Does Drinking Water Help Reduce Acne?

Myth: Drinking water will clear up the skin and make acne go away.
Busting It: Water does not cure acne by itself, and make it go away. It just helps in reducing acne by hydrating our body.

Almost 60% to 70% of the human body is made up of water, so you can well imagine how important water is for our system. Our body needs a certain amount of water on a daily basis to help it function properly, and if this requirement is not fulfilled, then many small, or serious health problems may crop up. Acne is a cause of concern for millions of individuals across the world, irrespective of age and gender, and it is one of the many problems that can be helped by proper and adequate intake of water. In this article, we will find out how drinking water helps reduce acne.

Does drinking water help reduce acne? Yes, it does. But, it is not going to cure acne by itself. It is a supplement, so to say - along with treatment, and a healthy lifestyle - which can do wonders without having any side effects at all. Instead it will help in making you healthier, and your skin clearer, and also cure some other problems that may have occurred due to less water intake.

What Causes Acne?
Acne can be caused due to any one of the following reasons.

• when the body undergoes hormonal changes and imbalances
• stress
• when dead skin cells accumulate on the skin instead of falling off, and clog the openings of the sebaceous glands
• due to some skin conditions
• lifestyle
• constantly rubbing or running your hands over your face
• buildup of toxins in the body
• bacteria
• unhealthy eating habits
• digestion disorders
• not maintaining personal hygiene
• excessive dandruff
• sometimes it can be hereditary

All these causes require treatment, if the acne caused due to them is getting out of control. Did you know, that a recent survey established, that more than 50 billion Americans suffer from acne problems? There is a simple solution to make the acne go away if there are no serious underlying causes for it, such as the ones mentioned above. WATER. And this solution helps in reducing acne, even if there are serious causes for it.

How Does Drinking Water Help Reduce Acne?
Our body has a toxic disposal system, that consists of the kidneys and bowels. When these two organs are overloaded, then the body turns to the lungs and skin to help out in flushing toxins. The kidneys and the bowels fail to function properly if our body doesn't get enough water, and thus, the skin has to help out. When these toxins try to escape through the pores of the skin, and the pores turn out to be blocked, it causes the toxins to collect just under the skin, and inflames them. It really helps the kidneys if we drink enough water, because then they are able to function properly. Also, bowels are cleaned better when there is enough water in our body. Less water means bowel dysfunction, leading to build up of toxins, which causes acne. Drinking water really does help reduce acne.

When you drink enough water, you tend to urinate more, which helps in flushing out the toxins in the body. The water goes to every cell of our body, collects all the toxins as well as some fats, and this water, with all the toxins and waste from cells is what is urine. So the more water you drink, the cleaner your body will be. Similar is the case with perspiring. Perspiring opens up the pores - if they have been clogged due to some reason - so that the toxins can get a clear path to escape. When this happens, it won't be long before you have acne free skin.

Every cell in our body contains water, and this is what helps it remain hydrated and healthy. If the water content in our cells reduces, they become dry and this dehydrates the skin, causing it to crack. Cracked and dry skin is more prone to bacteria than hydrated and moisturized skin, so the chances of an acne breakout increase if the body cells do not get enough water. Drinking water also keeps the cells plump and moisturized, thus lending a healthy glow to the skin. Dry face and acne are inter-related, and drinking enough water will take care of the dry skin, reducing the acne.

Drinking water dilutes the stress hormones that have formed in our body due to accumulated stress. Have you noticed that during the time of exams, your acne seems to worsen? This is because stress produces a hormone called cortisol, which can lead to acne breakout. Water helps dilute this hormone to some extent, causing the acne to reduce noticeably. Besides water, drinking herbal teas will also help in reducing the effectiveness of cortisol, but water is the safest option since there are no side effects or negative effects of drinking water.

How Much Water to Drink?
The standard amount of water intake is supposed to be 8 glasses, but again, this varies from individual to individual. Not everyone needs and can consume 8 glasses of water daily. So, how to figure out how much water you need? Our body is an amazingly capable machine that knows how to take care of itself, and give indications that something is wrong with it. We have to figure out how to read these indications. The best way to check whether you are getting enough water is to observe the color of your urine. If your urine is clear, then you are getting enough water. If not, then you need to increase your intake. Keep increasing the amount of water you drink by a glass every three days. Observe the color of your urine three days after increasing your water intake by a glass, and see if it has become lighter. Keep increasing your intake till your urine becomes totally clear with no yellowish hue. If your intake has gone up to 6 glasses, then that is the right quantity for you. If it has gone up to 9 or even 10 glasses, then that is the right quantity for you. Some people require less water, while others require more, and you can judge for yourself how much you require.

Drinking water can also be taken with some lemon or lime squeezed in it. This also is said to help clear up skin considerably. If you also want your complexion to improve, try drinking a glass of warm water with a spoonful of honey in it. Water doesn't just help when consumed. Even regularly splashing your face with cool water will stop the skin from getting too oily, thus helping to ward off acne. Splash your face at least 4 to 6 times a day, dry with a comfortably rough towel to remove the dead skin cells, and you will notice a difference pretty soon. Make sure that you don't rub your face too vigorously, because that will stimulate oil production, quite defeating the purpose. So, drink water and sport a healthy, glowing skin, and won't need that concealer and make up so much!