Yes — and it’s more common than you think. When your skin is dehydrated, it can overcompensate by producing excess sebum (oil) to try and protect itself. This overproduction, combined with sluggish cell turnover and a weakened barrier, can lead to clogged pores, congestion, and acne.
Additionally, dehydration affects the skin’s natural desquamation process (the shedding of dead skin cells). When this slows down, dead skin builds up on the surface, creating the perfect environment for breakouts and inflammation.
If you’ve been piling on exfoliants and acne treatments but still experiencing breakouts and irritation, you might actually be making the problem worse by stripping your skin of all hydration!!