4 reasons water is important for skin health and beauty

Find out how drinking water can help keep your skin healthy, clear and youthful.

Water is essential for nearly every function inside the human body, and it's also important for the outside — namely, the skin.

Skin cells function like any other cell in the body. Cells are made of water, so they must be given water regularly to ensure that they stay healthy.

• If you don't have enough water in your body, your skin can become dry, which not only looks unpleasant, but also feels itchy, flaky and uncomfortable.

One of the main purposes of water in the body is to flush out toxins that come into the system. If your body does not have the proper amount of water in it, it will not be able to flush all the toxins out, resulting in health effects like acne, washed-out colouring, or even rashes or negative reactions.

• By drinking water, you can rid yourself of any potentially harmful elements that may affect the health of your skin.

The world we live in is a drying environment for the skin, so to keep up skin's elasticity and buoyancy you should continually replenish the water you are losing from your skin cells. When skin cells are dehydrated, they become withered and limp, which ultimately can cause wrinkles.

• When cells are properly hydrated, they swell and become soft.

If your body becomes dehydrated, it tries to hold onto the water that it has, which makes your skin puffy and swollen. To avoid looking puffy or bloated, it's essential to ensure that your body is adequately hydrated.

• Once your body is hydrated, your kidneys will help regulate and excrete excess fluid, ensuring that your body stays balanced.

• Traditionally, doctors recommend drinking eight 230 ml glasses of water per day to stay properly hydrated.

In addition to drinking water, you can also eat foods that contain a lot of water, like fruits and vegetables. Another good way to ensure skin stays hydrated is to regularly apply a moisturizer, which reduces the risk of having dry skin.