A nurse is preparing to assess the skin turgor of a client who has manifestations of dehydration

Skin turgor is the skin's elasticity. It is the ability of skin to change shape and return to normal.

A nurse is preparing to assess the skin turgor of a client who has manifestations of dehydration

Skin turgor is a sign of fluid loss (dehydration). Diarrhea 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.

To check for skin turgor, the health care provider grasps the skin between two fingers so that it is tented up. Commonly on the lower arm or abdomen is checked. The skin is held for a few seconds then released.

Skin with normal turgor snaps rapidly back to its normal position. Skin with poor turgor takes time to return to its normal position.

Lack of skin turgor occurs with moderate to severe fluid loss. Mild dehydration is when fluid loss equals 5% of body weight. Moderate dehydration is 10% loss and severe dehydration is 15% or more loss of body weight.

Edema is a condition where fluid builds up in the tissues and causes swelling. This causes the skin to be extremely difficult to pinch up.

Common causes of poor skin turgor are:

  • Decreased fluid intake
  • Dehydration
  • Diarrhea
  • Diabetes
  • Extreme weight loss
  • Heat exhaustion (excessive sweating without enough fluid intake)
  • Vomiting

Connective tissue disorders such as scleroderma and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome can affect the elasticity of the skin, but this is not related to the amount of fluid in the body.

You can quickly check for dehydration at home. Pinch the skin over the back of the hand, on the abdomen, or over the front of the chest under the collarbone. This will show skin turgor.

Mild dehydration will cause the skin to be slightly slow in its return to normal. To rehydrate, drink more fluids -- particularly water.

Severe turgor indicates moderate or severe fluid loss. See your provider right away.

Contact your provider if:

  • Poor skin turgor occurs with vomiting, diarrhea, 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).

The provider will perform a physical exam and ask questions about your medical history, including:

  • How long have you had symptoms?
  • What other symptoms came before the change in skin turgor (vomiting, diarrhea, others)?
  • What have you done to try to treat the condition?
  • Are there things that make the condition better or worse?
  • What other symptoms do you have (such as dry lips, decreased urine output, and decreased tearing)?

Tests that may be performed:

  • Blood chemistry (such as a chem-20)
  • CBC
  • Urinalysis

You may need intravenous fluids for severe fluid loss. You may need medicines to treat other causes of poor skin turgor and elasticity.

Doughy skin; Poor skin turgor; Good skin turgor; Decreased skin turgor

Ball JW, Dains JE, Flynn JA, Solomon BS, Stewart RW. Skin, hair, and nails. In: Ball JW, Dains JE, Flynn JA, Solomon BS, Stewart RW, eds. Seidel's Guide to Physical Examination. 10th ed. St Louis, MO: Elsevier; 2023:chap 9.

Greenbaum LA. Deficit therapy. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, Shah SS, Tasker RC, Wilson KM, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 70.

McGrath JL, Bachmann DJ. Vital signs measurement. In: Roberts JR, Custalow CB, Thomsen TW, eds. Roberts and Hedges' Clinical Procedures in Emergency Medicine and Acute Care. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2019:chap 1.

Van Mater HA, Rabinovich CE. Scleroderma and Raynaud phenomenon. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, Shah SS, Tasker RC, Wilson KM, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 21st ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 185.

Updated by: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Family Medicine, UW Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

What is skin turgor?

Skin turgor refers to the elasticity of your skin. When you pinch the skin on your arm, for example, it should spring back into place with a second or two. Having poor skin turgor means it takes longer for your skin to return to its usual position.

It’s often used as a way to check for dehydration. If you’re dehydrated, you may have poor skin turgor.

They main way to test skin turgor is to lightly pinch your skin, usually on your arm or abdomen. If it takes longer than usual for the skin to bounce back, it could be a sign of dehydration. However, this method isn’t very precise.

With age, your skin loses elasticity, causing poor skin turgor. As a result, an older person’s skin may take 20 seconds to return to normal, even if they aren’t dehydrated. In addition, a 2015 review found that skin turgor wasn’t very effective on its own for detecting dehydration in people over 65.

While it’s not very precise, testing skin turgor is painless and noninvasive. This makes it a good option for checking children for signs of dehydration. However, a 2007 review concluded that it’s only moderately accurate at detecting hydration levels in children, so doctors will often use additional tests.

Poor skin turgor is caused by dehydration. In addition to not drinking enough water, several other things can cause dehydration, including:

  • vomiting
  • diarrhea
  • heat exhaustion
  • fever
  • diabetes
  • weight loss
  • low blood plasma (hypovolemia)
  • some connective tissue conditions, such as scleroderma and Ehlers-Danlos syndrome

Keep in mind that infants, children, and older adults are more likely to become dehydrated if they don’t drink enough fluids.

Most cases of poor skin turgor just require rehydration. Mild dehydration usually resolves after you drink some water. However, more severe cases may need intravenous fluids. Some children find it easier to tolerate nasogastric fluid therapy, which delivers fluids though a tube that goes through your nose.

If you’re dehydrated due to vomiting, your doctor might also prescribe anti-emetic medication, which can help with nausea and vomiting.

Skin turgor is a simple measurement of your skin’s elasticity. Doctors sometimes use it to test for signs of dehydration, especially in children. However, as you age, your skin turgor decreases, so it’s not a very precise tool for older adults.

Which technique would a nurse use to assess skin turgor?

◂Assess skin turgor by gently pinching a fold of skin between your thumb and forefinger. The skin you select, such as below the clavicle or on the abdomen, sternum, or forearm, should feel resilient, move easily, and quickly return to its original position when released after a few seconds.

Which technique will the nurse use to assess skin turgor quizlet?

Which technique should the nurse use to properly assess a client's skin turgor? The nurse should assess skin turgor by pinching the skin over the clavicle and determining how quickly the skin returns to its original shape. Skin turgor is assessed over the clavicle and not on the abdomen.

What skin assessment will the nurse implement to determine the presence of dehydration in a client?

A nurse implements which skin assessment to determine the presence of dehydration in a client? Skin turgor.

Which physical areas of the body are appropriate for assessing skin turgor?

A decrease in skin turgor is indicated when the skin (on the back of the hand for an adult or on the abdomen for a child) is pulled up for a few seconds and does not return to its original state. A decrease in skin turgor is a late sign of dehydration.