Do you have dry skin? Although dry skin occurs commonly in the winter months (when cold weather brings freezing, dry air that can damage exposed areas like the hands and face), dry skin, or loss of skin hydration, can occur at any time of year, and the symptoms of dry skin are varied. 

The good news? Dry skin symptoms can be temporary, and you can take steps to ensure skin hydration year-round. If you want to know more about how to hydrate skin and how to keep skin hydrated, keep reading! We’ll explain the best way to hydrate skin and retain skin moisture.

What causes dry skin?

The skin is made up of three layers. The outermost layer is the epidermis, and it protects the body from environmental stresses. Think of your outer skin as a brick-and-mortar wall made of skin cells (the bricks) and lipid molecules called ceramides (the mortar), all working together as a barrier to protect your body.1

One of the key roles of the epidermis is to maintain the skin’s water content and carry out a natural moisturizing effect. Essentially, the skin controls how water is absorbed or released through the skin – imagine the brick-and-mortar wall now has a water gate or series of locks to control moisture in and out of the body.

But if you’re experiencing dry skin, then your epidermis might not be maintaining skin hydration. Dry skin can be caused by many factors.

Although dry air and cold weather are common scapegoats for dry skin, the most common culprit of dry skin is something everyone faces – aging.  

As a person ages, the skin layers begin to thin and the amount of lipids and collagen that holds the skin together decreases, making the skin less elastic and more fragile. These changes hinder the skin’s ability to transfer nutrients – including water.2

Natural aging processes like menopause and andropause can increase the loss of skin hydration. According to the American Academy of Dermatology, the first five years of menopause with falling estrogen levels can cause the skin to lose as much as 30 percent of its collagen, leading to thinning skin. Thinning skin in turn leads to loss of skin hydration.3

Although dry skin can be a sign of aging, it can also be caused by environmental exposures or other external influences.

For example, too much sun exposure can damage the skin because UV radiation speeds up the natural aging process. Certain medications can have side effects that cause dry skin. Drinking and smoking also dehydrate the body, which can trigger aging effects on the skin.

What else causes dry skin? If you work in an industry that requires frequent hand washing, then you might experience dry skin on your hands. And in the winter, when cold and flu season spikes, you’ll find yourself washing your hands more frequently.

Hand soaps can strip the natural oils from your skin, leaving the skin on your hands feeling tight, cracked, and irritated. If washing your hands leaves you with skin irritation, then it’s a good idea to check the soap’s ingredients to make sure you don’t have an allergy to any of them.

Perhaps counterintuitively, hot showers and baths can dry out the skin. The hotter the water, the more natural oils are washed away. So even though the heat is soothing, and your skin feels hydrated when wet, once you towel off, you’re left with skin that’s more prone to drying out. 

It’s also worth noting that how you towel off after a shower can worsen already dry skin: Avoid towels or cloths made with coarse, rough fibers, and be sure to use your towel to pat – not wipe – to dry off after a bath or shower.

What are dry skin symptoms? 

Symptoms of dry skin are about as varied as its causes, and dry skin is easy to see. Signs of dry skin include:

  • skin that feels tight
  • skin that looks rough
  • itchiness or irritation
  • redness
  • flaky skin
  • scaly or peeling skin
  • fine lines that make the skin look like a dry riverbed
  • deep cracks that are prone to bleeding

Many symptoms of dry skin can easily be remedied with simple lifestyle interventions or over-the-counter remedies. We’ll go over the best way to hydrate skin and how to hydrate aging skin below so keep reading. But if you have persistent dry skin or severe skin conditions, then be sure to consult a dermatologist or other health professional for a diagnosis and treatment plan that addresses your unique needs.

How to hydrate skin from the inside out

If you’re wondering how to naturally hydrate skin, then the most obvious answer is to drink plenty of water! If you’re dehydrated inside, you’ll be dehydrated outside. One of the best and easiest ways to avoid dehydration is to jumpstart your day by drinking 16 ounces of water.

Dry skin can be a sign of nutrient deficiency, so be sure to eat a healthy and balanced diet to stay hydrated and healthy. Click here for foods that help with daily hydration needs.

For skin health, vitamin D is a big player. Research indicates that supplementing with vitamin D can improve skin hydration.*4,5

What’s more, vitamin D promotes immune function,* and the skin is actually the largest organ in your immune system. So vitamin D delivers a two-for-one bonus! Curious about your vitamin D level? Try Thorne’s easy at-home Vitamin D Test.

Collagen is the next big supporter of skin hydration. Collagen is the body’s most abundant protein, but as noted above, aging leads to a loss of collagen in the skin and subsequently to dry skin. Supplementing with collagen helps improve skin hydration and health.*6 

Try adding collagen-rich foods to your diet, like bone broth. Who doesn’t love a good hearty soup during the winter months?

Collagen powder supplements promote hydration, elasticity, and strength of the skin, in as little as four weeks.*

Thorne’s Collagen Fit is an unflavored option that can be mixed into a favorite hot or cold beverage, with 15 grams of collagen per serving.

For added skin hydration support, Thorne’s passion berry-flavored Collagen Plus contains Japanese white peach extract, clinically studied to increase the skin’s natural production of ceramides, the lipid molecules that help maintain the skin’s water balance.* Remember the brick-and-mortar metaphor above to describe your skin? Ceramides are the mortar!

Additional nutrients can support the body’s natural collagen production and repair, like vitamin C, zinc, and copper.* 

Another supplement to consider for skin hydration support is fish oil.* Fish oil is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which, by helping to balance the body’s inflammatory responses, promotes healthy skin.* Look for a fish oil supplement that contains both EPA and DHA – like Thorne’s Super EPA. 

Looking for topical ways to moisturized and hydrate? Skin care routines are a good habit to build at any stage of life.

When conditions are ripe for dry skin, be sure to have a good hand lotion or body lotion ready. Lotions add protection to your skin by preventing skin from drying out and can soothe already irritated skin. Lotions should be gently massaged into the skin, without vigorous rubbing that can lead to more irritation.

For face hydration, look for gentle, non-comedogenic (non-blackhead forming) face lotions that have a mild SPF rating; these lotions keep your face feeling soft and moisturized instead of oily, while also helping protect the skin from sun damage.

If you can’t give up your hot shower, then using lotion after your shower will balance the drying effects of the hot water. 

If it’s wintertime, then you might find yourself washing your hands more regularly to combat cold and flu bugs. If you experience dry skin from washing your hands frequently, then look for mild and moisturizing soaps.

Why is skin hydration important?

No matter the time of year, skin hydration is always in season. Whether you’re looking for support for healthy aging or ways to boost your body’s first line of defense, proper hydration both inside and outside can support the skin you’re in. 

Got a question about skin health? Explore Thorne’s Find a Health Professional tool to find a specialist in your area. For more ways to support the health of your skin, check out Thorne’s entire suite of skin health supplements.

References

  1. Rosso JD, et al. Understanding the epidermal barrier in healthy and compromised skin: Clinically relevant information for the dermatology practitioner: proceedings of an expert panel roundtable meeting. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol 2016;9(4 Suppl 1):S2-S8. 
  2. Eckhart L, Tschachler E, Gruber F. Autophagic control of skin aging. Front Cell Dev Biol 2019;30(7):143.
  3. Caring for your skin in menopause. American Academy of Dermatology. https://www.aad.org/public/everyday-care/skin-care-secrets/anti-aging/skin-care-during-menopause [Accessed November 30,2023]
  4. Draelos ZD. An oral supplement and the nutrition-skin connection. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol 2019;12(7):13-16. 
  5. Russell M. Assessing the relationship between vitamin D3 and stratum corneum hydration for the treatment of xerotic skin. Nutrients 2012(4):1213-1218. doi:10.3390/nu4091213
  6. de Miranda R, Weimer P, Rossi R. Effects of hydrolyzed collagen supplementation on skin aging: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Int J Dermatol 2021;60(12):1449-1461.