The question I get asked most at markets is: "How do I help crepey skin?" I wanted to dig into this a little more so I could give a more knowledgeable answer next time, so I sat down and did some research. Here's what I found.
A quick and important disclaimer: this knowledge isn't coming from a dermatologist or an esthetician — it's pulled together from online research. I've listed the sources at the end of this post so you can dig in further yourself. For anything beyond general information — especially if you're considering an in-office treatment or have a medical concern — please see a board-certified dermatologist.
What is crepey skin?
Crepey skin is thin, finely wrinkled skin that resembles crepe paper. It shows up most often under the eyes, on the neck, and on the arms, and tends to become more noticeable after age 40, though it can appear earlier depending on lifestyle and genetics.
What causes it?
A few things are usually at play, often together:
- Loss of collagen and elastin. These proteins keep skin firm and springy. Collagen production naturally declines with age, leaving skin thinner and less able to bounce back.
- Sun exposure. UV radiation is considered the single most preventable cause of early skin aging it breaks down collagen and elastin over time, which is a significant reason why sun damage and crepey skin often go hand in hand.
- Rapid weight changes. Losing or gaining a significant amount of weight quickly can leave skin without enough elasticity to "catch up," making crepiness more visible.
- Dehydration. Skin that lacks moisture becomes more fragile and prone to fine lines and a crepey texture.
- Smoking and tanning beds. Both accelerate the same collagen breakdown that sun exposure causes.
- Certain medications, like long-term steroid use (e.g., prednisone), which can thin the skin over time.
Prevention
Since a lot of this comes down to collagen, elastin, and hydration, prevention focuses on protecting what you have and slowing the breakdown:
- Sunscreen, daily. This is the single most impactful habit for preventing premature skin aging.
- Stay hydrated both by drinking water and by keeping skin moisturized topically.
- Avoid tanning beds and limit prolonged unprotected sun exposure.
- Support gradual, stable weight management rather than very rapid loss or gain where possible.
- Don't smoke (or consider quitting if you do) — it's one of the fastest ways to age skin prematurely.
Treatment options
Treatments range from things you can do at home to in-office procedures:
- Moisturizers and hydrating serums, especially those with hyaluronic acid, which helps skin hold onto water and can visibly plump the look of fine lines and crepiness. This is exactly why we formulated our Hyaluronic Acid Serum — it's one of the simplest, lowest-risk ways to support hydration in skin that's starting to look crepey. (Swap in your actual product link here.)
- Retinoids (over-the-counter or prescription-strength like tretinoin), which can improve cell turnover and thicken skin over time.
- Alpha and beta hydroxy acids (glycolic, lactic, salicylic), which help exfoliate and support smoother texture.
- In-office treatments, such as chemical peels, microdermabrasion, microfocused ultrasound, laser treatments, and dermal fillers — these vary a lot in cost, downtime, and results, and are really a conversation to have with a dermatologist.
- Surgical options, for more advanced cases, typically involving excess skin.
So... do you have anything that helps with crepey skin?
This is the question we get asked the most at the market, so let's be straight about it: nothing fully "fixes" crepey skin the way we might wish it could. But there are things that genuinely help the appearance.
Our Hyaluronic Acid Serum is a good starting point if hydration is the main issue helps skin hold onto water, which can make crepey skin look plumper and smoother pretty quickly. What it won't do is rebuild lost collagen or reverse years of sun damage; that's simply not something a topical hydrating serum is designed to do.
For more dramatic or lasting change, options like prescription retinoids, chemical peels, or in-office procedures (microneedling, lasers, microfocused ultrasound) work on a deeper level. Those really are dermatologist territory, not something we'd ever promise from a serum.
So our honest recommendation: if your skin is mostly looking dry and dull-crepey, our serum is worth trying. If it's more advanced sagging or long-standing sun damage, we'd genuinely point you to a dermatologist rather than oversell what any topical product can realistically do.
Our honest take
For most people, crepey skin is a normal part of aging and sun exposure catching up with us — it's not something to panic about. Good daily hydration, consistent sunscreen, and ingredients like hyaluronic acid can make a real, visible difference for a lot of people. But if you're dealing with more significant changes in your skin, or you're curious about in-office procedures, that's really a conversation for a dermatologist can look at your specific skin and history and tell you what's actually going to help.
We hope this was useful! Come find us at the market if you want to talk through what might work for your skin don't forget to check out our Hyaluronic Acid Serum if hydration is where you want to start.
Sources
We're not dermatologists or estheticians, so we leaned on trusted medical sources while researching this post. For a deeper dive, these are worth reading directly:
- Cleveland Clinic — Crepey Skin: Causes and Treatment
- Medical News Today — Crepey Skin: Treatment, Causes, and How to Treat It
- The Dermatology Review — How to Treat Crepey Skin
If you want personalized advice, please see a board-certified dermatologist they can look at your actual skin and history and give you guidance we simply can't from a market stand.
