No, the title isn’t a typo! If you’re wondering what exactly “crepey” means, think of the delicious breakfast food — crepes. Crepey skin is when an area of your skin becomes thinner, loose and droopy. While it’s often associated with aging, the most common culprit is actually sun damage.
Over time, repeated sun exposure is what causes the premature breakdown of elastin in the skin, and it loses the ability to snap back to its original form. Aside from sun damage, other causes of crepey skin include gaining and losing weight, the natural aging process, and even long-term use of some medications.
What helps crepey skin?
If you’re starting to notice these droopy and loose areas on your own skin, there are a few things you can do to try and delay further damage:
AVOID THE SUN
One of the biggest culprits in this department is sun damage. If you want to help your crepey skin, stick to the shade. When you’re in direct sunlight, cover-up and wear sunscreen. Avoid tanning beds, too — there are about a million reasons to avoid tanning beds, and crepey skin is one of them!
STAY HYDRATED
Dehydration is one of the elements that cause crepiness, so it’s essential that your entire body stays hydrated — both inside and out! Ensure you’re drinking enough water, and decrease the amount of soda, juice or dehydrating beverages like alcohol. Your skin is the last organ to receive the benefits of the hydration, so you want to ensure you’re using some topical moisturizer as well. Ensuring your skin stays well-hydrated will help to prevent the injury that leads to (or worsens) crepey skin.
USE THE RIGHT SKINCARE PRODUCTS
When selecting your moisturizer, you want to look for certain ingredients at this stage. You want something that contains alpha or beta hydroxy acids, such as salicylic acid, lactic acid or glycolic acid. These products lubricate and plump the skin, which helps to reduce that crepey appearance.
Visit Arsenault Dermatology offices in Bradenton and Lakewood Ranch areas
If you have any questions or concerns regarding the look or texture of your skin, we encourage you to seek the advice of a professional. Our expert dermatologists welcome your questions and would be happy to meet with you at your convenience. You can book your consultation at any of our 3 Florida locations — we’re in both North and South Lakewood Ranch, and West Bradenton as well.
