A medical professional has revealed a quick two-second test that can be done at home to check if you’re drinking enough water. Anaesthesiologist Dr Myro Figura, who boasts over 800,000 followers on TikTok, shared the simple trick which could help identify dehydration – a potentially serious condition.
In a video, he explained the ‘turgor pinch test’, saying: “We do this in hospital,” To perform the test, one needs to pinch the skin on the back of their hand. If it stays up, it indicates dehydration.
He further elaborated on the test while responding to another creator’s video suggesting the same test should be performed on the fingers. However, Dr Figura clarified that the test should be conducted on the hands.
He said: “When you’re dehydrated your extracellular space contracts and that reduces your skin elasticity. So when you pinch your skin like this it’ll stay up if you’re dehydrated. The only problem with this video is that you’re supposed to do this test on the back of your hand, not on the digit.”
This advice aligns with experts at MedlinePlus, who caution that reduced skin turgor is a “sign of fluid loss (dehydration)”. They warn: “Diarrhoea or vomiting can cause fluid loss. ” “Infants and young children with these conditions can rapidly lose a lot of fluid, if they do not take enough water. Fever speeds up this process.”
According to MedlinePlus, the turgor pinch test is described as: “Skin with normal turgor snaps rapidly back to its normal position. Skin with poor turgor takes time to return to its normal position.”
Causes of poor skin turgor are:
- Diarrhoea
- Vomiting
- Heat exhaustion (excessive sweating without enough fluid intake)
- Decreased fluid intake
- Dehydration
- Diabetes
- Extreme weight loss
It urges you to contact your doctor if:
- Poor skin turgor occurs with vomiting, diarrhoea, or fever
- The skin is very slow to return to normal, or the skin “tents” up during a check. This can indicate severe dehydration that needs quick treatment
- You have reduced skin turgor and are unable to increase your intake of fluids (for example, because of vomiting)