Our skin can gradually become more lax and loose as we grow older. But when the skin starts to feel as thin as paper or like crepe, age isn’t always the cause. Sometimes, you can easily treat the condition with natural remedies for crepey skin.
Table of Contents
In this post, you will learn:
Table of Contents
What is Crepey Skin?
Crepey skin looks thin, and it also looks finely wrinkled, just like crepe paper. The skin may also feel loose or sag. While crepey skin resembles common wrinkles in more ways than one, the condition can impact larger areas, and the skin becomes thinner and more fragile. Crepey skin is most common on the upper inner arms and under the eyes.
Causes of Crepey Skin
The most common cause of the condition is sun damage, but it is not often the only cause. Crepey skin can also be due to aging, excessive weight loss, a lack of moisture, or any combination of these factors mentioned.
1. Sun Exposure
A lot of people know about the damaging effects of over-exposure to the sun. But the lesser-known facts are the excessive exposure to UV (ultraviolet) lights that result in a process known as ‘cross-linking, which makes collagen molecules inflexible and stiff.
The ultraviolet light in the sun’s rays weakens elastin and collagen in the skin, making it wrinkle-free and tight. As soon as these fibers break down, the skin can wrinkle, thin, and loosen. In addition, youthful skin becomes more susceptible to turning into crepey skin due to the damage done by ultraviolet rays.
When you directly expose the skin to the sun’s rays, the tissues can expand and later come back to normalcy. This causes the skin fiber to stretch and stretch again, which will eventually cause the skin to lose its elasticity. In addition, the constant usage of tanning beds or excessive weight loss can make the fiber expand and eventually lax, causing crepey skin.
2. The Natural Aging Process
Age itself is another factor; this is when the skin loses its firmness and becomes loose and wrinkled. As you grow older, you produce less elastin and collagen, which are the fibers that make your skin look smooth and supple. Stress and pollution all take their toll on the skin over your lifetime, and these factors can be responsible for the visible signs of aging.
As your age increases, your body produces less oil as it always does when you are younger. These oils are a vital lipid barrier that helps protect your skin and helps seal in moisture. Hormonal changes can also contribute to drier skin and the production of less natural oil. Any form of dryness can result in crepey skin. If you are suffering from crepey skin that comes and goes depending on the season or day, it is most likely due to a lack of moisture.
Drastic Weight Fluctuations
Fluctuation in weight (increase or decrease) that sudden can easily result in crepey skin. When you are young, your skin recoils easily because it is elastic and because the skin of young people efficiently produces an abundance of elastin and collagen. But as you age, your skin’s elasticity might not be able to meet up with your exercise habits and diet.
Unfortunately, since your skin can no longer return to its original form, repeated constriction of your skin and stretching can result in loose skin formations and thinning.
Gravity Effects
As if the other reasons are not bad enough, even gravity, scientifically, does not seem to pity our skin. This is because even though beneficial in many ways, gravity is not kind to us when we age. According to the laws of physics (or the laws of gravity, if you will), what goes up must come down, and our skin has no exception to this rule.
Side-Sleeping
When you sleep flat on your stomach or side, your face is stacked against the pillow, forcing your face into creases. If you lay in that position for about 6 to 8 hours each day, the wrinkles formed to begin to etch into your face permanently. Sadly, this applies to other areas of your skin too. So it is advisable for someone who is avoiding crepey skin to begin sleeping on their back.
Cigarette Smoke
Besides the fact that smoking has a thousand other adverse effects on your body, it can also speed up the aging process. This is because the amount and duration of the period you smoke correlate directly with the onset of wrinkled skin and crepey. But it does not end there because crepey skin is not found only in the mouth of smokers but on every part of their body, such as their chest, inner arms, and above the knees.
The main cause of these is the many chemicals in tobacco smoke, many of which are known to destroy elastin and collagen. Collagen and elastin are responsible for the skin’s elasticity and strength. In this case, you can easily notice how smoking can result in premature sagging, aging, and crepey skin.
A High Sugar Diet
When your diet is high in sugar, a process occurs. This process is called glycation. Glycation is the bonding of a lipid molecule or protein with a sugar molecule. AGEs (Advanced Glycation End Products) make protein fibers stiffen and incorrectly form. The proteins in the skin that are affected mainly by glycation are elastin and collagen. These proteins are essential for maintaining a youthful appearance, making the skin feel old and age-y.
When elastin and collagen combine with renegade sugar, they become discolored, less pliable, and weak. Because of this, sagginess, wrinkles, and crepey skin occur.
Where is Crepey Skin Common?
Unfortunately, crepey skin is not restricted to just one part of the body. It can occur in any part and at any time in your lifespan. However, the areas that are most susceptible to the condition include a woman’s neck and shoulders. Crepey skin is also common on the face and hands. Natural remedies for crepey skin might be the solution you need.
Natural Remedies for Crepey Skin
Below are the natural remedies for crepey skin:
- Serums
- Cupping Massage
- Homemade Rice Mask
- Exfoliation
- Moisturization
- Anti-aging Cream
- Topical Skin Cream
- Castor Oil
- Vitamin C
Home Remedies for Crepey Skin on the Face
1. Serums
Most times, crepey skin looks like wrinkles, and these wrinkles can be prominent on the face. When you discover on your face some lines that are not supposed to be there, then you are most likely suffering from crepey skin of the face. This condition is most probably a result of prolonged exposure to sun rays, tanning beds, or heat.
You can treat the crepey skin on the face with serums containing Retin-A and vitamin C properties. The serums should also have good moisture content. Other treatments that can help tighten the collagen of the epidermal layer of the face include chemical peels, laser treatments, heat rays, ultrasound rays, and hydra facials. These treatments will help smoothen out the creases on the face and allow the skin to return to its original texture.
However, it would help if you understood that these treatment methods work well when aging is in the earlier stage. It may not work well when aging is advanced.
2. Cupping Massage
Cupping Massage for your face helps deter the regeneration of skin cells. The procedure also helps in the removal of blemishes and the tightening of the skin. Cupping massage is one of the best natural remedies for crepey skin.
The cupping massage works so efficiently because the intercellular toxic collected between skin cells become disintegrated and becomes evaded by cellular enzymes. However, the result of this disintegration, known as lipofuscin, is not broken down by the body enzyme. Instead, the lipofuscin accumulates in different body organs and between skin cells, making the skin wrinkled and crepey.
Treatment Procedure
- Performing cupping will minimize the rate of formation of lipofuscin.
- This technique will help stretch and squeeze your tissues and cells in the right amounts for clean and rejuvenated skin.
When you carry out your first cupping massage, you might discover some dark spots on your skin. You don’t need to agitate about this; it is just an indication that gunk is leaving your extracellular space. The spots will fade within a week or two. This is one of the best natural remedies for crepey skin.
3. Homemade Rice Mask
Various homemade masks can help reduce and prevent crepey skin. However, none of them matches a homemade rice mask because it works best in locking in moisture and making the skin plump and soft.
Rice is a rich source of squalene and linoleic acids. The acids are powerful antioxidant that protects the skin from wrinkling. The antioxidant also promotes the production of collagen in the skin.
Treatment Procedure
- Add a spoonful of heated milk to half a cup of boiled rice.
- Add honey to the mixture and stir well.
- Ensure that you have cleaned and soaked your skin dry before using the mask. Wipe the mask off after 20 minutes and wash your face with the water you used to boil the rice.
Make sure that the mask ingredients have considerably cooled down before applying it to your face.
Rice water contains healing properties capable of moisturizing the skin and improving circulation, thus acting as a deterrent to signs of aging and inflammation.
It does give you not only smooth, hydrated skin but also offers mild sun protection. You should follow this procedure once every week.
Home Remedies for the Neck
4. Exfoliation
The skin of the neck is thinner and more delicate than the skin of the legs or other parts of the body. Therefore, the neck is the first place the early sign of crepey skin will surface. In addition, the lesser number of oil-producing glands in the neck contributes to dryness.
Treatment Procedure
- Always exfoliate your skin every night before bed. Make use of a scrub that contains a mild formula with alpha-hydroxyl and glycolic acid.
- After this, lap up with a serum that has glycolic acid. Leave it on for a while before covering it with a mild moisturizer containing vitamin E.
5. Moisturization
Moisturization is another crucial factor in keeping the neck skin from wrinkles.
Treatment Procedure
- Lather up moisturizer rich in peptides and regularly massage it onto your neck. Peptides enhance the production of collagen, and so make the skin look plumper.
- Rub the body (especially the neck area) after showering. The skin acts as an absorbent when it is damp.
6. Anti-aging Cream
Even though anti-aging creams mainly target wrinkles, they are also perfect for treating crepey skin.
Treatment Procedure
- Select a cream loaded with hyaluronic acid, niacin, or retinol. Your best bet will be cream specifically formulated for the thin skin of the neck.
- Apply the anti-aging cream on your neck every night before going to bed.
Retinol contains properties that keep saggy skin firm. In addition, niacin creams help by strengthening the epidermal barrier. Therefore, both retinol and niacin smoothen out the texture of the skin and improve its tone.
Home Remedies for the Skin
7. Topical Skin Cream
Topical skin creams that contain proteins are best for your general skin. Other creams that contain vitamin A, such as Renova, are also effective for fighting crepey skin by rebuilding collagen.
Treatment Procedure
- Apply a small amount of any of these creams on your palm.
- Rub it on the affected areas in a circular motion.
- Do it every day for the best result.
8. Castor Oil
Castor oil is one of the widely sought-after natural remedies for crepey skin. The oil works like magic in locking in moisture and hydration, thereby keeping the skin from getting flaky and dry.
Treatment Procedure
- Put a good amount of castor oil on your palm.
- Apply it to the exposed part of your body.
- Gently massage it and allow it to remain there for about 2-3 hours before cleaning or washing it off.
9. Vitamin C
Making use of vitamin C that contains serum is excellent for treating crepey skin. Vitamin C helps in fighting skin-aging radicals. It can also help increase the production of collagen. Make use of serums loaded with anti-aging ingredients such as glycolic acid and vitamin C – these two elements will help smoothen out wrinkled skin and return the plumpness of the skin.
Treatment Procedure
- Select a serum that is rich in vitamin C.
- Apply on the affected spot about two times every week. Do it in the evenings.
Final Thoughts
Even with all the natural remedies for crepey skin, aging is inevitable for every human. However, knowing the cause of crepey skin (especially when you feel like you are not old enough to suffer the condition) and working hard to avoid them as early as possible will help preserve your youthful complexions. In addition, with the new knowledge of natural remedies for crepey skin, you can now make decisions that will be healthy for your skin.
Post Disclaimer
The information contained in this post "Crepey Skin: Natural Remedies for Crepey Skin" is for educational purposes only. Always consult your primary care doctor before using the remedies that are provided. The information is provided by The Hidden Cures and while we do timely, in-depth research on the information that we provide to you, everything stated may not be up to date or accurate from the time it was written.