Why Your Skin Needs To Stay Hydrated

Did you know, our bones are 31% water? And our kidneys are 79% liquid? Just looking at those stats, you don’t need us to tell you how important water is to your general health. After all, we’re all 60% water, which explains a lot about why it’s so crucial to the smooth functioning of our bodies. Our skin’s no different!

Hydration Is Vital For Our Skin

skin diagram

Basically, our skin has a lot of jobs to do, and it needs water to do all of them effectively. You might not have thought about all the various different roles your skin plays before; it protects, regulates and senses. On the protection side of things, it stops pathogens, toxins and chemicals – basically anything unknown and nasty – from getting into your bloodstream. That goes for UV radiation and sunlight too; your skin intercepts the harmful elements, which is what causes a suntan. Then there’s the fact it regulates your body temperature, through sweating, stopping you from overheating and getting ill.

Now, when your skin is well hydrated, it’s more plump and resilient. This is thanks in part due to something called hyaluronic acid. Its role within your skin is to hold water – and when it holds enough, your skin looks and functions smoothly and beautifully. On the other hand, skin that doesn’t have enough water can be dry, tight, and itchy, and prone to cracking. Most importantly, damaged or unhealthy skin is less effective at protecting you, making you more prone to illness and infection. You can see then, that keeping your skin hydrated through water, fluids (and hydrating formulas like our Neoretin Fluid Booster Serum) keeps you altogether happier and healthier!

The Easiest Ways To Keep Your Skin Hydrated

using moisturiser on skin

There are several ways to hydrate your skin. The first and most obvious one is to drink plenty of water. You may have heard that you need between six to eight glasses a day – this isn’t strictly untrue, but it does depend on how much you exercise. You may find that you don’t need as much as that! One thing to definitely watch out for are coffee and fizzy drinks. Both contain caffeine, which is a diuretic – meaning that it actually draws moisture out of your skin.

Eating foods rich in essential fatty acids, like salmon, olive oil, walnuts or pumpkin seeds, are all great ways to make sure your skin stays hydrated. Then, naturally, there’s the importance of showering and bathing. Don’t forget though, if the water is too hot then it can actually strip the essential oils from your skin! Try and keep the water temperature lukewarm, and spend no more than ten minutes in the bath or shower. And finally, make sure you moisturise!

Here at AP Skincare, we know how tough winter can be on your skin, making it more prone to dryness and cracking. That means that keeping it hydrated is more important than ever! Amongst our collection of skincare products, we find that our Endocare Skincare and Neoretin Skincare ranges are amongst the most effective measures to tackle dry skin. And if you have any questions, or you’d like to book an appointment at our Blackburn treatment centre, you can always pop in or give us a quick call on 01254 297 000. We’re here to help!

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