London Recent research suggests that not only does water help the skin, but the extent to which it makes a difference may vary depending on the type one drinks.

Doctors and nutritionists agree that drinking at least eight glasses of water daily helps maintain a clear, youthful complexion. They are agreed that oodles of water will 'flush out' our systems, banish spots, plump out wrinkles and moisturise our skin.

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, female volunteers were told to drink one-and-half litres of water daily for eight weeks without changing their lifestyle, reports the Daily Mail.

Some drank ordinary tap water. Others drank Willow Water, a natural mineral water sourced in the Lake district in Britain. The latter contains salicin, a derivative of willow bark which, when metabolised, turns into salicylic acid, a compound found in a number of skin products, known for its anti-inflammatory properties and acts in the same way as aspirin.

Each woman had her picture taken before and after the trial using the latest, state-of-the-art Visia complexion analysis system.

It examines the extent and depth of wrinkles, the texture of skin and the amount of sun damage, to allow detailed comparison.

At the end of the trial, the results were astonishing. Those who drank ordinary tap water saw a 19 percent reduction in their wrinkles. Those who drank Willow Water saw a dramatic 24 percent reduction.

BDST: 1723 HRS, APR 23, 2015