Your forehead wrinkles might actually be dehydration lines — here's how to get rid of them

• Not all forehead lines are wrinkles — some are actually from dehydration, says a dermatologist.
• You can smooth them by using moisturizers with hydrating ingredients like hyaluronic acid.

Forehead wrinkles are notoriously annoying to get rid of, whether you're taping them away, investing in retinol products, or going the more expensive Botox route.

But before you devote time (and a decent amount of money) to attempting to fade yours, it's good to figure out what your lines are actually caused by. In some cases, the issue might be as simple as dehydrated skin.

Dr. Ivy Lee, a board-certified dermatologist practicing in southern California, told Insider that while all fine lines improve with more moisturization, dehydration lines (which can look just like wrinkles) tend to go away once you start using the right skincare products.

Dehydration lines look lighter and more textured than wrinkles

The nice part about dehydration lines is that they're generally easier to get rid of than deeper wrinkles, which are caused by repetitive muscle movement and are best resolved with an injectable like Botox, according to Lee.

By comparison, Lee said dehydration lines are finer and have a "crepe paper-like texture when the affected skin is not well hydrated."

While we typically associate dehydration with drinking water, she noted that overall body hydration doesn't really determine whether we have dehydration lines on our faces or not; what matters is whether our skin is moisturized.

In fact, drinking excess water doesn't have any added skin benefits. Instead, topical products are best for smoothing fine lines.

You should pick a moisturizer that has three key hydrating ingredients

Lee said there are three main categories of moisturizing ingredients:

• Humectants, which attract water into the skin (ex: hyaluronic acid and glycerin).
• Emollients, which repair the skin barrier and soften the skin (ex: squalene and plant-derived oils).
• Occlusives, which "trap moisture into the skin by creating a seal," Lee said (ex: hydrated petroleum or mineral oil).

Ideally, Lee said you should be using products that contain all three. Her favorites include:

• CeraVe Moisturizing Cream, an extra-hydrating daily moisturizer
• CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream, a nighttime moisturizer with ceramides that promote a healthy skin barrier
• SkinCeuticals Triple Lipid Restore 2:4:2, a more expensive anti-aging cream with fatty acids and cholesterol to replenish the skin

Sticking to a consistent routine is key

Whether you have dehydration lines or deeper creases, Lee said you'll benefit from a consistent daily and nightly skincare routine.

If you've hydrated your skin and still see lines, then they might, in fact, be wrinkles. In that case, Lee suggests "optimizing your skincare regimen" by using a moisturizing antioxidant sunscreen in the morning, like La Roche Posay's Anthelios Mineral SPF Moisturizer with Hyaluronic Acid, which keeps skin both hydrated and protected from UV rays.

At night, she recommends using a chemically exfoliating cleanser to gently get rid of dirt and oil, one of the above moisturizers, and a prescription-strength retinoid — in that order.