What is a common symptom of dehydrated skin?

Dehydrated skin is characterized by a lack of moisture in the skin, which often leads to specific symptoms. Tightness and flakiness are common indicators that the skin is dehydrated. When the skin doesn't have enough water, it can feel tight and uncomfortable, as if it is stretching too tightly over the underlying tissues. This can often be accompanied by flakiness, which is the skin's response to insufficient hydration, causing the outer layer to become dry and start to peel or flake off.

The other symptoms listed, such as oily patches, redness, and dark spots, are more closely associated with other skin conditions. Oily patches typically indicate excess oil production rather than lack of moisture. Redness can signal irritation or inflammation, and dark spots generally result from sun damage or pigmentation issues rather than dehydration specifically. Thus, tightness and flakiness are the hallmark signs of dehydrated skin, making this answer the most accurate.