Dry vs Dehydrated Skin
Dry Skin vs Dehydrated Skin; What’s the difference?
Dry skin is one of the most common concerns seen in clinic, but have you ever felt as though your skin is oily and dry at the same time? The reason being is that a lot of dry skin sufferers are actually dehydrated and not a typical dry skin type, but what really is the difference?
Having dry skin is actually a skin type, just like another skin type is oily. It’s genetic, it doesn’t change and it’s basically a lack of oil (sebum) production which is produced the sebaceous gland, attached to the hair follicle. Not sure if this is you? Check out some of the main characteristics!
A dry skin type typically has quite small pores and aren’t very visible, so if you look In the mirror and find your pores are quite large then chances are it’s not your skin type.
Your skin doesn’t get a shine to it or feel oily throughout the day, it typically stays dry when you wake up and when you go to bed at night.
Flakiness is often a concern for dry skin types.
The only time a skin type really changes is with age, so if you have an oiler skin when you’re younger and your getting dryer with age this is quite normal as the sebaceous glands slowly produce less and less over time.
As dry skin has a lack of oil, it’s important to ensure that good quality oils (such as omegas 3,6 and 9) are consumed daily as well as using a topical facial oil to replenish, the bare roots omega oil is a fantastic option for dry skin, rich with dry skin loving ingredients such as chia seed oil and hemp seed oil.
A dehydrated skin on the other hand is totally different but they’re so easily confused. A dehydrated skin is a skin condition, not a type, and it can be improved. This is caused when the skin is lacking in water; any skin type can be dehydrated and it’s quite common, The main cause is due to not having enough water and having a poor diet which can be easily resolved, you might have also heard of the word TEWL before, this stands for Trans Epidermal Water Loss, which is when the water escapes/evaporates from the lower levels of the skin and this can be caused through a leaky, impaired skin barrier and so choosing great quality skin care with ceramides and nourishing ingredients to help repair the skins barrier will then help skin hydration levels and keep the skin moisturised. Taking essential fatty acid supplement (omega’s 3, 6 and 9), will also support your body by improving water retention in the cells. The main characteristics of a dehydrated skin are:
Fine lines or crepe looking skin, you can test this out by pinching the skin.
Dehydrated skins are often quite dull and dark circles under the eyes can be present.
Increased skin sensitivity and itching.
Increased oil production to compensate for the lack of water
Keeping the skin hydrated is super important, the more hydrated the skin is the better it functions and the better the cell turnover will be. So whether your skin is dry, oily or dehydrated, drink up around 2L a day! There are also plenty of treatments and products available to support you on your way to healthy skin.
To learn more, book in a skin consultation with one of our Dermal Therapists at info@sjmskinaesthetics.com.au or book via our website