There are many myths when it comes to the type of skin you have. People always think dry skin and dehydrated skin are the same. The reason for this confusion is dual. Firstly, people have less awareness of their skin texture and cannot identify changes in the skin. Secondly, products are often marketed in a misleading manner, which leads to incorrect purchases of the products suitable for different skin types.
Decoding the meaning
To make it simple, basically, dehydrated skin lacks enough moisture to make it feel soft and supple. In this case, moisture means water content, that is, hydration or H2O. Extreme dry skin results in rough-feeling patches that flake off or look scaly. This skin type is more prone to wrinkles too.
Dry skin is caused by a lack of lipid, sebum or oil content leading to a lifeless and dull look. Your overall skin tone and complexion may also appear uneven because oil glands vary throughout the skin and fine lines around the mouth and under eyes become more visible for the same reason.
Dehydrated Skin v/s Dry Skin
Dehydrated skin is generally confused with dry skin. However, these are two very different phenomena. While dry skin lacks natural oil, also known as sebum; dehydrated skin is caused due to moisture loss led by lack of water. While dry skin is a type of skin, dehydrated skin is a condition your skin is going through.
There are various skin types such as normal, dry, combination, and oily. The fact is there is one skin type we are born with, but that changes with age and seasonal changes. In biological terms, when you have dry skin, your sebaceous glands do not produce sufficient natural oils.
Your skin usually needs products to add hydration and protect from loss of moisture. It is also possible that dry skin may be a result of underlying health conditions. But hormonal conditions don’t cause dehydrated skin.
A fun fact that most people wonder about is that even oily people can have dehydrated skin - meaning it can have enough oil content but still lack water content. Additionally, one can also have both dry and dehydrated skin.
Signs of dry skin include:
- Excessive scaly skin
- White flakes
- Strange redness
- Skin irritation
Skin diseases like psoriasis, eczema, and even post-acne breakouts are known to cause dry skin. However, this is totally different from having a dry skin type, nor are they similar to dehydrated skin.
In simple words, Dehydration means that your body is losing more water than the amount you are consuming. Apart from consuming inadequate amounts of water, this can also be associated with increased urination from caffeine consumption. It can also be an outcome of excessive sweating from exercise.
Dehydration can cause the following symptoms:
- Itchiness
- Dullness
- Darker under-eye circles
- Sunken eyes
- Shadows around the face
- Fine lines and surface wrinkles
Hacks to Heal
A few hacks to take care of dehydrated skin are:
- Avoid steamy showers
- Go easy on alcohol
- Drink lots of water
- Consume fruits and vegetables with more water content
- Use skincare products with humectants - that attract water to the skin
- Use hyaluronic acid daily to add hydration to skin
The best ways to take care of Dry skin:
- Use Aloe Vera Gel
- Avoid fragrance-based products that can cause allergies
- Use products that contain emollients
- Use moisturisers to create a barrier between the skin and atmosphere
- Use oils as the last layer of skin care
It takes a lot of trial and error to figure out the skincare routine that suits you best - but it all begins with identifying your skin type and condition so you can treat it appropriately. Solving your confusion between dry and dehydrated skin is the first step to taking care of your skin.
(The author is Neha Menghwani, Beauty Content Creator on Trell )
(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author. They do not reflect the views of India TV)
