Nobody likes looking in the mirror to see her skin taking on the texture of wrinkled crepe paper. But what exactly causes your skin look so fragile and thin? Despite what you may have been told, age isn’t always the number one factor in crepey skin.
What causes crepey skin?
You may be thinking, “Only old people get crepey skin,” but this simply isn’t true. When it comes to crepey skin, the biggest culprit is damage from the sun.
Ultraviolet rays break down the elastin and collagen that keeps your skin tight and firm. When these stop replenishing themselves, the skin starts to lose its ability to stay firm like it used to. Think of a rubber band – over time the more you stretch it the less it’s able to go back into shape.
The second culprit for your crepey skin is age. Just because you have more years under your belt doesn’t mean you immediately get crepey skin, however. Someone who has spent years tanning or outdoors as a teenager can start to see crepey skin as early as her 30s or even 20s if it’s severe enough. And as we age, our bodies don’t replenish oils, collagen, or elastin as quickly as it used to. This can cause skin to look older and thinner.
A third cause is drastic weight loss. This can often leave skin that was once stretched out over a larger area to appear crepey once the weight is gone.
At home fixes.
So, is there anything you can do to reverse crepey looking skin?
To slow the process in the first place you can apply a good moisturizer daily to your body. The most targeted areas for crepey skin are under the eyes, around the neck, and under the upper arms. Focus on using moisturizers with retinols in them to help build back up elasticity in the skin. This will help smooth out skin that may be showing signs early on as well as improve the look in the long run.
Keeping your skin out of direct sunlight can also help prevent crepey skin or, at least, keep it from becoming more pronounced. This means either applying sunscreen to any exposed skin or covering up any skin receiving sunlight.
Unfortunately, no at-home fix will reverse the look of crepey skin, but methods used by dermatologists can often vastly improve the look of your skin.
Dermatological fixes.
The simplest and easiest treatment your dermatologist can do is to prescribe a retinol cream that’s much stronger than anything you buy at a drug store. This can help improve the look of crepey skin and give it a tighter look.
However, if you’re looking for something more drastic a dermatologist can provide this as well. Here are a few options to discuss with your dermatologist:
- Laser treatment: This uses lasers to heat up a small area of crepey looking skin, which encourages collagen growth.
- Skin Revitalization: Brightens, tightens, and smoothes while helping to reverse skin damage caused by aging, sun, and smoking.
- Fillers & Injectables: This is using outside materials like Juvederm or Radiesse to improve the look of your skin by “filling it out.” Aside from aiding in appearances, these materials help boost collagen growth.
In addition to these dermatological fixes, a plastic surgeon can remove the excess skin that sometimes occurs when someone loses weight in a short time or simply lost a lot of weight. A plastic surgeon can remove the crepey looking skin, giving your body a more tightened appearance.
Crepey skin shouldn’t dictate how you see yourself in the mirror when there are so many options to improve its appearance.
Whether you want an easy daily regiment change or something more intensive, start by making an appointment with your dermatologist today to discuss the best route for you.
Dermatology Associates offers a full spectrum of leading-edge medical, surgical, and cosmetic dermatology services from offices in Savannah and Vidalia.
