Dry vs Dehydrated Skin: How to Tell the Difference and What to Do

Dry vs. dehydrated skin can often be confused but they are two very distinct conditions. What is the key difference between dry skin and dehydrated skin? At its core, the term dry skin refers to a skin type and is one of several skin types including things like normal skin, sensitive skin, or oily skin. By comparison, dehydrated skin is a more temporary condition, something brought about by external sources, like dehydration.

Understanding dehydrated skin vs. dry skin is important for the type of treatment and skin care plan used as a result. For this reason it's essential that individuals learn to identify the correct issue before they start a treatment plan.

Dry vs. Dehydrated Skin

So, what is the difference between dehydrated skin and dry skin? How can you tell if you have dry or dehydrated skin?

Dry Skin

Dry skin is a skin type, one defined by a situation where skin lacks adequate oil production, or sebum.

The common characteristics of dry skin are as follows:

• Rough textured skin
• Flaking
• Peeling skin
• Irritation
• Redness

The common causes of dry skin are generally genetic, which means they are predetermined and not something within your external control.

That said, there are external factors that can exacerbate a dry skin condition, such as the following:

• Cold weather
• Harsh skincare products
• Overusing exfoliating or harsh skincare products

While external factors can exacerbate dry and dehydrated skin, dry skin will always revert to its normal, dry state once those external factors are gone.

Dehydrated Skin

Dehydrated skin is a temporary condition, one that results in a lack of water in the skin.

The common characteristics of dehydrated skin are as follows:

• Dull appearance
• Fine lines that are more pronounced
• Wrinkles that are more pronounced
• Tightness
• Sensitivity

The common causes of dehydrated skin are simply overall dehydration, and this can be not drinking enough water or using products that strip away hydration from the skin unintentionally. In terms of regular body hydration, the skin is the last thing that gets available resources which means as soon as you are mildly dehydrated, it will start to show in your skin before anywhere else.

Individuals can often go with mild dehydration for several weeks, with their skin showing the impact before they start to feel more pronounced signs and symptoms of dehydration like headaches and dizziness.

Dehydrated skin can affect any skin type, including dry skin, oily skin, or normal skin.

That said, there are external factors and internal factors that can exacerbate dehydrated skin, including the following:

• Diet
• Climate
• Air conditioning

Individuals with any skin type who spend most of their days indoors in front of air conditioning units will experience dehydrated skin as the constant blowing can dehydrate the skin and the removal of moisture from the air can dehydrate the skin.

Similarly, those who live in harsher climates with lower humidity levels are more likely to experience dry skin especially climates with heavy wind.

Individuals who have unhealthy diets without a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables heavy in water are more likely to deal with chronic and low-grade dehydration from things like heavy starch and sugar foods.

Key Differences Between Dry and Dehydrated Skin

So, what is the key difference between dehydrated skin and dry skin? How can you tell whether you have dry skin or dehydrated skin?

The biggest difference is that dry skin is an actual skin type that lacks oil, whereas dehydrated skin is a condition that lacks water.

Differentiating between the two is imperative because skin type versus skin condition will impact your long-term care and treatment. For a skin type you need a treatment regimen that you use with regularity whereas for a condition you might need a temporary treatment that you use whenever that condition manifests.

Dry skin can persist year round and that means the treatment measures you utilize should be viewed as a year-round skin care routine. By comparison, dehydrated skin can come and go depending on environmental factors so it's good to have a secondary form of skincare treatment with appropriate products that are used whenever dry skin manifests.

It is important to understand that both conditions can actually coexist. Individuals with dry skin can experience dehydration as a skin condition from time to time. This is why it's important to find a balanced skincare routine.

How to Tell if You Have Dry or Dehydrated Skin

How can you tell if you have dry or dehydrated skin?

The first way to distinguish between the two is to look for common signs and symptoms of each. With dry skin, you'll have flakiness and peeling, as well as visible dryness when you look in the mirror, but with dehydrated skin, your skin will feel very tight, and you'll see prominent fine lines or wrinkles.

The second way to test is called the pinch test. You gently pinch the skin on your cheek and if it takes a long time (more than 3 seconds) to return to normal, that means it lacks water.

You can always look for other signs of skin dehydration as well, including headaches, itchy skin, tight skin, uneven complexion, and dark circles under your eyes.

Treatment for Dehydrated Skin vs. Dry Skin

So, what are the best types of treatments for dry vs. dehydrated skin?

If you have dehydrated skin, there are several key ingredients you should look for in your skincare products to help repair your skin barrier and restore moisture to your skin. These include:

• Hyaluronic acid: Attracts moisture to your skin and helps overcome dehydration by making your skin plump and bright.
• Glycerin: Draws moisture into deeper layers of your skin, overcoming dehydration from the top down.
• Ceramides: Repairs your skin barrier. These are lipids known for softening the skin.
• Shea butter or plant oils: Ingredients like coconut, avocado, or almond oils, as well as algae, kelp, and seaweed, improve moisture.

When treating dehydrated skin, you can add more moisture to your skin by using natural plant oils and other natural ingredients in the form of:

• Serums
• Moisturizers
• Cleansers
• Masks

These are products that you can incorporate as part of your daily skincare routine, such as daily cleansers, or into your weekly and monthly routines like masks and serums.

If you have dry skin, you want to carefully select ingredients that include things like ceramides and hyaluronic acid and stay away from products with harsher chemicals like glycolic acid.

Look for ingredients such as:

• Sesame oil
• Linoleic acid
• Primrose oil
• Vitamin E
• Vitamin C
• Shea butter
• Glycerin
• Ceramides
• Hyaluronic acid

There are some areas of crossover in terms of treatments and products for dry versus dehydrated skin. One of the biggest differences is the regularity. If you have dry skin or dehydrated skin, you will need to choose products that you use either as part of your regular skincare routine for dry skin or temporarily as a way to bolster hydration if you have dehydrated skin.

Summing Up

Overall, the biggest difference between dry skin and dehydrated skin is that dry skin is an actual skin type, one that is caused by genetics and dehydrated skin is a temporary condition caused by external factors. Dehydrated skin can affect any skin type including dry skin so you might have both.

If you are dealing with dry and dehydrated skin, look for the right type of products to help bolster hydration in your skin long-term.

Additionally, be cognizant of how much water you consume, what your diet and exercise routine look like, and your exposure to elements like air conditioning units or sun. Pay attention to your individual skin needs and adjust your skincare routine accordingly.

Dermoi is a revolutionary concept store for scientifically-verified skincare. Our dedicated in-house scientific team carefully analyzes and selects the most effective skincare using their rigorous selection process. At Dermoi, you can trust that every product we offer is science-backed and a game-changer for your skin.

If you have any questions about your skin, skincare products, or related topics, our scientific team is here to help. Please reach out via email at [email protected] or call us at (0)20 3963 9930 between 11am and 4pm, Monday to Friday.