Poor skin elasticity can have various causes, ranging in severity from 'worrying' to 'needs attention'. Finding the true cause means ruling out or confirming each possibility – in other words, diagnosis.
Diagnosis is usually a complex process due to the sheer number of possible causes and related symptoms. In order to diagnose poor skin elasticity, we could:
Cause | Probability | Status |
---|---|---|
Dehydration | 90% | Confirm |
Potassium Need | 29% | Unlikely |
Premature Aging | 0% | Ruled out |
How elastic is your skin? Pinch a large section of skin on the back of your hand, holding firmly for 5 seconds. Release and count the number of seconds for the pinched skin to return to its normal (totally flat) appearance.
Possible responses:
→ No / don't know→ 0-2 seconds (very elastic) → 3-4 seconds → 5-8 seconds → Over 8 seconds (very inelastic) |
Skin elasticity is an indicator of potassium levels. The skin on the back of one's hand, when pinched, should snap back like a fresh rubber band; if there is not enough potassium or too much sodium then the tissues will start to harden and return to their resting position more slowly.