If you’ve ever stared at yourself in the mirror and been dismayed at the crinkles gathering around your eyes or the fragile-looking skin on your neck, chances are that you may have used the word “crepey” once or twice to describe it.
’s pick of the best products to treat crepey skin at a glance:
But while it might not be particularly welcome, crepey skin is very normal and thankfully, not totally impossible to treat. “Crepey skin is a term we use to describe skin that has lost its elasticity, density and underlying structural support, resulting in a thin, finely wrinkled texture,” explains consultant dermatologist Dr Ophelia Veraitch. “From a dermatological perspective, it is one of the classic signs of ageing, reflecting the gradual loss of skin laxity alongside progressive volume depletion.”
The delicate, sebum-free skin around the eyes is commonly affected, but Veraitch notes that other areas of the skin with a similar lack of dermal support, like the neck and backs of hands, are also vulnerable to crepiness. Now that we know what it is, it’s time to find out why it happens and, most importantly, what we can do to prevent it. Read on for the lowdown from the experts on how to treat crepey skin, plus their recommended products to help keep it at bay.
- Why it’s -approved: SPF is an essential step in any skincare routine, but certainly if you want to prevent further crepiness and loss of firmness. SkinCeuticals offers a broad-spectrum SPF with UV filters as well as tranexamic acid and niacinamide to help reduce discolouration and create a more even tone. A must-have for offsetting existing damage and preventing future damage too.
- Key ingredients: UV filters, tranexamic acid, niacinamide
- Formula type: SPF
- When to use: Every morning as your last skincare step before make-up
Alastin C-RADICAL Defense Antioxidant Face Serum
- Why it’s -approved: This Alastin serum is made up of a clever blend of encapsulated vitamin C that helps to support collagen production and protect precious elastin reserves, all while also delivering substantial defence against damaging oxidative stress. The antioxidant power of this potent vitamin C also helps brighten skin and encourage a more uniform tone and texture with reduced pigmentation and dark spots.
- Key ingredients: Sodium ascorbate, green tea, physalis angulata
- Formula type: Serum
- When to use: Every morning after cleansing
Retinol+ Emulsion 0.3
- Why it’s -approved: Experts agree that consistent use of a tropical vitamin A product helps encourage the production of collagen and elastin, which helps keep skin firmer for longer. In addition to containing retinol, this silky lotion also contains actives to protect against free radical damage, reduce fine lines and wrinkles and promote a clearer and more even skin texture.
- Key ingredients: Retinol, bakuchiol, ectoin, vitamin C
- Formula type: Moisturiser
- When to use: After cleansing, every three days for three weeks. If well tolerated, apply every two days
- Why it’s -approved: Crepey skin is skin that’s lacking in collagen and elastin, the structural elements that make skin smoother and more elastic. In other words, less crepey. The peptides inside this smart solution are multiple and effective, helping to signal the skin to build more collagen and elastic as well as produce more hyaluronic acid.
- Key ingredients: Dual MiniProteins™ biotechnology, Expression Line MiniProtein™, Growth Factor MiniProtein™
- Formula type: Serum
- When to use: After cleansing, morning and/or evening
Multi Peptides & Growth Factors Advanced Lifting Serum
- Why it’s -approved: Pronounced sagging and exacerbated crepiness can occur when skin has lost a significant amount of elasticity. To help target that, alongside improved skin barrier function, which ensures cellular renewal can keep ticking along healthily, this serum combines a growth factor complex and other actives known for their ability to tighten, firm and rejuvenate skin.
- Key ingredients: 3 per cent sh-Oligopeptide-1 Growth Factor (GF) Complex, 9 per cent lifting peptide complex, MSM, phospholipids, copper lysinate, glycolipids
- Formula type: Serum
- When to use: After cleansing, morning and/or evening
What do we mean by crepey skin?
“Clinically, crepey skin presents as fine wrinkling, thinning and laxity,” explains Veraitch. “The skin may appear sunken or hollowed in areas where underlying fat pads have diminished. Around the eyes, patients often describe a ‘dropping’ or softening of the lower eyelid area. In the lower face, there is a visible descent of tissue along the jawline. The neck and the backs of the hands are also particularly vulnerable, as these areas are frequently exposed to ultraviolet radiation and have relatively thinner dermal support.” It’s also something you may have noticed when applying your regular make-up products, says aesthetic practitioner and founder of The Glow Clinic, Dr Jennifer Owens. “Many people find that makeup highlights the texture, particularly products like concealer or foundation, which can settle into fine lines and make the skin appear more creased.”
Can crepey skin affect everyone?
“Crepey skin can affect anyone as we age, but it is certainly more noticeable in fairer skin types [with less natural protection against UV damage] and in those who have had a lot of sun exposure over the years,” says Veraitch. Owens agrees, citing that: “Thicker, oilier skin types, which are more common in people of colour, tend to be more protected due to higher collagen density and natural oil production, although crepiness can still occur.” She goes on to say that other lifestyle factors, along with age, can accelerate crepey skin too. “It becomes more prominent with age, particularly in those with significant UV exposure, smoking history, or other factors that accelerate collagen breakdown. Hormonal changes during perimenopause and menopause can also contribute, as collagen levels decline more rapidly during this time.”
How to treat crepey skin
If you want to do your due diligence and look for particular products or ingredients in your skincare line-up, experts all agree that there’s one major thing that will help reduce crepey skin and can even prevent it from occurring in the first place. “Preventing accelerated skin ageing through consistent sun protection is the single most important step,” says Veraitch. “A broad-spectrum SPF that protects against both UVA and UVB is essential, ideally one that contains a physical blocker such as zinc oxide or titanium dioxide.
Quite simply, protecting collagen from daily UV damage slows the development of crepey skin.” She adds that once you’ve got your SPF sorted, it pays to add a good antioxidant vitamin C serum in there to protect against environmental damage, which Owens agrees with. “Antioxidants such as vitamin C, as well as certain peptides, can support collagen formation and protect the skin from further damage. Ingredients like glycolic acid can also help by improving skin turnover and texture, and professional treatments such as peels can complement this process.” In addition to that, every expert will advocate the use of a good vitamin A product in the evening to keep skin healthy and cellular renewal happening as it should. “The prescription retinoid tretinoin remains the gold standard. Used consistently, it helps stimulate collagen, improve texture, and gradually restore firmness.”
What type of products should we look for?
According to Veraitch, not all of your skincare routine needs to be an investment for it to work. “Cleansers and moisturisers do not need to be complicated; simple, well-formulated products that support the skin barrier are perfectly adequate,” she says. “However, when it comes to SPF and active ingredient serums, quality really does matter. I advise patients to choose reputable medical-grade skincare brands such as SkinCeuticals, where the formulations are backed by research and designed to deliver results.”
Which area of the face is it more likely to occur?
“Crepey skin tends to reveal itself first where the skin is at its most delicate,” says Veraitch. “The eye area is particularly vulnerable; the skin here is naturally thinner, finer and more fragile, so even subtle collagen loss becomes visible quite quickly. We also commonly see it along the sides of the face and through the lower face, areas that quietly accumulate years of sun exposure. The jawline begins to soften, and the cheeks lose some of their youthful firmness.”
How to get rid of crepey skin on the arms
Treat crepey skin on the arms to daily nourishment from moisturisers with ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerin and ceramides. Massage into the skin to encourage absorption. You can also opt for active ingredients like retinol-based body treatments to build collagen and chemical exfoliants like lactic or glycolic to remove dead skin cells and leave skin smooth and soft. As well as topical treatments, there are also body sculpting devices that use EMS and radio frequency to trigger muscle contractions.
How long before you see results?
The expert says the timeframe for seeing results varies depending on the treatment approach. “With topical therapies, improvements usually become noticeable over several weeks to months. In-clinic treatments, such as lasers, radiofrequency, or skin boosters, can produce earlier visible changes, but the most significant and lasting improvements typically develop over a period of weeks to months as new collagen forms and the skin remodels,” she adds.
What is the best treatment for crepey skin?
“Completely eliminating crepey skin is not always realistic, particularly as collagen naturally declines with age,” warns Owens. “However, significant improvement is achievable with the right combination of skincare and in-clinic treatments. More intensive procedures, such as a fully ablative CO2 laser in suitable skin types, can produce dramatic improvement. In most cases, the goal is to strengthen, thicken, and improve the quality of the skin so that it appears smoother, firmer, and healthier.” There is also a wealth of skin tightening treatments.
“In-clinic treatments that stimulate collagen can make a significant difference,” says Owens. “Microneedling, such as SkinPen, helps trigger natural repair processes and strengthen the skin. Laser treatments such as MOXI, HALO, and BBL (BroadBand Light) are excellent for improving skin quality, texture, and collagen levels. For the delicate eye area, Sunekos is a particularly effective treatment, as it is specifically designed to improve skin quality and elasticity.” For Veraitch, the right combination of medical-grade skincare and in-clinic treatments means you can make significant improvements in skin quality. “Treatments such as skin boosters, including Profhilo and polynucleotides, help restore hydration and improve dermal structure from within,” says Veraitch. The other treatment to look out for is laser therapy. “Ground-breaking research from Harvard Medical School dermatologists has shown that regular treatment with Fraxel Dual can reverse sun-induced ageing at a cellular level, stimulating collagen remodelling and improving overall skin architecture. For those who cannot accommodate the downtime required for Fraxel Dual, Clear + Brilliant provides a gentler, low-energy alternative that can be performed more frequently with minimal discomfort and no recovery period, often combined with medical-grade hydrafacials. Radiofrequency treatments such as Thermage FLX also help tighten and lift, giving the skin a firmer, more youthful appearance over time.”
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