Don't Let Your Skin Go Dry
by Natalie Katsman
Water makes up 60% of the human body. Not only blood and other body fluids have water as their main ingredient, water is stored in all body tissues. Cytoplasm, cells and cell walls contain lots of water. Skin is a large water storage, yet it gets dry, itchy and flaky. Why?
Every day 4-8 oz. of water evaporates through the skin, and we don't even notice how it happens. Replenishing water by drinking more fluids is helpful, but does not guarantee smooth and resilient skin. Moisture balance is regulated by chemical reactions in tissues, and is not directly related to the amount of water you drink.
If we could apply water topically, it would not help much either. Skin does feel soft and moisturized right after a bath: it happens because the horny layer (the outermost skin layer), which is formed by dead skin cells, absorbs water.
