Dehydrated? Apply moisturizer, it fixes everything!
At least that’s what all the skincare companies want you to think. If these brand new skincare products are so miraculous, why are we still all walking around to find the latest and greatest to reverse these aging skin conditions?! Products are not what they tout themselves to be. Okay, some are actually, but they are few and far between.
As to not further confuse you as you trail through the skincare jungle, better known as the skincare aisles, the article title is completely false, much like the majority of department store and over the counter product labels (another time, another article). Let’s jump into skin function and learn why the title is completely false by learning about dehydration, which affects men and women the same, and what will and will not work.
Healthy skin naturally moisturizes itself by having fluid transported between and through cells as water and other vital nutrients are carried to the lower (lively) levels of the skin. When those newly formed cells migrate toward the surface of our skin they bring with them moisture because they are water and nutrient infused cells. Since our surface skin cells are unable to draw up that moisture from below when in need (as we learned from previous articles they are turning into dead skin cells). Skin must be hydrated from above. When skin cells are not getting enough moisture they begin to improperly layer themselves near the upper levels of the skin because they are misshapen and unable to lay flat. Instead of a brick and mortar effect which is the ideal situation for skin cells, (we want our skin cells to be tightly packed and lying flat because this prevents outside irritation and infection and improves the chance of proper natural exfoliation) they remain upward like scales of a fish. This fish scale packing of skin cells is not a healthy one.
Occasionally, with oilier skin types it looks like ‘white stuff’ sticking out of or visibly seen in larger pores. These white strands are usually a buildup of dead skin cells and oil that were not able to exfoliate off of the surface of the skin, or rather out of the pores. Since the cells are not shedding off at the appropriate rate, this white stuff is plugging up the pore and continuing the cycle of dead skin cell build up and lack of proper hydration in the cells. This in turn causes gapping areas among skin cells and skin layers and now the entire skin cell-production-to-skin-cell-shedding factory slows in all departments. The skin is unable to correct itself and it needs help in order to get back that speed and hydration.
Dehydration occurs from not drinking enough water, applying harsh, stripping, drying products to the face, especially those containing alcohol, using bar soaps with drying, harsh chemicals, and using the wrong skincare products for your skin type – these are the most common. It does not only present itself in the form of visible dead skin cells coming out of the pores, mostly seen in an oilier skin type. Dehydration may also be a leading cause for acne conditions in acne prone skin types. The surface appears dry but is still oily. All the same abnormal function properties apply except that the skin creates an excess of oil and bacteria that lead to inflamed and non-inflamed comedones and pustules. It is also a serious contender in causing superficial fine lines and wrinkles and a dry looking appearance. In most cases, a standard moisturizer is unable to correct the condition. If a moisturizer contains a combination of peptides, humectants, glycolic acid or vitamin A, it has a chance in aiding in correction temporarily. Sorbitol and glycerin are two common humectants found in many products which help cells retain water (moisture). Here’s why a standard moisturizer just won’t cut it: A moisturizer is just that, a moisturizer. For good reason, It is not called a repair the abnormal function of improper skin cell formation and increase proper cell shedding; because most of them do not do that. The majority of the ingredients contribute to the way the product feels on your skin, how thin or thick the product is, and how it smells; these all do nothing for increasing skin cell function, in other words it does not improve the condition of the skin.
While you may see softer skin on the surface, the underlying issue of improper skin cell layering has not been corrected and is likely to reappear.
Your skin needs proper chemical exfoliation at this stage and it must be paired with appropriate moisturizing steps in a sequential order to begin the repairing process. Scrubs do not count as proper exfoliation-some make the condition worse and even cause acne flare-ups. Chemical exfoliation alone is not enough either. The dehydration will continue if the skin is not properly hydrated once chemically exfoliated because there are multiple functions in the skin that need correcting. Chemical exfoliation stimulates new skin cell production at the deepest level to begin the formation of better hydrated, shaped, and tighter packed skin cells. If your moisturizer is not enough to reverse a dehydrated skin condition you may want to seek the guidance of an esthetician or skincare expert.
And while all photo-damaged (sun-damaged) skin needs a proper moisturizer for their skin type I am trying to stress that it will not fix dehydration because the issue with dehydration is actually an issue that begins in the deeper layers of the skin where a moisturizer cannot penetrate. So do not be surprised if the latest product that suckered you in with its pretty packaging, overstated promises, and multiple eye-catching commercials failure to deliver on those over-stated promises.
Wishing you youthful skin,
Melissa
Sources
Pugliese, Peter. 2001. Physiology of the Skin II. Carol Stream, IL: Allured. Lees, Mark; Hinds, Catherine. 2003. Standard Comprehensive Training for Estheticians Pugliese, Peter. 1991.
Skin-inc.com, 2009
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