Dehydrated skin: It soaks everything up – and stays thirsty.

Dry skin produces too little oil — this is a permanent skin type. Dehydrated skin lacks water in the tissue — this is a temporary condition that can affect any skin type, including oily skin. That is why skin can feel both oily and tight at the same time. The distinction is important because they require different treatments: dry skin needs lipids, whilst dehydrated skin needs deep hydration and an intact barrier.

Because many cleansers are too harsh. Foaming cleansers and daily BHA acids not only remove oil, but also the lipids that hold your skin barrier together. Studies show that harsh surfactants damage skin proteins and lipids, leading to tightness, dryness and a compromised barrier. The result: the skin loses more water — and often produces even more sebum in response to compensate for the loss. It looks oilier, you cleanse more harshly, and the cycle continues. The solution is not more cleansing, but a gentler, pH-friendly routine and rebuilding the barrier.

Source: Ananthapadmanabhan KP et al., Cleansing without compromise. Dermatologic Therapy. 2004;17(Suppl 1):16–25.

This is because UV radiation dehydrates the skin in two ways. UVB affects the surface, damaging the epidermal barrier and increasing water loss — which is what you feel as dryness. UVA penetrates deeper and breaks down collagen and hyaluronic acid, which are the dermis’s own water reservoirs. UVA doesn’t cause a sunburn, so you don’t notice it straight away — but the damage is still happening. A study shows that the sun’s UV rays measurably impair the skin’s barrier function, increase water loss and reduce hydration. Daily sun protection is therefore part of any hydration strategy.

Source: Solar UV radiation reduces the barrier function of human skin. PNAS. 2012;109(42):17111–17116.

A good cream helps — especially one containing ceramides. Around half of the stratum corneum is made up of ceramides, and studies show that skincare products containing ceramides strengthen the skin barrier and reduce water loss. But a cream works on the surface. It does not replenish the water reserves in the dermis — the hyaluronic acid deep within. So a rich cream alone does not solve the problem: you need both an intact barrier from the outside and moisture from the inside.

Source: Kono M et al., Ceramide-containing formulations. The Journal of Dermatology. 2021;48:1807–1816.

Yes — in fact, it’s a good idea. Professional exfoliation removes dead skin cells, allowing moisture to penetrate the skin. The key factors are frequency and method. A professional BioRePeel® protects the hydrolipid film during its lipophilic phase and biostimulates the skin rather than drying it out — quite unlike daily harsh acid treatments at home. The rule of thumb: less frequently, more targeted and under professional supervision rather than daily and aggressively.

Deep hydration treatments like HydraFacial work straight away, but the effects don’t last forever — hydration isn’t a one-off treatment. The results are more long-lasting if we strengthen the skin barrier and replenish moisture reserves with NCTF or PolyPhil over several sessions. Your at-home routine also plays a part. How often you visit depends on your skin — we’ll determine that after the analysis.

This depends on the treatment and the number of sessions — you can find an overview on our Prices page →. Not ready for an on-site analysis just yet? Our Skin Quiz → gives you a quick overview in five minutes — no appointment or email required.