What causes crepey skin?

Crepey skin is one of those aging things that seem to appear overnight, even though we know it takes years to happen. It shows up under our eyes, on our neck, chest (decollete), and even on our arms. 

Crepey skin is different than muscle controlled wrinkled skin (fine lines we get when we smile for example). It's thin skin that is often soft and pliable. It can appear after significant weight loss. Medications are another potential cause of crepey skin, such as long-term prednisone use.

We may start to notice this crepiness in our late 40's due to collagen depletion. While loss of collagen is normal as we grow older, there are lifestyles and behaviors that can contribute. 

For example, sun damage (especially if you have fair skin), smoking, and drinking alcohol can all accelerate the reduction of collagen and elastin--proteins in our skin that normally keep it smooth and taut.

What can we do to help prevent crepey skin?

Our skin produces less oil as we age, making it vital that we moisturize daily. Dry skin just naturally looks more crepey. Sun protection is crucial. SPF 50 in a daytime moisturizer is a must! If you're in the sun for any length of time, it must be reapplied every 90 minutes--I know, none of us like this, but it provides maximum protection.

Skin that is very sun damaged or aged will benefit from products with super star ingredients like retinol, hyaluronic acid, or peptides. When included in skin care products, these ingredients can help encourage new cell growth and slough off dead or damaged cells. Lactic acid, salicylic acid, and glycolic acid can also help to moisturize the skin and improve the skin’s appearance too.

What are Peptides-Will they help?

Peptides are short chains of amino acids and tiny building blocks of protein that help stimulate the production of collagen, elastin and keratin to improve your skin’s elasticity, strength and ‘bounce’. Skin that’s chronically peptide-deficient, can end up being dry, dehydrated and wrinkled. And when skin proteins break down, well, that’s when sagging skin begins.

Retinol for Crepey skin?  Not all Retinol is created equal

Retinol is a derivative of vitamin A that can help to boost collagen production (to help reduce fine lines and crepey looking skin), reduce collagen breakdown, speed up sluggish cell turnover, even out skin discolouration, normalize your skin’s barrier function, and smooth your crepey-looking complexion.

Beware! While retinol is one of the very best --and proven--perfect-aging ingredients, prescription-strength retinol can be very drying and irritating -especially to sensitive skin. Look for skincare products that contain retinol along with other moisture replenishing ingredients.

One of the best ingredients for building up dry, crepey skin is hyaluronic acid. It's a moisture/water binder and can help restore the skin's elasticity and thicken collagen.  

When You Want More Than a Cream Can Do

At home, the ingredients I use every day — vitamin C in the morning, peptides, and retinol at night — can minimize how crepey skin looks. They assist with brightness, firmness, and smoother-looking skin, and that is real. But I'll be honest with you: no cream, mine included, will completely get rid of crepey skin. If you want more change than a cream can give, these are the treatments dermatologists are talking about now. Prices vary a lot by city and provider, so treat these as rough ranges, and talk to a board-certified dermatologist before deciding anything.

Fractional CO2 laser resurfacing is the heavyweight. Systems like Lumenis UltraPulse, DEKA SmartXide, and CO2RE treat the skin in microscopic columns and trigger deep collagen remodeling. Roughly $1,600–$3,200 a session for the face, $2,200–$4,200 for face and neck, with 5–7 days of downtime for fractional treatment and 10–14 days for fully ablative. Improvement builds over months and can last years. One neck caution: neck skin is thinner and heals more slowly, so it is treated more conservatively, and loose neck bands respond less — this is tightening, not a facelift.

CoolPeel is the gentler side of CO2. It uses the same Tetra CO2 platform at lower energy, so downtime is more like 1–3 days of redness, and one published menu puts it around $800 for a full face and $600 for the neck. A good middle step if two weeks of peeling sounds like too much.

Radiofrequency microneedling, like Morpheus8, pairs tiny needles with radiofrequency heat to remodel deeper layers. Dermatologists now put it alongside fractional laser as a gold standard for the neck. Roughly $1,100–$2,000 a session for face and neck, usually 2–3 sessions, with 1–3 days of downtime and results lasting 12–18 months.

Ultrasound treatments like Ultherapy and Sofwave send focused heat deeper still, for gradual lifting and firming over a few months, usually in one or two sessions. Think of this as the lifting option, where lasers and RF microneedling are more about texture.

Biostimulators, such as Hyperdilute Radiesse and diluted Sculptra are spread thinly under the skin — not to add volume, but to rebuild thickness and texture in places like the neck and décolletage. Roughly $775–$900 a syringe; Radiesse results last 12–18 months, Sculptra up to 2 years or more, and a Sculptra neck series is usually 2–3 sessions. One thing to know before you book: unlike hyaluronic-acid filler, neither can be dissolved.

Skinvive is the newest category: the first FDA-approved hyaluronic-acid microdroplet skin booster, approved in May 2023. Tiny droplets placed into the skin improve smoothness and hydration without adding volume, lasting about six months, roughly $350–$750 a syringe. Its FDA approval is for the cheeks, so neck and décolletage use is off-label — common, but ask your provider about it.

None of these is permanent, and none of them removes excess skin the way surgery does. What they can do is make crepey skin somewhat firmer, smoother, and less noticeable — and that is a result worth knowing about, honestly described.

Parisian's Pure Indulgence recommends either our Bliss Peptide Serum for Neck and Decollete and/or our Retinol Plus Perfecting Infusion for crepey skin. The beauty of our Retinol Plus is the addition of Hyaluronic Acid. Even the most sensitive skin will not experience irritation or drying from the retinol. Why? The moisture binding addition of Hyaluronic Acid.

Our Bliss Peptide Serum packs a powerful punch of collagen supporting peptides. Support your skin’s natural production of structural proteins to improve the skin integrity and appearance of sagging skin.