An Expert’s Guide to Crepey Skin and How to Treat it

In the pantheon of antiaging skin care, products that effectively target fine lines and wrinkles are forever in demand. However, crepey skin—which has a thin, fragile, and crinkled quality—is also a perennial concern, perhaps now more than ever.

“Weight loss from GLP-1 medications has made crepey skin much more common, but it’s not the only reason I’m seeing more patients concerned about crepey skin lately,” says Cheryl Karcher, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City. She adds that people are also living longer, paying more attention to body skin care, and looking back at themselves on Zoom. “This has made patients much more aware of changes they may not have noticed before.”

The solution, Dr. Karcher and many of her peers suggest, lies in targeted treatments developed specifically for crepiness. “I tell my patients to think of it this way,” she says. “Crepey skin is a skin-quality problem. Fine lines are the earliest surface folds, wrinkles are deeper structural folds, and laxity is a loss of support that causes the skin to sag. Each has a different underlying cause, which is why the most effective treatments are often different for each.” Ahead, find a complete expert’s guide to crepey skin, from what it is and what causes it to how to treat it in each area of the body. Happy firming!

“Crepey skin refers to skin that appears thin, loose, and crinkled, similar to crepe paper,” says Marisa Garshick, MD, a board-certified dermatologist at MDCS Dermatology. “Crepey skin is associated with fine wrinkles, skin laxity, and overall changes in skin texture.”

Unlike wrinkles, which can occur in areas with constant muscle movement, like the mouth and eyes, crepey skin results from natural aging and certain habits.

A couple of different factors may contribute to crepey skin. As Dr. Garshick explains, it is caused by a loss of collagen and elastin due to UV exposure, other environmental stressors, and aging. There may also be a genetic component, she says, that is especially prevalent around the eyes, neck, and hands, where the skin may be thinner and more delicate.

When looking for topical products that treat crepey skin, Abrahem Kazemi, MD, FAAD, board-certified dermatologist and Skin of Color Society member, says to focus on rehydrating the skin and recommends looking for hyaluronic-acid-based serums and thicker emollients to add to your routine. Also consider ingredients that can help boost collagen production—such as retinol, peptides, and growth factors—to help with skin laxity and improve overall texture. She adds that exfoliating acids like alpha hydroxy acids can also help with skin looking smoother.

Treatments for crepey skin may be similar, she says, regardless of where it is on the body. But if you’re targeting a specific area—such as the arms, knees, and neck—certain ingredients may be better than others. She says to think of it as follows:

“The upper arms naturally lose collagen and elastin with age, and they’re subject to years of sun exposure,” says Dr. Karcher. “Weight fluctuations can also contribute to crepey skin on the arms. To treat this particular area, dermatologists recommend moisturizers and other products that contain retinol, peptides, growth factors, or exfoliating acids like lactic acid. These can all help rebuild collagen and smooth skin.

Some of Dr. Kazemi’s favorite products include the Gold Bond Crepe Corrector or the Dove Pro-Retinol and Firming Cream Serum—both also endorsed by Dr. Karcher. “Gold Bond Crepe Corrector is one of my favorite drugstore body creams,” Dr. Karcher says. Made with glycerin, omega fatty acids, and smoothing botanical extracts, “it combines excellent moisturization with ingredients that improve skin texture over time,” she says. “It’s an excellent value for dry, crepey skin.”

As for Dove’s creamy serum, Dr. Karcher calls it “a nice introductory retinol body product for sensitive skin.” Made with the gentle pro-retinol propionate, niacinamide, and a blend of humectants and emollients, “it provides gradual improvement in texture while remaining well tolerated,” Dr. Karcher says.

According to Dr. Karcher, the skin in the knees is thin, prone to dryness, and constantly bending. “Repeated movement accelerates collagen breakdown,” she notes. The antidote? “I often recommend combining retinoids with chemical exfoliants because the knees develop both roughness and crepiness,” Karcher says.

She calls Paula’s Choice Skin-Smoothing Retinol Body Treatment “one of the better retinol body products available. It combines retinol with moisturizing ingredients, making it an excellent choice for mature skin.” Another more under-the-radar pick—but one that enjoys notoriety in the Vogue offices, where it’s been known to disappear from the beauty closet—is Soft Services Software Update Performance Retinol Serum. Creamy, comfortable, and quick to absorb, the overnight treatment harnesses 0.25% pure retinol to accelerate collagen production and skin-cell turnover.

These products can help boost collagen production and smooth uneven texture—and work in tandem with in-office procedures. “For greater improvement, I like microneedling with radio frequency and Sofwave for tightening,” Dr. Karcher notes.

The neck also has particularly thin skin, Dr. Karcher says, and is often neglected when it comes to sun protection. “Many people forget to extend their skin care below the jawline,” Dr. Karcher says—but it’s better to start late than never.

The neck will benefit from daily sunscreen use and products that contain retinoids, peptides, or growth factors. Because the skin in this area is especially thin and delicate, you might want to consider a neck cream that is better suited to the area than a traditional body lotion. Dr. Karcher says that Revision Nectifirm is a “well-formulated, peptide-rich” option and names SkinCeuticals’ Tripeptide-R Neck Repair as one of her favorite targeted creams. “It combines retinol with peptides to target both crepiness and horizontal neck lines,” she explains.

The skin on the stomach is also prone to crepiness, which can stem from pregnancy, significant weight loss, menopause, and aging, Dr. Karcher says. “These factors can all stretch collagen fibers and reduce skin elasticity.” To keep the area as firm as possible, she recommends consistent moisturization—preferably with products that contain retinoids or peptides.

“Alastin Transform Body Treatment is one of my favorite body products,” she notes. “It contains peptides designed to support collagen and elastin remodeling and is especially useful after body procedures or weight loss.” A gentler option—and one that’s powered by plant-based ingredients—is Clarins Body Partner. Made with organic green banana and centella asiatica extracts, the French salve is particularly well suited for targeting stretch marks. “Its primary benefit comes from moisturization rather than dramatic collagen stimulation, but it’s still a nice hydrating cream that improves skin comfort and elasticity,” Dr. Karcher says.

Even areas of the body that aren’t quite so frequently exposed to the sun can become crepey over time. “Aging, hormonal changes, and weight fluctuations can all contribute,” Dr. Karcher notes. And of course beach days also take their toll on the skin of the bum and the thighs.

A classic treatment for the area (bum is, after all, in its name—twice!), Sol de Janeiro’s Bum Bum Body Firmeza Oil uses botanical extracts—including microalgae and caffeine—to temporarily firm and depuff the skin. As a sweet bonus, its famous Cheirosa ‘62 scent melds notes of salted caramel, vanilla, and pistachio.

Meanwhile, Nécessaire The Body Retinol is what Dr. Karcher calls “a nice retinol body treatment that combines retinol with barrier-supporting ingredients, making it effective while minimizing irritation.”

While Dr. Karcher and other dermatologists stress that at-home devices won’t perform as effectively as in-office treatments to target crepiness, she says that some evidence supports red-light therapy. For instance, Vanessa Coppola, a board-certified nurse practitioner and aesthetic expert, previously told Vogue that Dr. Dennis Gross’s DRx SpectraLite LED EyeCare Max Pro “may help improve fine lines and crepey texture over time. [It’s] a great complement to neurotoxins like Botox when patients want to further enhance eye rejuvenation.”

Home radio-frequency devices also show some promise, Dr. Karcher says. A category favorite among Vogue editors, CurrentBody’s RF Radio-Frequency Skin-Tightening Device sends radio waves into the dermal layers of the skin, where collagen is formed. This process generates heat, causing existing collagen to contract and providing an instant lifting effect. It can also help generate new collagen, which may help tighten the appearance of crepey skin in about eight weeks.

For more intense solutions, you can also go the in-office-treatment route to address crepey skin. “Laser skin resurfacing, radio-frequency devices, and ultrasound devices can be very helpful in reducing crepiness,” says Hadley King, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City. “These are great ways to stimulate collagen and elastin production and improve the skin texture.”

She notes that dermal fillers can also be helpful. “For example, crepey skin on the upper arms can be treated with injections of diluted dermal fillers like Radiesse and Sculptra,” King notes. “They can stimulate collagen production, improve the texture of the skin, and decrease laxity.” How so? King explains that the injected materials create the equivalent of a gel mesh that holds skin tighter. “Over time they act as biostimulators to improve the tone and texture and even tighten the skin,” she says.