8 Things That Can Happen to Your Skin if You Don’t Moisturize

But, if you were to stop moisturizing your face, what exactly would happen to your skin?

Read on for 8 things that may start happening with your skin if you stop moisturizing regularly.

(Hint: it is more than just the obvious “dryness”.)

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Also Read: 12 Signs You Have Dehydrated Skin

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1. Dull and dry looking skin

While this seems obvious and should go without saying, you may not know why not moisturizing can leave your skin looking and feeling dry.

Your skin makes its own moisturization, in the form of an oily secretion called sebum, but when you wash your face to remove dirt, dead skin, and excess oil, the sebum gets mostly washed away, leaving your skin unmoisturized and open to dehydration.

If you don’t replace this in the form of a moisturizer after washing, your skin will become dry and start looking dull.

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2. More obvious wrinkles

Without regular moisturization, those fine lines on your face may become...less fine and way more obvious.

Well-moisturized skin helps physically plump out the skin layers, and this helps to plump out those lines too.

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3. More inflammation

Your skin wants a layer of moisture, and if it doesn’t have it the normal protective barriers and correct pH levels of the skin can be disrupted.

This protective layer disruption can come along with dryness, redness, and an overall low level of inflammation in your skin.

For those that are already prone to inflammation, like acne or rosacea sufferers, skipping out on moisturizer can lead to exacerbations.

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4. More sensitivity

Poorly moisturized skin can lead to more sensitivity reactions when using certain not-so-gentle skincare products like salicylic acid, retinoids, or strong exfoliants.

In addition, if you do have a nice base layer of a moisturizer, you may likely help stave off some of the irritating side effects of using salicylic acid or retinoids, so you can enjoy the skin benefits of these products without too many irritating side effects.

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5. Increased acne

This is a big tip for those who like to use only excessively drying products when they have a breakout - moisturizer will help with acne.

Acne can develop or get worse when your skin’s natural defenses are removed, and this can happen when it gets overly dried out.

You should, however, use only oil-free, fragrance-free, and non-comedogenic (non-pore-clogging) moisturizers if you are prone to acne.

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Read Related: Mild, Moderate, and Severe Acne: How To Tell Acne Severity Levels

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6. Itchy skin

Dry skin is itchy skin, so if you don’t like that tight and itchy feeling you get after using a very harsh stripping cleanser, you need to moisturize as soon as you can after washing your face and getting out of the shower to help lock in the moisture.

This itchiness can also increase in the cold, winter months, or if the air lacks enough humidity, so moisturizer use may need to increase according to the weather.

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7. Increased wrinkle development

Dry skin can become physically thinner and crease more as your face moves.

Over time, these creases formed over and over can cause more wrinkles.

So, with well-moisturized skin, you may help prevent wrinkles from forming as well as reducing the appearance of the ones you already have by plumping out the skin.

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8. Make-up not applying well

Make-up will apply better to a nice, smooth, hydrated canvas.

For this reason, always apply moisturizer before attempting to apply your concealer, foundation, or eyeshadow, to avoid seeing all those products settling into fine lines and looking cakey.

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What happens when you don't moisturize: Bottom Line

Moisturized skin can help maintain the health and appearance of your skin over time, so skipping your daily moisturizing routine should not be an option.

So, even if you are looking for ways to shorten your daily routine, getting rid of the moisturizer shouldn’t be one of the ones you choose.

Whether you have overly dry skin, normal skin, or oily skin, moisturizer is still a must to make sure your skin is looking and feeling its best.

Whether you are using store-bought moisturizing creams, or prescription-strength beauty products, the important thing is that you use them regularly.

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Strut Health prescription skin care medications online

Here at Strut, we know that it's not always convenient to head to the healthcare provider or dermatologist every time you have a common skin concern like acne, hyperpigmentation, or rosacea.

We offer prescription skincare formulas compounded with ingredients such as tretinoin, oxymetazoline, clindamycin, and azelaic acid.*

Check out our customizable prescription skincare offerings today to see if a quick online questionnaire-based telemedicine consult is a better fit for you than an in-office visit.

If you are a good candidate for the product you want to try, our U.S. providers will issue a prescription, it will be made at a U.S. compounding pharmacy, and then sent to your home with our free shipping.

*Compounded drug products are not approved or evaluated for safety, effectiveness, or quality by the FDA. Rx required.