What Is Skin Turgor?

When your skin changes shape—like when you pull on it briefly—and goes back to its regular state, this is known as skin turgor. Skin turgor is considered normal if you pull it up as part of the skin turgor test and it quickly returns to how it was.

Some factors like dehydration and heat exhaustion can lead to skin tenting, a sign of lower skin turgor. Read on to learn more about skin turgor, what affects it, and how to treat it if you find it's low.

What Affects Skin Turgor?

A person has abnormal or decreased skin turgor if it doesn't snap back into place when pulled up and leaves a tent on the skin. Skin tenting can happen for a few reasons, including:

• Decreased intake of fluids
  
• Diabetes
• Diarrhea or vomiting
• Extreme weight loss
• Heat exhaustion—when a person is overheated after spending time in high temperatures and being underhydrated

Another major cause of low skin turgor is dehydration. Dehydration occurs when you lose more fluid from your body than you can replenish. Other than a lack of skin elasticity, signs of dehydration may include:

• Dark yellow urine
• Decreased or lack of urination
• Dizziness or lightheadedness
• Dry or sticky mouth
• Dry, cool skin
• Headaches
• Irritability or confusion
• Muscle cramps
• Rapid breathing or heartbeat
• Shock—a lack of adequate blood flow throughout the body
• Sunken eyes
• Thirst
• Unconsciousness or delirium

Of note, dry skin with reduced skin turgor is one of the severe signs of dehydration. Seek medical attention as soon as possible if you have this or other symptoms that you're severely hydrated.

What Is the Skin Turgor Test?

The skin pinch test measures the skin's elasticity, or its ability to stretch and bounce back. It can also assess dehydration. The test is often used in healthcare settings to quickly assess whether a patient may need more fluids, especially when there's not enough time to evaluate lab tests or other metrics.

Healthcare professionals use the skin turgor test along with other medical tests because it's painless and noninvasive. It's still not as precise as other measurements, and there are no clinical standards for how it's implemented.

How To Do It

The skin turgor test is simple. It involves gently grabbing the skin of your lower arm or abdomen between two fingers to create a tent. You hold the skin for a few seconds and release it to see how quickly it goes back to its normal form.

The skin pinch test is pretty safe, and there's no harm in testing yourself. It's not the most precise method, and the results should be taken with a grain of salt and used in tandem with other identifiers of dehydration.

The test may also not be useful or effective for everyone, including older adults and people with certain health conditions. As people age, for example, skin elasticity decreases regardless of hydration status.

Treatment

Treatment of changes in skin turgor will vary depending on the cause. In many cases, however, treatment may focus on hydration or rehydration.

Drinking plenty of fluids, especially water, can help your hydration status. See a healthcare provider as soon as possible for moderate to severe dehydration or heat exhaustion, as hospitalization may be necessary to get you the fluids you need.

A Quick Review

Your skin turgor is your skin's elasticity, considered "normal" when you can pull on your skin for a few seconds and it returns to its original shape. A lack of skin turgor can be a symptom of various health conditions, including vomiting, diabetes, or dehydration.

A skin turgor test—or skin pinch test—can help determine if you're dehydrated, but it's best to look for other signs of dehydration like dry mouth or headaches. Ensuring you're hydrated can help treat decreased skin turgor, but see a healthcare provider if you have severe dehydration or heat exhaustion.