When your skin starts to feel itchy, flaky or dull, most people assume that they have dry skin, especially during Winter. While commonly mistaken as the same, dry and dehydrated skin are actually different skin concerns. Understanding the difference between these two can help you get the right skin treatment for you.
Here’s how to discover which one you have and how to treat it:
1. Identifying Your Skin
Dry skin is a skin type referring to skin that lacks oil. Skin types are classified as normal, dry, combination, and oily. If you have dry skin, your skin produces less of its natural oil called sebum that helps hold moisture into the skin and keep it soft and smooth.
Dehydrated skin, on the other hand, is a skin condition that occurs when the skin is lacking in water. It can happen to anyone, regardless of skin type.
2. Appearance
Due to lack of oil, dry skin may look flaky or scaly. Your skin feels tight and you can notice small, fine wrinkles. It can also have redness and irritation along with a rough appearance. Dry skin may also be more prone to skin conditions like eczema, psoriasis and dermatitis.
If you have dehydrated skin, your skin feels tight, itchy and dull. Your fine lines and wrinkles are more pronounced. You can notice darker under-eye circles, sunken eyes and shadows around the face, especially around your eyes and nose.
3. Causes
You can have dry skin due to your genetic disposition and ageing. However, you can also have it because of seasonal changes, harsh skincare, diet, and stress. Taking hot showers, especially in cooler months, can also contribute to it. The combination of pressure and heat of the hot water strips away important skin cells that protect the skin from losing moisture.
Unlike dry skin, dehydrated skin is mainly caused by external factors such as not drinking enough water, lifestyle factors like smoking, drinking or too much alcohol. This can also be related to increased urination from caffeine or lots of sweating from exercise.
4. Treatments
Dry skincare takes more than moisturising and adding water into your diet. Caring for dry skin means focusing on oil-based products that help counteract the natural lack of oil on the skin’s surface.
It is also important to visit a skincare specialist so that you can get the right treatment. At Laser Clinic UK, we offer professional Skin Treatments tailored for dry skin. We offer Skin Needling, 5-Step Microdermabrasion and Cosmetic Grade Peels. All of these treatments can help rejuvenate skin, boost moisture and give you fresh skin all year round.
Unlike dry skin, dehydrated skin is treatable with lifestyle and diet changes. Drinking plenty of water is the first step in replenishing your hydration.
Try skincare products that nourish the skin and boost radiance like our Institut Hydrating Skin Set. You can also consider getting Laser Clinic UK’s Hydrating Skin Package. This professional Skin Treatment makes your skin hydrated and balanced.
If you want smooth, hydrated, dewy skin and are unsure of the right treatment for you, schedule an appointment with Laser Clinics UK. Our highly-trained Therapists will help identify your concerns and provide you with tailored solutions.
Laser Clinics UK is the largest global cosmetic clinic company and we use the best medical-grade, industry-leading technology to get the best results for our clients. Whether you have dry or dehydrated skin or both - your skin needs to be taken care of. Book a complimentary skin consultation today.
