Can You Hydrate Your Way to Healthy Skin?

Can You Hydrate Your Way to Healthy Skin?

It’s not as simple as ‘drink more water, boost your glow.’ Here’s what you need to know.

If you’re already adequately hydrated, drinking excess water is unlikely to have further benefits for your skin.Lucas Ottone/Stocksy

When asked for their secret to flawless skin, many celebrities — including Jennifer Aniston, Gabrielle Union, and Beyoncé — claim that it has to do with their water intake. And although scientific research has established that hydration is a crucial part of maintaining overall health, you may be wondering: Can you really hydrate your way to healthy skin?

Although you’ve probably heard that swigging H2O can give you glowing, clear skin, robust scientific evidence behind this notion is lacking. One small study did suggest a relationship between hydration and skin health, though. Specifically, researchers found that in individuals with low daily water consumption — that is, those who were dehydrated to begin with — increasing water intake had a positive effect on skin appearance and helped maintain skin hydration levels.

But, the study noted, if you’re already well hydrated, drinking to a point beyond a balanced level of hydration may not have any additional impact. “Excessive hydration is unlikely to benefit the skin,” says Kathleen C. Suozzi, MD, director of aesthetic dermatology at Yale Medicine and associate professor at Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut. The skin is “hydrated” from the inside out by pulling fluid from the capillary blood flow in the skin, she explains, but if there isn’t enough water to pull from — say, if you’re dehydrated — skin can effectively dry out.

All the same, dermatologists including Dr. Suozzi say it makes sense to feature water in your healthy-skin routine.

“Skin hydration is a reflection of total-body hydration,” Suozzi says. “If a person is dehydrated, there is less water being transferred to the skin from the circulation.”

Debra Jaliman, MD, a dermatologist based in New York City, adds that getting enough water can improve blood flow in the skin and body. She notes that the body’s cells and tissues are mostly made up of water. “It’s important to stay hydrated,” adds Dr. Jaliman, who is also an assistant clinical professor of dermatology at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and author of the book Skin Rules: Trade Secrets from a Top New York Dermatologist. “If you feel thirsty, that’s your body asking for water. Drink enough water throughout the day so that your body doesn’t get a chance to feel dehydrated.”

4 Healthy Snack Ideas for Gorgeous SkinReach for these healthy, complexion-enhancing noshes the next time your stomach starts to growl.