Can you tell the difference between dry skin and dehydrated skin?

Well there isn’t a difference I hear you cry! Well um, surprisingly yes there is! Many of us find ourselves perplexed by these two skin terms, often because the symptoms such as tightness, flakiness, dull, lifeless, rough, to the more serious- severe redness and cracks in the skin that are prone to bleeding – are one and the same, or so we thought! However there is vast clinical variance between these two terms - dry skin is a skin type and dehydrated skin is a skin condition, and it is this difference that dictates just how often and just how long you may suffer from each of these irritating skin issues! Dry skin, or allipoid skin, generally refers to skin that is lacking in oil; whilst dehydrated skin is characterized by a lack of moisture in the outermost layer of the epidermis. So what causes dry or dehydrated skin? Read on…….

What causes dry skin?

Did you know that dry skin isn’t actually caused by a lack of water content in the skin; it’s as a direct result of the inability of the outer layers of your skin to maintain normal moisture levels. This can be inflicted by UV/UVB rays and overexposure of the sun, other environmental aggressors, common skin irritants and inappropriate (for your skin type) skin products that further dry out the skin, even the trend of fat-free diets can deprive our bodies of skin-friendly Essential Fatty Acids (EFAs) resulting in moisture loss. Unfortunately whilst consuming litres of water is great for your health it won’t actually improve dry skin – you need to constantly repair your skin from the outside in order to keep dry skin under control.

What causes dehydrated skin?

Unlike dry skin, dehydrated skin is a condition that’s often short lived and more easily addressed, as it is a product of controllable factors.. Brought on by the wildly changing Irish weather to working in an air conditioned office or simply by using the wrong skin care products such as those loaded with alcohol and additives. Many of us who suffer from oily, blemish prone skin are often more likely to suffer from skin dehydration as we make use of oil stripping skincare treatments as well as anti-ageing skin care regimens that feature too many active ingredients! Dehydrated skin will return to its normal state once you have eliminated the irritant, perhaps as you stop using skincare products that strip away the moisture or limit your exposure to harsh skin thirsty environments.

How do you treat both dry and dehydrated skin?

Despite their differences, both dry and dehydrated skin can be addressed by using similar skin care treatments. Each condition requires skin reparation, rehydration and properties that rejuvenate and rebuild the skins defence whilst encouraging and supporting its ability to retain moisture. B earing in mind that dry skin for optimal results requires that you use these products both regularly and consistently, whilst dehydrated skin can divert back to its regular skin care regimen once it has returned to its normal non-dehydrated state.

5 OF THE BEST PRODUCTS FOR DRY AND DEHYDRATED SKIN