Can Low Atmospheric Pressure Suck Water Out Of Your Skin?
I asked Google AI, the title of this post and received this answer.
Yes, low atmospheric pressure can cause water to be removed from your skin, primarily by facilitating rapid evaporation and disrupting the body’s ability to hold moisture in its tissues.
While it does not “suck” water out with mechanical force like a vacuum cleaner in normal environments, low pressure triggers several physical processes that dehydrate the skin.
How Low Pressure Removes Skin Moisture
Increased Evaporation (Transepidermal Water Loss): Low pressure reduces the barrier function of the skin, leading to higher levels of transepidermal water loss (TEWL)—the process of water passing from inside the body through the epidermis and evaporating into the atmosphere.
Low Humidity Factor: Low pressure environments (like high altitude or airplane cabins) are often accompanied by low humidity, which works in tandem with the low pressure to draw moisture out of the upper layers of the skin, leading to dryness, tightness, and flakiness.
“Boiling” Moisture (Extreme Scenarios): In extreme low-pressure scenarios approaching a vacuum (such as high-altitude exposure, nearly 70,000 feet), the pressure becomes so low that the moisture in the skin, mouth, and eyes can actually vaporize (boil) at normal body temperature.
Scenarios Where This Occurs
Airplane Cabins: The air pressure inside an airplane is lower than sea level, and combined with low humidity, this causes significant dehydration of the skin and mucous membranes.
High Altitudes: Mountaineers often experience extremely dry, cracked, and damaged skin due to the low pressure and low humidity at high altitudes.
Vacuum Chambers: In experimental settings, placing an arm in a vacuum chamber results in moisture evaporation and the sensation of the skin being “sucked,” causing immediate surface drying and potential skin damage.
Visible Effects
Dryness and Flakiness: The skin becomes dry and rough.
Tightness and Itching: Decreased elasticity leads to a feeling of tightness.
Reduced Elasticity: In severe cases, the skin loses its ability to “bounce back” quickly, a sign of dehydration.
In addition to dry air, low pressure often causes swelling or puffiness because fluids shift out of cells and into the spaces between them, which, combined with the dryness, can make the skin feel irritated.
I certainly felt like that last night, as the UK waited for Storm Dave to arrive.
Do Vitamin B12 Injections Make You Drowsy?
For the last couple of days I’ve been feeling a bit drowsy.
- The physio at my fitness class possibly noticed it on Friday.
- I certainly had a good siesta on Friday afternoon.
- This morning I went back to bed after the Ocado delivery at 06:30 and slept for an hour.
Google AI gave this answer to my question.
Cyanocobalamin is a form of vitamin B12 that is used to increase vitamin B12 levels. It is available in a variety of forms over the counter as a supplement and by prescription as an injection or nasal spray. Some common side effects may include headache, feeling weak or tired, and nausea.
I certainly didn’t have any headache or nausea. But then I rarely have the first and only have the second, when I see Donald Trump or Vladimir Putin on the television.
According to the BBC, we have been having unusually low atmospheric pressure for this time of year.
So I also asked Google AI if low atmospheric pressure can make you drowsy.
Google AI gave this answer to my question.
Yes, low atmospheric pressure can make you drowsy. This is because low pressure systems, often associated with stormy or cloudy weather, can lead to decreased sunlight exposure, which can disrupt the body’s natural sleep-wake cycle (circadian rhythm) and increase melatonin production, the hormone that promotes sleep. Additionally, low pressure can reduce oxygen saturation, potentially causing fatigue.
As my now-retired GP felt I was badly affected by low atmospheric pressure, I’ll go along with that!
As that GP and myself felt that low atmospheric pressure drew water out of my body and made me dehydrated, I asked Google a supplementary question – Does dehydration make you drowsy?
Google AI gave this answer to my question.
Yes, dehydration can definitely make you feel drowsy. When your body is dehydrated, it doesn’t have enough fluids to function optimally, which can lead to fatigue and drowsiness. Dehydration can also cause a drop in blood pressure, which can reduce blood flow to the brain, further contributing to feelings of tiredness and sleepiness, according to A.Vogel UK.
I’ll go along with that.
Conclusion
Did the combination of the B12 injection and the low atmospheric pressure combine to make me unusually drowsy?
It’s certainly a possibility.
The more I ask Dr. Google questions, that he passes to his computerised assistant, the more I like and trust the system.
The Anonymous Widower 