Can Drinking Water Get Rid of Wrinkles?

Wrinkles are one of those things no one wants but everyone gets. Although there is probably no avoiding wrinkles entirely, taking good care of your skin can reduce the severity of the problem and delay the onset of age-related wrinkles. Drinking plenty of water is not something that's likely to get rid of wrinkles entirely, but it might help decrease them somewhat.

Causes of Wrinkles

• Wrinkles are folds and crevices in the skin that appear with age as the skin loses its natural flexibility and elasticity. The cause of this loss of natural elasticity is the degeneration of collagen fibers in the dermis, decreased production of natural oils and lubricants, and reduction of fat in the subcutaneous area that fills out the skin. Factors such as smoking, frequent sun tanning and poor nutrition can affect when wrinkles appear.

Water and Wrinkles

• Experts disagree on whether drinking lots of water has any effect on existing wrinkles. Some decry the mere idea as a myth, but others claim it's possible that preventing dehydration by drinking a lot of water might actually help. A study conducted by British scientists found that women who drank a liter and a half of water per day had between a 19 percent and a 24 percent reduction in wrinkles after eight weeks, with no other changes to their daily habits. The greater reduction came with a brand of water containing salicin.

Possible Mechanism

• The body's cells receive water primarily via diffusion from the blood. The blood obtains water from what people drink, but can also take up extracellular fluid from the body's tissues if there is too little water present in the blood, which leads to dehydration. Drinking plenty water will make it more likely that the entire body is well supplied with water, including the dermal layers of the skin, which might theoretically lead to better elasticity. Naturally, drinking a lot of water will also mean you have to go to the bathroom more.

Other Tips

• Of course, one study is not enough for anyone to say convincingly that drinking water reduces wrinkles, but it's one of those things that can't hurt. If you are concerned about wrinkles, an even more effective strategy to minimize them is to stay out of the sun whenever possible, and use sunscreen if you absolutely must spend time in the sun. Destruction of the collagen by ultraviolet light in the sun's rays is probably the biggest contributor to wrinkle formation. In addition, don't smoke, or quit smoking if you do, and make sure to eat a balanced diet that includes fruits and vegetables.