We hate to say it, but your dry skin is aging you

We hate to say it, but your dry skin is aging you

Itchy, flaky and lined — dry skin isn’t just uncomfortable.

In Anti-aging

Sometimes it’s not obvious that your skin is going through a dry spell. An easy way to find out if your body is dehydrated in general is to do a quick pinch test. Lightly pinch the skin on the back of your hand. Hydrated skin snaps back immediately; dehydrated skin takes its time.

Ideally we’d want to nip this problem in the bud before your skin starts to show visible signs of dryness — flaky, itchy and lined skin. But it’s never too late to reverse the signs of premature aging — if you know the right remedies.

How did we come to this?

If you’re unsure what the correct amount of moisture does to the appearance of your skin, just think of grapes and raisins. A fresh grape is firm and juicy, while a raisin is dry, shriveled and less than half the grape it used to be. We want to stay fresh grapes for a long, long time.

The factors that contribute to reduced moisture in the skin include not drinking enough water, low humidity climates, hormonal imbalances and even genetics.

When we allow our skin to dry out, it becomes even more susceptible to pollutants and bacteria as dehydrated skin is considered “weak” and therefore cannot combat external aggressors.

Isn’t there a quick fix?

A common mistake is to exfoliate the flaky, rough skin away. While exfoliation is good for the skin in general, over-exfoliation can dry out skin even further. Choose hydrating serums, moisturizers and masks instead to start the repair process. To help things along, drink more water, go easy on the air-conditioning and avoid exposure to the sun as much as possible, as the latter can dry skin further.