The Super-Common Daily Dinner Habit That Could Be Secretly Aging Your Skin ...Saudi Arabia

If you’re 40 or older, there’s a good chance that your bathroom is stocked with at least a few products designed to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and keep skin looking glowy and plump. Our skin naturally loses collagen as we age, which can make skin appear thinner, become drier and lead to wrinkles. With that in mind, you might have some collagen-infused creams stocked next to an eye serum and facial moisturizer. According to a 2025 study of U.S. adults, the average American spends about $492 a year on skincare products, with face creams and moisturizers being the most popular products.  While skincare products can nourish skin, diet plays an even bigger role in how healthy our skin is, including how it looks. In fact, there’s one common dinner habit that could be secretly aging your skin without you even realizing it.Related: I'm a Celebrity Dermatologist in My 60s and Here's the 5-Minute Skincare Routine I Swear By

The Common Dinner Habit That Could Secretly Be Aging Your Skin, Dermatologists Reveal

If you're in the habit of adding salt to the majority of your dinners, you could be speeding up your skin’s aging process. According to dermatologists we talked to, salty meals can impact how skin looks both immediately and long term, if salty meals are eaten regularly.“A high-sodium diet can absolutely contribute to skin that looks dry, puffy or both,” says Dr. Alexandra Bowles, DO, a board-certified dermatologist at MONA Dermatology. She explains that consuming salt causes the body to maintain balance by pulling water into the bloodstream. 

This, Dr. Bowles says, can lead to fluid retention, causing skin to look puffy, especially around the eyes and face, where the skin is thinner and more delicate.

“At the same time, too much sodium can actually dehydrate the skin by drawing moisture away from the surface, leaving it feeling tight, flaky or dull. This combination of internal water retention and surface dehydration is why someone might wake up with puffy under eyes but still feel that their skin looks dry,” she explains.

Related: This 1 Common Health Habit May Actually Accelerate Aging, According to a Longevity Doctor and RD

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Besides making skin look puffy the morning after, Dr. Viktoryia Kazlouskaya, MD, PhD, FAAD, a dermatologist with Dermatology Circle, says that regularly eating salty meals could make skin look older long-term. “Several studies suggest that cell function changes in the setting of a high-salt diet, and that it can also affect vascular reactivity, potentially increasing inflammation,” she explains. 

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According to Dr. Kazlouskaya, more scientific research is needed to confirm a link between salt and prematurely aging skin, but she says that if it’s true that skin causes low-grade inflammation, as current research suggests, it can contribute to an overall more aged appearance of the skin.

“Excess sodium can also disrupt the skin barrier, which is essential for keeping moisture in and irritants out, so skin may become more sensitive, dry or reactive,” Dr. Bowles says. She adds that, over time, excessive sodium can interfere with collagen production, which is another reason why regularly consuming salty meals can make skin look older. 

Related: Why Your Skin Is Breaking Out All of a Sudden—and What Your Body's Trying To Tell You

While regularly consuming salty meals can make you look older than you really are, other dietary habits can do the opposite, causing skin to look younger.

“I often tell my patients that while we can’t control every source of inflammation, limiting excess sodium and prioritizing whole, fresh foods can support both overall wellness and clearer, calmer skin. Small dietary shifts can truly make a visible difference,” Dr. Bowles says.

In terms of general dietary habits that support skin health, Dr. Bowles says that it’s important to stay well-hydrated and she also emphasizes eating primarily whole foods so your body (including your skin) gets the nutrients it needs, explaining, “What we eat, how we hydrate, how we sleep and how we care for our skin all work together. Salt isn’t ‘bad,’ but being mindful of how much we consume and how our body responds can make a noticeable difference in puffiness, dryness and inflammation."

If you are going to eat a salty meal, Dr. Kazlouskaya recommends avoiding eating it too close to bedtime because skin puffiness is most noticeable the next morning. She also suggests taking a walk after dinner, which stimulates blood flow. This helps deliver vital oxygen and nutrients to the skin, which boosts cellular repair.

According to Dr. Bowles, pairing salty foods with foods high in potassium, like an avocado, banana or leafy greens, can help counteract some of the water retention caused by the sodium. “I often recommend avoiding alcohol with a high-sodium meal, since the combination can be especially dehydrating for the skin,” she adds.

“If you’re seeing recurring changes in your skin, it’s worth paying attention to patterns in your diet and daily habits. And as always, if something feels persistent or out of the ordinary, checking in with a dermatologist can provide clarity and peace of mind,” Dr. Bowles says.

Caring for your skin doesn’t mean never digging into some salty French fries or movie-theater popcorn. But if you want your skin to be as healthy as possible, it’s best to avoid eating overly salty foods like these regularly. Besides your skin looking better, minimizing salt supports cardiovascular health too. It’s a win-win!

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