Flaky, red, irritated skin happens to everyone at one time or another. Whether it’s because of a new skincare routine, the changing seasons, or an underlying skin condition, it’s a common occurrence.
So how do you find the underlying cause so you can treat it appropriately?
The first step is determining whether you have dry skin or dehydrated skin.
This article will break down the differences between dry skin and dehydrated skin. We’ll then dive into the treatment methods for both so you can treat your irritated skin either way.
Dry Skin Vs. Dehydrated Skin: What’s the Difference?
Dry and dehydrated are words that can often be used interchangeably. When it comes to skincare, though, dry skin and dehydrated skin are two very different things.
So, what’s the difference?
Dry skin is skin with a lack of sebum, or skin oil. This is often a result of genetics. For those with dry skin, the skin may be itchy, flaky, or even tight. For some people, dry skin is a year-round phenomenon. For others, dry skin is more common during the cold winter months.
Dehydrated skin is skin with a lack of water. This is typically due to environment (e.g., dry, cold air), a damaged skin barrier, or even poor water intake. The main symptom of dehyrated skin, especially when compared to dry skin, is lack of elasticity.
If you need a quick way to know if you have dry skin versus dehydrated skin, perform the pinch test. Here’s how.
- Pinch a small amount of skin on your cheek or the back of your hand.
- Hold it for about 5 seconds.
If the skin snaps back almost immediately, you’re likely not dehydrated. The symptoms you’re seeing, then, are likely due to dry skin.
If it takes the skin a few minutes to bounce back to its original position, it’s a good sign that you’re dehydrated. This means you don’t have enough water in the skin.
How to Treat Dry Skin
When it comes to treating dry skin, it’s all about maintaining your skin’s natural oil production.
You should avoid harsh cleansers that strip your skin of all of its sebum. Look for cleansers made for dry skin, specifically, as these contain ingredients like squalene, glycerin, and coconut oil.
You should also use a thick moisturizer, one that includes ingredients like hyaluronic acid. This will protect your skin barrier and it can even promote natural oil production.
If you have combination skin, the above recommendations still apply. You may want to use a lighter moisturizer on the oily areas (usually the T-zone) to avoid too much shine.
How to Treat Dehydrated Skin
When it comes to treating dehydrated skin, you want to take a two-fold approach:
- Repair the skin barrier to prevent further water loss; and
- Increase water content in the skin.
You can use a lot of the techniques above mentioned for dry skin when treating dehydrated skin. Namely, the use of gentle cleansers and moisturizers containing hyalyronic acid. In fact, hyaluronic acid is a great ingredient for pulling in moisture from the air while also repairing the skin barrier.
For dehydrated skin, I would take it one step further. Get a separate hyaluronic acid formula and apply generously to your skin. Give it a minute to dry, and then seal with a separate moisturizer.
You will also want to focus on increasing water content in the skin. The easiest way to do this is to increase your water intake. You can also protect the skin from direct contact with extreme weather conditions.
Do you have additional tips for treating dry or dehydrated skin? Drop them in the comments below.