Many of you underestimate the power of drinking water and its positive effects on your skin and your overall health. Do you know that your skin is the largest organ in your body? It is skin that protects you, storing lipids and water, preventing fluid loss, and even serving as thermoregulation.
Drinking more and more water is the best natural way to get that glowing, beaming, and healthy skin we all want.
Ways in Which Drinking Water Can Help Improve Your Skin
Discussed below are ways that drinking water helps improve skin.
1 Sagging Skin
If you are on a weight loss program, rapid shedding of fat or extreme weight loss might cause sagging skin. Hence many people tighten their skin by water fasting.
But note that it is an unhealthy method and can actually do damage to your skin. If you drink an ample amount of water day-in and day-out, you can tighten your skin slowly and maintain a healthy glow.
2 pH Balance
It is essential to maintain a good pH balance in your skin. The pH of any substance can range from 0-14, with 0 being highly acidic and 14 being the most alkaline. A pH value of 7 is neutral and is the exact pH value of pure water.
Hence the reason you need to drink more water is to basically ensure that your pH value is balanced, thus giving you healthy skin. In addition, water can wash your skin thoroughly with water after using face wash, thus maintaining the correct pH balance.
3 Flush Toxins
Do you know that you can flush out the toxins in your body by drinking water? Note that these harmful toxins can take a toll on your overall health. If you increase your water intake, you can flush out the toxins in your body to improve the health of your skin and your body.
You might have heard many people go on juice diets to flush out toxins, but maintaining a healthy diet and drinking water can also help flush out toxins just the same way.
4 Reduces Wrinkles
Interestingly, water keeps your body refreshed and hydrated, thus helping to maintain your skin’s elasticity. If you drink large amounts of water, you are less likely to suffer from scars, wrinkles, and soft lines.
In addition, staying hydrated will also prevent showing many signs of aging compared to those who drink tiny amounts of water.
It becomes more challenging for your body to retain water as you grow older. So by inputting more water into your system, you are actually helping your body, and your skin stay hydrated.
5 Prevents Pimples and Acne
Certain toxins often clog the tiny pores on your epidermis, thus causing issues like pimples and acne. By drinking more water, you can be sure that you will not suffer from severe pimples and acne scars. The more hydrated your skin, the less likely your pores will clog.
6 Moisturize
You should not only drink a lot of water, eight glasses a day to be exact, but you should also use water to clean your skin thoroughly. It might not seem ideal to take a bath or shower every day, especially during the colder months.
However, it is a great option to cleanse your skin and body with water to clean and unclog pores. It eventually leads to moist and healthy skin.
7 Elasticity
If you lack elasticity in your skin, it might probably be because you are dehydrated. Hence to check your skin’s elasticity, gently pinch your skin and see if it bounces back.
If your skin does not bounce back, you need to drink more water to hydrate yourself and plump up your cells. Note that areas like the skin under your eyes can become dark if you lose elasticity and stay hydrated.
The Potential Link Between Drinking Water and Improving Skin
Although you have probably heard that swigging water can give you glowing, clear skin, scientific evidence behind this is lacking. One small study published in 2015 did suggest a relationship between hydration and skin health.
Specifically, researchers found that people with low daily water consumption- those who were dehydrated – were positively affected when they started drinking water. By increasing, water intake will positively affect your skin appearance and help maintain skin hydration levels in the long run.
But, the study also noted that if you are already well hydrated, then drinking to a point beyond a balanced level of hydration might not have any other impact. Remember that excessive hydration is unlikely to benefit your skin.
Your skin is “hydrated” from the inside out by pulling fluid from the capillary blood flow in the skin. But if there is not enough water to draw from, say you are dehydrated – the skin can effectively dry out. Hence it makes sense to feature water in your healthy skincare routine.
Skin hydration is a reflection of total-body hydration. If you are dehydrated, less water gets transferred to your skin from circulation. Getting enough water can improve blood flow in your skin and body. Do you know that your body’s cells and tissues are mostly made of water? Hence it is essential to stay hydrated and should form a part of your skin care.
If you feel thirsty, it means your body is asking for water. Drink enough water throughout the day so that your body does not get a chance to feel dehydrated.
How Much Water Should You Drink for Healthy Skin?
Experts suggest that a gallon of water a day keeps skin dryness away. According to the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, about 13 cups of water for men and 9 cups of water for women indicate adequate fluid intake.
But if an individual has a lot of transepidermal water loss from sweat or heat, this requirement increases automatically. Transepidermal water loss basically refers to water lost through the skin surface..
Like caffeinated beverages or water-rich foods, other dietary factors may also influence your body’s hydration levels.
Also, note that drinking too much water might result in water intoxication. However, it is a rare effect. When there is too much water in your body, salts and electrolytes become too diluted, which might cause a condition called hyponatremia. You also need to understand that excessive fluid intake could put a strain on your kidneys, your body’s filtration organ.
Diet and Lifestyle Tips for Keeping Skin Hydrated
Besides drinking water, you can also try these. If you want to improve your body’s hydration levels and thus your skin’s, then follow these expert-backed strategies.
Eat Your Water
Try adding foods high in water to your plate to maintain your hydration goals. Where to start? Try cucumbers, celery, watermelon, zucchini, strawberries, and cauliflower, which are the ones that top the list.
Limit Alcohol and Sweets
Alcohol dehydrates your body and skin, thus making your skin look more wrinkled and dry. Most of the mixed drinks that contain alcohol are loaded with sugar, which creates havoc on your skin.
Hence you should not indulge in too many sugary sweets. Probably because sugar will stiffen collagen via a process called glycation, which ages the skin. Moreover, too much sugar can flare inflammation if you are prone to inflammatory skin conditions like psoriasis and can lead to inflammation. It can also aggravate conditions such as eczema, acne, and rosacea.
Try Humectants
When you apply topical products called humectants to your skin, they can be absorbed and pulled in water. One example of a humectant is hyaluronic acid, a common skin-care ingredient. In addition, emollients like creams and ointments might help retain moisture as it reduces the fluid loss in the protective outermost layer of your skin.
Exfoliate Your Skin
This process helps eliminate dead skin and allows your skin-care products to penetrate more efficiently. Many believe that by exfoliating, you can leave your skin too dry. But this condition occurs only when someone exfoliates their skin too often, which can end up irritating your skin.
The American Academy of Dermatology confirms that red, irritated skin, especially after exfoliation, may suggest over-exfoliation. You should work with your dermatologist to identify the right type and frequency of exfoliation for your skin.
Add a Serum
After exfoliation, you should use a good serum that helps with the hydration process. A good serum should include the active ingredients: hyaluronic acid, retinol, and glycerin. Furthermore, hyaluronic acid plumps your skin.
Optimize Your Shower Routine
By avoiding hot showers or washing your face with hot water, the heat will absorb the moisture from your skin. Lukewarm water is ideal for your skin.
Finally, when you actually apply your products to your skin, it can drastically impact your skin hydration levels. Try using moisturizer right after coming out of the shower. After getting out, pat your skin dry with your towel and apply a thick layer to increase absorption.
A Final Word
You need to understand that if you are not maintaining proper hydration levels, drinking more water might benefit your skin health. In contrast, if you are already drinking the recommended daily amount of water and are sufficiently hydrated, you do not need extra. Note that Drinking additional water would not improve the health or appearance of your skin.
Having said that, incorporating hydration into your skin-care routine via exfoliation and infusing a serum with effective ingredients can be very helpful. It could have a direct and a positive effect on your skin.
In addition, you can help your skin stay hydrated by increasing your intake of water-rich foods and avoiding contact with hot water. Moreover, using a humidifier in your home can also help.
And a final note: if you have further queries and questions, you should consider visiting your dermatologist to get specific recommendations based on your skin’s needs.
