Does Drinking Water Help Skin?
Drinking adequate water is essential for overall health including skin health, but drinking extra water beyond normal hydration has limited direct impact on skin appearance. Severe dehydration does affect skin, but most skin issues like acne, wrinkles, and dryness have other primary causes. Topical hydration often matters more than internal.
Key Takeaways
- Your skin, like all organs, needs adequate hydration to function properly.
- Some people may see mild improvements when going from chronically under-hydrated to properly hydrated.
- Caffeinated and alcoholic beverages can have dehydrating effects that may affect skin.
Explanation
Your skin, like all organs, needs adequate hydration to function properly. Severe dehydration can cause skin to lose elasticity and appear dull. However, once you are adequately hydrated, drinking more water does not continue to improve skin - the excess is simply excreted.
Skin dryness is primarily caused by external factors (weather, harsh products, low humidity) and is best addressed with topical moisturizers that trap water in the skin. Drinking water does not directly moisturize skin cells from the inside out.
Acne is caused by factors like hormones, bacteria, and oil production, not hydration levels. While staying hydrated supports overall skin health, water is not a treatment for acne or wrinkles. A balanced approach including skincare, diet, and sun protection is more effective.
Things to Know
- Some people may see mild improvements when going from chronically under-hydrated to properly hydrated.
- Caffeinated and alcoholic beverages can have dehydrating effects that may affect skin.
- Skin 'glow' attributed to water is often more related to overall health, sleep, and diet.