Dry vs Dehydrated Skin | Understanding the diffrence.
Taking care of your skin involoves knowing its unique needsand characteristics. Two common issues that people often confuse are dry skin and dehydrated skin. While they may sahre some similarities, understanding the diffrences between them is cruital for selecting the right skincare products and treatments. Lets dive into what sets them apart and how to effectivley address each concern.
Dry Skin:
Dry skin is a skin type characterized by a lack of natural oils or lipids. it tends to feel rough, flakey, and sometimes itchy. Dry skin is often genetic meaning some individuals are predisposed to having it. Environmental factors such as cold weather, low humidity, and harsh skincare products can products can exacerbate dryness. Age and hormones are also a contributing factor to dry skin.
An Example of Dry Skin.
Key Characteristics of Dry Skin:
Feels tight, rough, and scaley especially after cleansing.
Often has visible dead skin build up and rough patches.
Prone to fine lines and wrinkles due to lack of moisture.
Small/invisible pores.
Can have irritation, itchiness and sensitivity.
Generally a long term condition that can be improved/managed with product and treatment.
Treatment for Dry Skin:
Hydrating cleansers: Use gentle cleansers that wont strip away natural oils.
Rich emollient products: Oil rich products like Shae butter and squalene to lock in moisture.
Ceremide producing products: Products that aid in boosting your own ceremide production. A wonderful option is Niacinamide or known as Vitamin B products.
Avoids harsh products: Steer clear from drying ingredients like alcohol and fragrance.
Humidifiers: Use a humidifier indoors to add moitsture to the air, especially during dry seasons.
Increase EFAs: EFAs = Essentially Fatty Acids. Sometimes hard to increase the amount we consume with food due to western diets so a good quality fish oil supplement can make the world of difference.
Dehydrated skin:
Dehydrated skin on the other hand lacks water rather than oil. It can affect any skin type, including oily or combination skin (in studio i mostly see it on combination skin). Dehydrated skin often feels tight, looks dull but it can still produce oil as a compensatory mechanism. Usually if your skins dehydrated you may find small fine lines form very easily when the skin moves. Factors like excessive sun exposure, hot showers, poor diet and hormones can contribute to dehydration.
An example of Dehydrated Skin.
Key characterisitics of Dehydrated Skin:
Feels tight and looks dull, especially after exposure to drying factors.
May show signs of fine lines and wrinkles due to temporary loss of moisture and elasticity. I often see this on the forehead and around the eyes.
Can be prone to breakouts.
Can fluctuate based on environmental conditions and lifestyle habits.
Often affects all skin types but if treated with product/treatment is temporary.
Treatment for Dehydrated Skin:
Gentle cleansers: Cleansers that are pH neutral to the skin so to not strip moisture.
Hydrating Serums: Use serums containing hyaluronic acid, lactic acid and niacinamide to increase hydration levels.
Light Weight Moisturizer: Opt for light weight non-comedogenic moisturizers to hydrate the skin over the top of your serums.
Limit Exfoliation: Avoid over-exfoliating as it can further strip the skin of moisture. Look for gentle exfoliation methods.
Avoids harsh products: Steer clear from drying ingredients like alcohol and fragrance.
Increase EFAs: EFAs = Essentially Fatty Acids. Again a great way to increase hydration in the skin is a good quality fish oil supplement.
Increase your water intake: Ensure you are drinking enough ! Approximately 35ml of water per kilogram of body weight is recommended.
Understanding whether you have dry skin or dehydrated skin is essential for choosing the right skincare regimen. While dry skin lacks oil and requires emollients to replenish moisture, dehydrated skin lacks waters and benefits from hydrating products.
We have the soloution for you. With many product options to choose from your sure to find the right fit for your individual skins needs. Our favorite product is Hydrolock for dry skin and Hyalavive for dehydrated skin, these are a great start. As for in-clinic treatment options, its always best to start with a Skin Consultation to get you on the right treatment plan. However, if hydration is a concern for you and yu want to just jump right into treatment then try one of our Health Facials to start you on your journey to beautiful , plump hydrated skin ! The HydroBooster + LED Treatment is my go-to facial for dry or dehydrated skin. It has been curated with these skins in mind and all products used focus on hydrating the skin on multiple levels. AMAZING!
By incorporating appropriate skincare products and lifestyle changes, you can effectively manage and improve the health and appearance of your skin.