Dehydrated skin: why water alone won't fix it

  Candice Gardner, of the International Dermal Institute, explains why water is important to healthy skin, and how not all dehydration is the same. "Everyone knows that water is vital for life. It facilitates many processes within daily body functions. Your skin is no exception - a healthy skin is reliant on good hydration levels to function efficiently. "The skin's two layers, dermis and epidermis, have varying levels of water according to the processes that occur within them. The dermis has a moisture level comparative to your general body hydration. The skin acts as a water reservoir for your body and a plump clear skin will be dependent on the level of water retained in the dermal layer. "Some lifestyle choices can influence how much water is stored in the skin. Alcohol and caffeine will deplete water stores, as will medication and smoking. Exercise and increases in environmental temperatures will cause sweating to cool and regulate body temperature. Either way, this loss of fluid necessitates replenishment. Drink two litres of water a day, or typically eight glasses, to promote general hydration of the skin and body. "The water is held in the dermis by special proteins. The moisture helps keep collagen and elastin fibres lubricated, thus promoting their flexibility and elasticity. Skin will have better resilience when the deep layers are well hydrated. Skin luminosity is also reliant on healthy collagen and good water levels. "However, the misconception is that drinking two litres of water day will keep superficial skin layers hydrated and tackle the most common skin issue, a dehydrated surface condition. This manifests itself as parched skin and looks flaky with fine, criss-cross lines. The lines are superficial but are more pronounced where skin has become taut through lack of water. "Superficial dehydration such as this is the result of environmental assault. Poluttion, changes in relative humidity and products that strip natural skin lipids promote dehydration of the cornuem, the most superficial layer of the skin made of dead skin cells. "While this surface layer is designed to be tough, it still contains 30-40% moisture.This water is essential for desquamation, the process of shedding dead skin cells. The enzymes which loosen the skin cells require water to function. That is why a dehydrated skin can look flaky and dull - your surface protection is not renewing effectively. "Unfortunately this superficial dehydration cannot be simply addressed by drinking two litres of water a day. The environmental factors at play are a consistent concern and skin will need to be protected and replenished topically if you want to resolve the problem. "The key function of a moisturiser is ultimately to defend against this moisture loss. It is the main reason it should be applied daily, and preferably twice daily if we want to get specific. Even oily skins can suffer from loss of hydration. This means it is just as important to replace critical moisture with an oil-free moisturiser in oily skins as any other." "The truth is, you need to drink your eight glasses of water but supplement topically too. This will give you the best opportunity to tackle the daily assaults that lead to dehydrated skin."