Name: Hydrated skin and the pinch test
Creator: Dr Karen Martin
Published: 2023-03-01T11:37:40.757Z

Trioral Oral Rehydration Salts, 0.2 oz sachets - 25 Packets (Lemon Flavor)	 

Trioral Oral Rehydration Salts, 0.72 oz sachets (15 Packets)

All runners know that adequate hydration matters. When on a run, hydration helps because it slows the rate at which fatigue sets in. From how limber we feel, to how quickly we tire, hydration can be the difference between a sluggish run or a new personal best. Let’s take a look at how it works.

Dry skin – sometimes called **xerosis** by doctors - is a condition (not necessarily a disease) where the skin is red, scaly and itchy. The problem is usually worse in autumn and winter, and dry skin is most common on the face, hands, arms and legs. As we age, dry skin becomes more likely. It is not a serious problem usually, but can be uncomfortable and unsightly. Ageing, living in dry, cold or low-humidity climates and bathing or showering frequently make it more likely to occur. It affects both sexes, and is more common in Caucasian skin than those whose skin has a higher oil content, such as with Afro-Caribbean or Mediterranean skin.

Dry skin can be intensely itchy. It feels rough and flakes easily. Cracks and redness can form in more severe cases. Children can be particularly at risk, and this may take the form of eczema - where inflammation of the uppermost layer of skin causes dryness, and this is most likely to appear on the insides of elbows or the backs of knees. Eczema may run in families or run alongside asthma or hay fever.

Dry skin is a variant of normal skin and is not contagious

Under its fancy Greek title of xeros (dry) and derma (skin), dry skin can be intensely itchy. It feels rough and flakes easily. Cracks and redness can form in more severe cases.

It affects both sexes and is more common in Caucasian skin than in those with higher oil content, such as Afro-Caribbean or Mediterranean skin types.

Children can be particularly at risk, which may take the form of [eczema](https://www.healthwords.ai/us/article/eczema) - where inflammation of the uppermost layer of skin causes dryness, which is most likely to appear on the insides of elbows or the backs of knees. Eczema may run in families or go alongside asthma or hay fever.

Dry skin is a variant of normal skin and is not contagious.

How many glasses of water should you drink each day?

Dr Kandi discusses recommendations of a skin pinch hydration test

Hydration recommendations

Ensuring adequate hydration to help our bodies remain healthy can be a tough task, especially in hot conditions, and during strenuous activities or exercise. Hot temperatures and increased water and salt losses can lead to dehydration. Mild dehydration may be felt as thirst, headache, mild dizziness, reduced need to urinate, and dry skin. In its more severe form, dehydration can result in reduced alertness, fatigue, muscle cramps, loss of consciousness, and long-term damage to your kidneys.

Hydration, in its simplest form, is to supply and retain water in the body's tissues. Take in too little water, and you risk dehydration, making it hard for the body to carry out essential functions. And with loss of water, you lose essential salts and minerals, causing further turmoil in your body.

We've all experienced mild dehydration at times, like when the weather is hot, or we are doing a sweaty workout. Fighting a fever or a stomach bug also leaves you lacking hydration.

But you might have overlooked the toll a flight can take on your body. An airline cabin draws air in from the upper atmosphere for us to breathe in, and this is very dry. The cabin air can be less humid than the Sahara Desert, and you actually lose water through your breath. Telling signs can be a dry feeling in your nose and throat, your contact lenses feeling scratchy, and you might be passing urine less, or it's dark and strong-smelling.

You might feel thirsty, but this is actually a late sign, as when thirst sets in, your body is already 2% dehydrated. You need to work hard to replace this. Your body will work best if you can plan ahead to avoid dehydration, rather than playing catch-up.

If you're traveling with little ones, they have a higher body surface area and breathe a bit faster, so they can become dehydrated even more quickly, and salt imbalance follows. It can be tempting to let them snooze through the flight (and give you some peace), but feeling tired and sleepy can also be a sign of dehydration, so make sure they have topped up before nodding off.

Oral rehydration therapy (also known as oral rehydration salts or solution) is used to prevent and treat dehydration. Around the world, it is used to prevent serious illness and death from diarrhea. It has been reported to reduce the risk of death by more than 90%. It is considered so important that it is a part of the World Health Organization's list of essential medicines.

Oral rehydration solutions are a balanced formulation of [electrolytes](https://www.healthwords.ai/us/article/electrolyte-replacement-products-426) and minerals such as:

- sodium 
- potassium 
- magnesium 
- phosphorus 
- chloride 
- small proportion of glucose 

They can be added to water to make a solution that’s readily absorbed by the body. The electrolyte composition of ORS is carefully balanced to mimic the electrolyte concentrations found in the human body, facilitating optimal absorption and retention of fluids.

Is your lifestyle stressing your skin out?

We have all had that important date on the calendar coming up, and a day or so before, what happens – our skin breaks out. Many different things in our day-to-day life can affect how our skin reacts. Some in the short term and others over the long term. Here the Healthwords medical team takes a look at some of these lifestyle factors in detail that can contribute to changes in your skin.

Diarrhea and vomiting – how to get through it

Diarrhea and vomiting are something most of us have suffered with at some point in our lives. For many, it is a horrible week’s worth of symptoms, but eventually things begin to feel better. Here we will discuss some of the common questions patients ask their doctor about diarrhea and vomiting.

Dr Karen Martin

Pharmacist and Head of US Content

Dr Kandi explains the pinch test, and how it can help you detect whether you're adequately hydrated.

Hydrated skin and the pinch test

Doctor’s advice

Pharmacist recommended products

Related topics

Hydration – fueling the runner

Dry skin

Xeroderma (dry skin)

How many glasses of water should you drink each day?

Hydration, dehydration, and heatstroke

Hydration in a nutshell

How do oral rehydration salts work?

Oral rehydration solution (ORS)

Is your lifestyle stressing your skin out?

Diarrhea and vomiting – how to get through it