Natural Skin Care Products | Clinical Skincare

Dehydrated and Dry Skin

People often confuse the meaning of the words ‘Dry’ and ‘Dehydrated’ in reference to the skin. Because they are connected with each other, often sharing similar symptoms, people often swap them for each other in their meanings.

Dry skin is basically skin that is devoid of or has very little essential Oils. Dehydrated skin on the other hand, is skin that does not contain enough moisture.

Dry skin is frequently associated with ageing, be it premature or natural. Therefore, the products one uses on mature skins would be used on dry skins. Typically, dry skins have a low level of sebum and can be prone to sensitivity. The main purpose of sebum, a hydrophilic [water attracting] fat, is to mix with water from the atmosphere and secretions from the sweat glands and form a hydro-lipid film, which ensures cohesion and flexibility of the horny layer. The constituents of this film, and its slightly acid pH, create an ideal surface ecology that is vital for skin health and beauty.

The major function of the skin is to provide a barrier against moisture penetration, and because hydrophobic [water repelling] fats in the horny layer compose this barrier; simply ‘wetting’ the epidermis does not allow moisture into the skin. Thus the horny layer avoids transfer in both directions. Surface dehydration can occur for several reasons:

Cleansers:

Any cleanser that promises to leave the skin "squeaky clean" is immediately dehydrating. Soap is harsh because it is alkaline, stripping the hydro-lipid film from the surface of the epidermis and therefore exposing the horny layer. This leaves the layer below unprotected and subject to moisture loss. Other alkaline washes, such as foaming cleansers and alcohol solutions used for oily and problem skin, are even worse since they produce closed comedones (clogging) which ultimately become blackheads and possible pustules.

Damage to the skin:

Using harsh acne treatments such as Astringents, hydrogen peroxide, retinoic acid, benzoyl peroxide, etc affects the keratinization process and weakens the ability of the cells in the horny layer to bond together, therefore affecting the transfer of moisture to the epidermis, giving the skin a dull and withered look. The same effect can be observed with excessive sun exposure and cigarette smoking.

Illness and Diet:

Certain illnesses cause dehydration internally, therefore affecting the epidermis. Diuretics and many cold and flu remedies that dry up mucous have their side-effects on the skin's surface. Coffee is a common diuretic. Consuming excessive amounts of table salt (sodium chloride) also adds to dehydration of the skin.

Other:

Milky moisturizers that "disappear" into the skin offer little or no protection. The water soon evaporates and does not infiltrate the horny layer due to the presence of the hydrophobic fats. Moisture quickly evaporates in Air-Conditioning and after a hot shower.