Hello Everyone!
I hope the new year is treating well. Today we will talking about a skin problem that many do not know they suffer with. It’s often misdiagnosed because the symptoms can mimic that of dry skin or oily skin. Dehydrated skin occurs when your skin does not get sufficient water to maintain healthy cell function.
While the skin is the largest organ in the human body, it is the last to receive nutrients that we consume. So that 8 glasses of water you religiously drink may not be enough for you. Truth is you do not necessarily need 8 glasses of water, some of us need more or less depending on how our body processes the water or our lifestyle. Water exists my system way too fast to be properly absorbed so I need to drink more than 8 glasses. My problem comes from too much coffee and a low sodium diet. It’s personally easier to drink water than to change either of those triggers.
It took me a long time to figure out that despite consuming copious amounts of water, my skin was dehydrated. I had terribly dry skin. My face was peeling off. I applied face masks daily and went through a bottle of face moisturizer in under 2 weeks. Nothing helped, I was desperate, my skin burned, my cheeks were red and irritated and my make up was peeling off my face less than 2 hours after application and it looked hideous before I even arrived at my destination.
I finally figured it out while talking to a friend who was struggling with her oily skin problems. Her skin was producing excessive amounts of oil but to me her skin looked dry. Her skin was also peeling something, she had acne cause by the oiliness and it seems like every product she used to control her skin’s excessive oil production only made things worse.
We both had dehydrated skin. My skin was just dry but her skin was producing excessive oils trying to compensate for dehydration. Dehydrated skin presented very different symptoms that were indicative of different skin care problems in two friends, this is why it’s often misdiagnosed. Unfortunately my friend suffered for years before we figured it out and I had a long six months of my face falling off. But we figured it out and we are both doing better.
I added some sodium to my diet and drink an extra 16 oz of water for every cup of coffee I consume. I use gentle milk based cleansers, I DO NOT use any face scrubs or exfoilators, rather, I use hydrating mud masks 1x a week. But most importantly, I used moisture barrier which protects your skin’s outer layer and helps your skin retain moisture.
For my friend, she is in her late teens and her problem was simply caused by not drinking water and favouring caffeinated beverages. She switched to decaffinated soda and added 8 glasses of water a day to her diet and after time her skin started to look health again. Her skin is still a bit oil, but not excessively. Her acne is clearing up and her skin is getting smoother and softer.
Skin cells are 64% water, it is important to make sure that try receive sufficient water. If you have been unknowingly dealing with dehydrated skin, I hope that this information helps you self diagnose and hopefully work towards finding solution for your skincare problems.
If you have dehydrate skin, here are a few steps you can take to heal your skin:
-Avoid Caffine and alcohol
-do not use harsh cleansers
-Rinse, do not wash your face in the morning.
– avoid long hot steamy showers, try to use cool or lukewarm water
-use oil based lotion to hydrate and repair your skin at night
-use a humifier if you have the heat or AC blasting in the room
-consume for rich in essential fatty acids
-increase your water intake.
Stay Beautiful,
XOXO
Avi Y R
Skincare Unmasked 
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