What is crepey skin?
Crepey skin is how your body responds when the body begins to lower its level of collagen and elastin proteins that allow it to stretch and contract.
What does crepey skin look like?
Think of crepe paper and how it wrinkles.
Have you ever seen an elderly person’s eyelids and how they wrinkle, or how elbows look?
That is known as crepey skin.
As we age, our skin begins to become creepy.
It begins to lose elasticity and collagen.
It also loses its firmness. You may be noticing thinner skin in areas of your body.
You may wonder what causes crepey skin.
There are many factors that lead to crepey skin.
Your body begins to lose the moisture it retains as it ages.
It begins to feel drier because it doesn’t produce as many skin cells as it did when you were younger.
It also begins to slow down oil production that once got rid of its deal cells and pathogens.
This can cause it to have more wrinkles and crepey skin.
Usually, after the age of 40, the moisture content of the skin begins to dwindle and the skin begins to appear parched and dull.
As we age our skin also beings to lose collagen at a rate of one percent per year.
For those of you who spend extended periods of time outdoors in the sun, you may lose it faster.
Especially if you do not take any measures to protect your skin from exposure to the sun.
Eternally, we begin to lose fat and skeletal support as we age, which results in, saggy-looking skin.
A lot of these changes are caused by the changes in our hormones as well.
To help our skin look better, it is important that we understand other things that can cause our skin to become creepy.
What Are Some Factors That Cause Crepey Skin?
1. Weight Gain or Weight Loss
Weight gain or weight loss can prematurely cause our skin to appear creepy.
Weight fluctuation can also cause the skin to lose its firm appearance.
This is because as we gain weight our skin loses protein through tearing as the skin stretches.
People who gain and lose weight through yoyo dieting tend to have crepey skin due to the loss of that elasticity.
Yoyo dieting can be a huge culprit in breaking down the skin’s elasticity.
Another place that you will notice the crepey skin is in the face jaw and neckline.
2. Over Exposure to The Sun
Overexposure to the sun causes the skin to appear creepy.
This is because the adverse reaction of UV rays causes the skin to lose its elasticity from a process called cross-linking.
Melanin also causes damage to the skin tissues.
This happens when we sunbathe.
When you expose your skin to the sun too long, your skin can burn.
When that happens too often, our skin begins to lose pigmentation and freckles, and crepey skin.
3. Smoking
Cigarette smoke can cause the skin to appear crepey at a young age.
Not only that, but the effects can begin after only 10 years of smoking.
The longer you smoke, the more wrinkled and crepey your skin will be.
Smoking will not only cause creping on your face but also on other parts of your body as well.
The chemicals in cigarette smoke damage collagen and elastin in the skin, both of which support the elasticity of our skin.
Nicotine also damages the skin because it causes the blood vessels to narrow.
This decreases blood flow which deprives the skin of oxygen and nutrients and causes it to appear creepy.
4. Poor Diet
Poor diet, especially those that are high in sugar cause the skin to become creepy.
When we eat a poor diet, we are damaging our skin’s complexion.
5. Poor Habits
Poor habits, such as squinting and heavy blinking, computer usage, or untreated poor vision that leads to blinking can cause crepey skin around the eyes.
An optometrist can help correct your poor vision which could reduce your squinting.
How Do We Take Care of Our Skin As We Age?
Many people use topical creams thinking that they will reverse the signs of their aging skin.
But, the truth is, they usually are only a temporary fix that basically only masks the problem.
The creams can’t possibly penetrate the skin deep enough to restore it to its previous condition.
Even Vitamin A creams only have temporary effects on the skin and some can cause the skin to flake more.
There are however a few things that you can do to make your skin and body look better.
1. Change Your Diet
Eat foods that are low in sugar and high in fiber.
Avoid processed foods. Instead, eat more fruits and vegetables.
Incorporate lean meats and proteins into your diet. Look for foods that contain Omega-3s.
Foods that are high in Omega 3 include tofu, spinach, fontina cheese, navy beans, grass-fed beef, anchovies, mustard seed, walnuts, summer squash, certain eggs, purslane, flaxseed oil, wild rice, chia seeds, and red lentils.
2. Drink Green Tea
Green tea is known to stimulate collagen creation and interfere with glycation.
Green tea gives your body antioxidants that fight against free radicals in your body.
It helps to soothe your skin and helps prevent fine lines and wrinkles.
3. Wear an SPF of 15 or Higher
Be sure to look for sunscreens that contain moisturizer along with the SPF.
This will help to protect your skin while keeping it moisturized.
Be sure to use it on your entire body, not just your face.
After all, you need to protect your skin all over, not just on your face.
4. Moisturize Your Skin
Apply moisturizers as needed throughout the day.
Look for moisturizers with both with alpha, beta-hydroxy acid, or glycolic acid.
They will help keep your skin looking plump and hydrated.
Using a light moisturizer during the day and a heavier one at night is best. However, there are certain neck firming creams available in the market claims to hydrate & prevent skin aging can be a superior alternative to the moisturizer.
5. Drink Plenty of Water
Water helps to hydrate the skin and flushes out toxins.
Your skin is made of cells, these cells are made of water.
Keeping them hydrated is important because it helps keep your skin looking its best.
6. Wear Protective Clothing When Outdoors
The clothing that you wear should help to protect your skin from overexposure.
A wide brim hat can protect your face from damaging rays.
If you plan to be outdoors for any prolonged period, be sure to dress wisely.
The less you expose your skin, the better you will protect it.
7. Get Plenty of Rest
When you rest, your body recharges itself.
Your body produces more collagen and produces blood flow to the skin when you sleep.
FAQ’s:
Que: Can Crepey skin be reversed?
Ans: Unfortunately, no at-home fix will reverse the look of crepey skin, but methods used by dermatologists can often vastly improve the look of your skin.
Que: How do you get rid of Crepey skin naturally?
Ans: Home remedies
- Massaging the face, arms, and legs.
- Doing physical exercise.
- Reducing stress.
- Getting a good night’s sleep.
- Exfoliating with a homemade scrub.
Que: Does drinking water help Crepey skin?
Ans: Reduces Wrinkles. Water keeps your body hydrated and refreshed and helps maintain your skin’s elasticity.
Que: Can Crepey skin be tightened?
Ans: With non-surgical skin tightening, cosmetic surgeons can effectively tighten crepey skin on the face, neck and body.
Conclusion
I hope these tips will help you improve the look of your skin.
Always talk to a doctor about any concerns that you may have about your skin before starting any exercise program.
Educating yourself about your aging skin will help you to keep it looking its best.
Understanding your body and its needs will help to keep you ahead of the aging game.
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