For fresh and healthy skin, all the cucumber masks and lavender lotions really can’t beat water when it comes to ease and practicality. It’s painless, it’s simple, and it’s significantly cheaper than beauty-counter potions. But if water is really all it’s cracked up to be, why don’t we all have gorgeous skin?
From overexposure to the sun, extremely high or low humidity, and just the natural aging process, our skin certainly takes a toll in a number of areas that have little to do with how much water you drink. Even our diet is more complex than the simple water/not-enough-water equation. Caffeine, sugar, and unhealthy oils can all affect our skin for the worse.
Of course, the benefits of water for the skin are touted by celebrity beauties who seem to wake up, roll out of bed, guzzle a gallon of water, and look like a million bucks. The likes of Jennifer Aniston and Alicia Keys admit that water is their beauty “secret,” while Kate Hudson has a different approach: She claims facial ice baths revive her glow.
Before your desperation drives you to dunk your head in freezing cold water, let’s first check the facts when it comes to water and skin health.
The Facts
On average, the human body is composed of 60% water, and even 31% of your bones are made of water. Water is also a main component in your skin, and therefore, in your skin’s health. Water is essential for a number of reasons, and here are a few which would seem to aid in healthy, clear, and radiant skin:
- Water is a building material for the cell! A body without sufficient water is like cookie dough without any eggs: dry, cracked, and not something you want on your face.
- The amount of water in your body controls the amount you sweat. Sweat is a crucial player in skin health because sweat pores cover your skin.
- Water also flushes out toxins. Water allows your body to properly digest and process your food via your liver, kidney, and intestinal function.
The Research
Although the argument for water and skin health is a logical one up to a point, the scientific community doesn’t take a clear stance on whether or not it could be labeled as a “treatment” for ailing skin.
In his book, The New Science of Perfect Skin, Daniel Yarosh, Ph.D. believes you can improve your skin by changing your diet, but that “there is no real clinical evidence that consuming the standard regimen of at least eight glasses of water each day does anything special for the skin.”
Part of the problem is that since no one has a patent on water, nearly no one funds studies to show you how good water is for your skin. Just because clinical evidence can be hard find, however, doesn’t mean those in the medical community don’t support the idea of drinking more water for skin health.
Although research is lacking, some doctors still claim benefits to skin with a higher water intake. In an interview with Women’s Health Magazine, dermatologist Rachel Nazarian, M.D. says she encourages her patients to drink more water and at a more constant schedule in order to plum up skin pores, reinvigorate the skin, and avoid cracks which can lead to breakouts.
The Benefits
Whether or not you believe water could be your ticket to radiant skin, there seems to be enough reason to give it a try. It may not turn back the clock on aged or dried skin, but after a few weeks of increased intake, you could notice some benefits. Here’s why:
- Many skin irritations are caused by an imbalance of water and oil levels in your pores. A little extra water in your system can help equalize these levels and clear up trouble spots.
- Water flushes out toxins and toxins are a culprit of acne. When your hydrated, your body can function properly and efficiently. When water levels are low, toxins escape through your pores and create blemishes and worse.
- Water is not only important for your skin health, but for overall organ function in your body. Increasing your intake by a moderate amount certainly won’t hurt the health of your skin, and the increase in water can bring about healthier function in other organs.
What to Do
Drinking water doesn’t seem difficult, but for most, it can be a tricky thing to schedule a few glasses a day. Throughout a typical day, a healthy intake of water is 80-100 ounces. Unfortunately if you flush your system with loads of water all at once, the benefits will be lost. Be diligent about taking in regular small doses, and you will reap the benefits.
Moderate your intake throughout the day to achieve a constant boost, and use hydrating skin lotions to moisturize skin from the outside in.
