't absorb the topical products you are using. Dry skin has smaller pores caused by lack of oil.
Dehydated skin just looks tired, dull, lacking radiance, sagging and with more lines around the eyes. Dehydration in skin can be hard to define as your skin can still be oily.
So what can you do?
Drink at least 8 - 10 big glasses of water daily
Use a good facial serum or organic oils
Try skin barriers like Clinisoothe+ which is mostly essential oils offering a pollution barrier
Microneedling - stimulates the skin to renew from the inside and allows dermaceuticals to be added to the lower skin layers monthly
Hifu - to renew the collagen in the deepest layers of the skin the SMAS bringing back elastin too.
Look at your diet too
Remember that what we take in shows on the outside through our skin, eyes, hair and nails too.
Here's our rescue plan without or added to clinic treatments
There are things you can do to treat and prevent dryness of the skin.
Get your hands on more an over the counter product kit like dermaceuticals. Speak to us about our range.
Learn to layer your skin care products. Using a serum on to clean, dry skin is a must with the creams after. We'll be happy to run through it with you.
Check your diet. Less caffeine but more tea. Drink loads of liquids. Eat Vit A in your diet. It is in butter, milk and eggs, oily fish, walnuts and chia seeds. They all support the skin's lipid barrier.
Invest in a humidifier in your bedroom and use it as you sleep.
Hope you gain from this post.
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