Spot Signs of Dehydration Through Your Skin

The majority of our make up is water. When  your body is losing more water than it’s taking in, you may become dehydrated. Fortunately it’s easy to spot the symptoms through your skin. You need water to optimize basically every bodily function. You can lose water more quickly by sweating too much or by exercising a lot. Fever, vomiting and diarrhea can also contribute to water loss and lead to dehydration. Dehydration can be fatal, take your daily water intake more seriously. Depending on your lifestyle and weight you may need to drink more than the recommended amount, half a gallon. Eating veggies and fruits rich in water can also help increase your daily water intake. Dehydrated skin is sometimes discussed synonymously with dry skin. However, they are two different conditions. Dehydrated skin lacks water; dry skin lacks natural oils. Here are several ways your skin is telling you you’re dehydrated:

• Excessive skin dryness / scaly skin
• Flaky skin
• Dull complexion
• Itchiness
• Skin tightness or shrinking
• Dark under eye circles
• Increased appearance of deep fine lines and wrinkles
• Red or flushed skin

Severe dehydration will go beyond the skin and cause symptoms such as:

• Dizziness
• Excessive dry mouth
• Faintness
• Overall weakness
• Lightheaded-ness
• Dark urine

  Take the cheek test: Pinch a small portion of your skin around the cheek. If you notice any wrinkling and if the skin doesn’t immediately bounce back after you let go, then your skin may be dehydrated. If you notice 2 or more of these crucial signs of dehydration, increase your daily water intake to at least half a gallon or 2 liters. #stayhydrated