Table of Contents
Some pieces of information fall into the category of general knowledge that is fundamentally wrong or incomplete. That’s why you see people on the internet citing the fact that our bodies are 90% water, or that our skin is 80% water and similar nonsense.
Then you have people recommending anywhere between 8 and 15 glasses of water a day, without taking into account any particular factors that might be relevant to the individual. My personal favorite is when people advise us to force ourselves to drink gallons of water a day because it will make our skin “glow”.
The fact of the matter is that we are not jellyfish or tomatoes (things that actually have such a high water content), nor do we all have the same levels of physical and mental exertion in our lives, nor is our skin phospholuminescent. That being said, water is essential for human beings and it does have a significant role in skincare.
What water can and what it can’t do for your skin
Having enough water is important for regulating most of the body’s functions, including the look and feel of our skin. Properly hydrated skin will heal faster, which is especially important to take into consideration in the current climate of increasing numbers of overweight and obese people. Stretch marks can be a big problem, one that cannot be solved easily.
Another problem is losing weight to fast or losing huge amounts of weight – we are then left with excess skin. Proper hydration and nutrition will only get you so far if the problems become too great. There is usually a need to get doctors involved and have some surgery done.
There are unobtrusive, gentler methods that can help avoid stretch marks and other tissue scaring, but a person must be aware that they are going down a dangerous path and be willing to improve. A good example of how the body’s natural water and chemical regulation can be used to help a person lose fat without damaging the skin is a Lipodissolve procedure. In Lipodissolve procedure, enzymes are injected into the body to dissolve the fat, which is then excreted through urine.
In extreme cases after multiple liposuctions, the removal of excess skin and taking into account the injuries sustained during rigorous training a person might require specialized treatment to heal the skin and remove scar tissue.
This is why skincare doesn’t begin and end with your face. You need to think about switching to a healthier lifestyle to avoid permanent damage, or in case of acne or similar conditions, seek out professional help. Drinking water, moisturizing and having a few good cosmetic products in your arsenal won’t be enough for everybody’s skin, so keep your personal circumstances in mind.
How much water do we need?
Every person is different, but on the basic biological level our bodies have only slight variations and tend to follow some general rules. There is a minimal amount of water that we need to prevent dangerous levels of dehydration. The amount of daily water intake recommended by doctors takes into account not just the basic “staying alive” part of the equation, but also the levels needed for the optimal function and protection of the skin and internal organs.
The Institute of Medicine determined that the daily requirement for men is roughly 3 liters (about 13 cups) of water a day. The recommended daily water consumption for women is 2.2 liters (about 9 cups) a day. A woman will require more water during, and for some time after pregnancy because of the physiological changes that occur in this period.
Generally, pregnant women should drink some 2.3 liters (about 10 cups) of water daily and women who breastfeed should drink up to 3.1 liters (about 13 cups) of water daily. These numbers include water found in other beverages as well.
Caffeine is considered a mild diuretic (a substance that causes increased urination). The amount that is found in an average cup of coffee is insignificant, and the amount of liquid contained in the same cup is quite substantial. Unless a person drinks gallons of coffee a day, it is a very safe and viable source of hydration.
Other liquids include tea, milk, juice and carbonated drinks. Some of these might have a lot of unnecessary calories in the form of sugar, which causes an increase in insulin levels which can, in turn, lead to skin inflammation. So going for simple drinks with no added calories is the next best thing to water itself which is calorie and caffeine-free.
We get water from food as well
Fruit and vegetables can be an especially good source of water, the best examples being:
- Tomatoes
- Watermelons
- Oranges
- Peaches
- Apples
- Grapes
- Cherries
- Blueberries
- Strawberries
Even things we don’t normally associate with liquids will contain water to a certain degree. Things like bacon, pizza, sweet potatoes and anything other than dried fruit will contain some water. That is why you shouldn’t force yourself to drink if you don’t feel thirsty. If you eat a lot of fresh fruit every day, then you won’t need all of the recommended 9-13 cups of water, since you already had plenty of liquid in juicy-fruit form.
Another great thing about fruit is that it is an excellent source of antioxidants which are vital for healthy skin. All of the fruit mentioned above is rich in antioxidants.
So, having read all that, you may now consider yourself to be an expert, or at least have some more knowledge in the area.
In our next article, you will find out how to feel the skin hydrated and what to do and what not to do. Here is a link to “Hydrated Skin- The Best Tips You’ll Ever Get (part two)”.Stay tuned.
Image credit: DepositPhotos.com
Last article update: 9/4/2019
