Crepey skin is a skin condition where the skin starts becoming thin and crepey which seems like drooping or sagging, and it is similar to wrinkles, but it can also occur for causes unrelated to aging such as sun damage, or various other environmental factors.
So, what is crepey skin? Creepy skin refers to skin that is thin, wrinkled, and has a crepe-paper-like appearance. Use sun protection, topical retinoids, and a good moisturizer to prevent crepey skin.
Skin thinning is a normal part of the aging process. The skin may become sagging and crepey as it ages, giving the appearance of thinness. If you have sagging skin or loose skin and want to improve crepey skin, this post may be of use to you.
1. What is Crepey Skin?
Crepey skin looks thin and wrinkled or similar to crepe paper. It could sink or feel loose as well. Although Crepey skin is comparable to typical wrinkles in many respects, it affects larger areas and feels notably fragile.
Crepey skin gets its name from its resemblance to paper, notably dry tissue thin and wrinkly crepe paper. Crepey skin on the body seems sagging and fragile, as well as scaly.
2. What are the Signs of Crepey Skin?
The extremely thin, saggy, fragile skin that appears crinkly and papery is termed Crepey skin. Wrinkled skin is not similar to this thin Crepey skin.
Such a skin condition can appear anywhere on your body, but the sun-exposed areas of your body such as your face, arms, and legs are the areas where crepey skin occurs.
The presence of collagen and elastin in our body makes the skin flexible and bouncy. The skin won’t be able to bounce back as easily as it usually does if there will be a loss of collagen and elastin. There are various reasons which result in causing crepey skin, some of which are given below.
3. What is the Difference Between Crepey Skin and Wrinkles?
Wrinkles and crepey skin do have certain characteristics, however, crepey skin is far more about the appearance of the skin than actual wrinkling. Crepey skin has a wrinkly-like appearance, but it also seems paper-thin, unlike wrinkles that appear with age.
Wrinkly skin is a natural part of aging and is not necessarily damaged, however, crepey skin can signify serious health issues.
You may reduce or avoid paper-thin skin by increasing your body’s collagen and applying the right moisturizing ingredients, which will allow your skin to absorb all of the moisture gradually.
4. What Causes Crepey Skin?
Sun damage is the most common cause of crepey skin, although it is not the sole cause. Age, lack of hydration, rapid weight loss, or any combination of these conditions can also cause crepey skin. Crepey skin is caused by a variety of causes, which I’ve covered in detail below so that you have a better grasp of the causes of crepey skin:
4.1 Sun Damage
One of the major reasons for getting crepey skin is sun damage. The collagen and elastin in our skin are damaged by the harmful UV radiation which leads to the skin giving a thin and saggy appearance.
If you expose yourself a lot to the sun, then even before entering your 40s your skin conditions will worsen and will start to get crepey. Using sunscreen and tanning beds is not going to help you to prevent crepey skin earlier.
4.2 Weight Gain
Gaining weight may lead to the stretching of the skin and further results in becoming the skin being thinner. If you gain weight and then you drop your weight rapidly can make your skin crepey become more noticeable.
4.3 Aging
With growing age, our body starts losing its skin elasticity which will eventually result in turning the skin thin and saggy giving it a crepe-paper-like appearance.
The fibers that make your skin seem supple and smooth, collagen and elastin, are created less as you age. Pollution, stress, and smoking all have an impact on the skin over time and can lead to noticeable indications of aging.
4.4 Lack of Moisture
Lack of moisture can cause harm to your skin, which will later result in crepey skin. The same damaging effects on the skin can also result from dehydration. So, skin hydration is a must for keeping your skin healthy.
As you get older, your skin begins to generate less oil than it used to. These oils form a vital lipid layer that protects your skin and helps to retain moisture in your skin. Hormonal imbalances can also cause dry skin and decreased natural oil production. Crepey skin can result from any type of dryness. A lack of moisture is most likely the cause of crepey skin that comes and goes depending on the environment.
4.5 Lifestyle
The way of living and practices are harmful to our skin. Most people are aware of the more significant consequences of smoking, such as lung and oral cancers, as well as respiratory problems. Also smoking, in especially, has been found to quickly age the skin.
According to research, the chemicals found in tobacco smoke inhibit elastin formation while increasing the development of enzymes that break down proteins and promote elastosis (the yellowing and thickening of the skin due to sun damage). All of these might lead to crepey skin. So, bringing certain changes to our lifestyle can help to improve skin conditions.
Your preferred sleeping position, according to some dermatologists, might also be a cause of crepey skin. According to Cleveland Clinic dermatologist Melissa Piliang, side sleeping forces your face, neck, and shoulders on the pillow, pressing your skin against the folds and potentially creating wrinkles in these places over several hours of sleep. Instead, the doctor advises sleeping on your back to prevent the consequences, which can result in crepey skin.
4.5 Medications
Some medicines may have an impact on how the skin looks. For example, intake of Prednisone for a longer time might result in thin, crepey skin.
5. Diagnosis
If you have thin, saggy, crinkly, and paper-like skin type and want to treat crepey skin then you should get dermatological treatments. Consulting a dermatologist will give you the right advice and treatments that will help you in preventing crepey skin.
It is recommended that even if you are bothered or affected by your crepey skin, you still might require a checkup. If you detect anything unusual in your skin, you must consult a dermatologist as soon as possible so that you can get to know about any complications such as skin cancer before time.
Signs that indicate you should visit a dermatologist:
- If you have discolored skin,
- If you have a genetic history of skin cancer,
- If you are experiencing irritation or discomfort in your skin,
- If you are worried that your skin got damaged due to too much sun exposure.
6. What are the Preventive Measures for Crepey Skin?
There are a few measures that might help you to prevent your crepey skin. If you follow the following measures, then it might help to reduce crepey skin.
6.1 Wear Sunscreen:
Sunscreen is a must before going out and exposing your skin to the sun. If you are not wearing sunscreen then always try to wear sun protection clothes, stay under shades and avoid exposing yourself to the sun’s UV radiation. To avoid crepey skin, it is critical to effectively protect your skin from UV exposure.
6.2 Stay Hydrated:
Always try to drink plenty of water so that you as well as your dry skin stay hydrated. Try to prevent your skin from becoming thinner.
6.3 Use Good Moisturizer:
Always try to keep your skin moisturized so that you can stop it from drying. You can use moisturizing oils such as coconut oil or olive oil. To prevent or enhance the look of crepey skin, Heidi A. Waldorf, MD, director of laser and cosmetic dermatology at Mount Sinai Hospital, advises products containing glycerin or hyaluronic acid. These chemicals draw in and retain moisture, keeping your skin moisturized and firm.
6.4 Eat Antioxidant Food:
Even though there are no specific foods or supplements that have been shown to improve skin conditions, making some dietary changes can help improve crepey skin. For example, a well-balanced diet rich in antioxidants, such as those found in fruits and vegetables, can help in some way to restore the health of your skin and the rest of your body.
Some important foods to be included in your diet are:
- Vitamin C:
It may be beneficial to skin health since it promotes the formation of collagen. Although eating more foods rich in antioxidants won’t make your skin look better, it will help you avoid long-term harm.
- Healthy Fats:
You can also include foods that are high in omega-3s and other healthy fats in your diet that will help keep your skin to stay hydrated. Salmon is an excellent example of a food that is both delicious and healthy.
- Avoid Caffeine-containing Beverages:
Coffee and soda might dry out your skin and make it more prone to harm.
- EGCG (Epigallocatechin Gallate):
It is a polyphenol antioxidant found in green tea. UV-related damage is expected to be greatly reduced by EGCG, a powerful antioxidant. Both drinking the tea and putting a heated tea bag on the affected skin areas will improve your skin.
- Vitamin A:
It is found in abundance in low-fat dairy yogurt, and aids in the production and development of collagen.
- Flavonoid Antioxidants in Dark Chocolate:
They are also effective at safeguarding the skin from UV ray damage.
- Whole Grains:
Include micronutrients like zinc and magnesium, as well as macronutrients like folate and niacin, in your diet, all of which can improve the health of the skin.
7. How to Treat Crepey Skin?
A variety of methods can be used to enhance crepey skin and restore skin health. The ideal treatments for you will be determined by your skin type, the reason for the skin creeping, and the area of your body. Whichever therapy you choose, the sooner you start treating crepey skin, the sooner you will see a difference in its look, structure, firmness, and support. A professional dermatologist will help you figure out the appropriate therapies for your skin and also will ensure that you are correctly diagnosed.
7.1 Over-the-Counter (OTC) Treatments:
Skin that is just a little bit creepy can recover from moisturizers and other hydration products, but badly damaged skin will not respond to them.
Retinoids–containing products can exfoliate dead skin cells and encourage cell renewal. But remember that they can worsen the situation by drying out the skin. Moisturizers are usually recommended if you use retinoids.
7.2 Prescription Treatments
You can consult a dermatologist if the OTC treatment at home doesn’t give you the outcome you are hoping for. Skin texture can be improved with the help of medical cosmetics but treating the crepey skin condition is very difficult to treat. You can try to use therapeutic techniques to prevent skin loss.
Following are the procedures that your dermatologist might recommend you get:
- Laser Therapy:
Your dermatologist may recommend laser therapy there where your skin’s deeper layers are being heated which leads to the formation of collagen resulting in the smoothing and tightening of the skin. If you are looking for getting faster results, then you can get laser resurfacing for your therapy.
- Topical Retinol:
Retinoids, whether in cream or gel form, stimulate exfoliation resulting in cell regeneration. However, if not used in combination with proper precautions, such as not using a hydrating moisturizer before applying retinol, these treatments might trigger the skin, resulting in drying and aggravating crepey skin.
- Ultrasound:
To promote collagen formation, heat is used in this procedure. You might see some moderate improvements after one treatment, but you’ll probably need to get these more than once.
- Cryolipolysis (CoolSculpting)
A non-invasive technique called cryolipolysis can help reduce concentrated fat deposits. To gently disintegrate fat cells, the procedure freezes their lipids. When there is loose skin over an area of excess fat, cryolipolysis is used to tighten the skin by melting the fat beneath the skin’s surface.
- Injectable fillers:
It also stimulates collagen production in skin cells. Fillers are another option for treating your crepey skin.
Interventions such as radiofrequency micro-needling, ultrasound, and laser may help somewhat help you to treat your crepey skin, but they require many doses to get a modest change in the skin.
8. Can Lack of Sleep Lead to Crepey Skin?
Although there is no clear correlation between crepey skin and poor sleep patterns, sleep can have an impact on skin health. A consistent lack of sleep can exacerbate symptoms of natural aging, causing your skin to become loose. The lack of proper sleep pattern causes hormonal imbalances and can lead to disturbed body functioning.
The study revealed that getting 7-8 hours of good sleep reduces the risk of premature aging than getting less than 6 hours of sleep.
9. Other Important Questions
9.1 Can vitamin C Supplements Help?
Vitamin C helps to stimulate collagen formation but no evidence taking vitamins can get you healthy skin or cure crepey skin.
9.2 Can Plastic Surgery Help?
Even though plastic surgery is regarded as one of the finest treatment options for removing crepey skin, it works best when there is a lot of crepey skin to be removed.
9.3 Can Cosmetic Help?
Makeup and other cosmetic items sometimes can give cover and help to smooth out the appearance of the skin. If you choose cosmetics, make sure to use a moisturizer with other products that can somewhat help to correct setting the appearance of your skin.
10. Conclusion
If you have crepey skin, there are a few remedies for curing the damaged skin. Taking proper care of your skin and using sunscreen at all times can help avoid further damage, staying hydrated, and applying moisturizers to avoid future skin thinning, are some of the common ways to treat crepey skin. Advanced treatment options like multiple treatments, laser therapies and other therapy measures can help to avoid the appearance of crepey skin, but the most important thing is to cure the skin damage.
If your skin is discolored, you may have a medical issue that mandates a visit to the doctor. You might feel self-conscious about crepey skin, but it’s not usually harmful.
If you are young and noticing signs that indicate crepey skin, you must consult a dermatologist. Premature skin aging is frequently caused by UV damage, and a specialist can examine if you are having skin cancer or any other issues. They will give you the best advice on how to avoid additional harm.
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