Crepey Skin: Causes, Treatment and What Actually Helps

Crepey skin is thin, finely wrinkled skin that looks and feels like crepe paper. It most often appears on the upper arms, neck, chest, under the eyes, above the knees and on the stomach, and it can make you look older than you feel. This guide explains what causes crepey skin, how it differs from ordinary wrinkles, and which creams and treatments genuinely help.

Firmer, smoother skin with no needles and no downtime, at our Chiswick clinic. Your first LPG Endermologie visit is a 60-minute Discovery Session for £99, including a skin assessment and a full treatment. Book online or call 020 4515 0000.

Quick answer

Crepey skin happens when the skin becomes thinner and loses collagen, elastin and moisture, most often because of sun damage, ageing and weight loss. Daily sunscreen protects the skin, and moisturisers make it look smoother for a while. Retinoids and gentle acid exfoliants improve texture over months. For firmer, smoother skin, treatments that stimulate collagen, such as LPG Endermologie, radiofrequency, microneedling or laser resurfacing, give the most visible change.

What is crepey skin?

Crepey skin is thin and crinkled, with many fine lines that run in different directions. It often looks loose and may sag slightly, and it creases easily when you pinch or move it. Unlike a deep wrinkle, which forms along one line of movement, crepey skin covers a whole area.

What causes crepey skin?

• Sun damage. Years of ultraviolet exposure break down collagen and elastin, which is why the arms, chest and neck are so often affected.
• Ageing. The skin gets thinner and makes less collagen, elastin and natural oil with age.
• Weight loss. Skin that has been stretched can look crepey once the weight comes off, especially on the arms, stomach and thighs. See how to tighten loose skin after weight loss.
• Dry skin. Dehydrated skin shows fine lines more clearly.
• Smoking. It reduces blood flow to the skin and speeds up collagen loss.
• Some medicines. Long-term use of steroid creams or tablets can thin the skin.

Crepey skin, wrinkles or loose skin?

• Wrinkles are lines that form where the skin folds, such as around the eyes and mouth.
• Crepey skin is a thin, finely crinkled texture across a whole area.
• Loose skin is extra skin that hangs or folds, often after weight loss.

Many people have more than one. Crepey texture responds well to treatments that thicken and firm the skin, while large folds of loose skin may need surgery.

How to treat crepey skin at home

• Use sunscreen every day on exposed areas, including the arms, neck and chest. It is the single best way to stop crepey skin getting worse.
• Moisturise. Creams with hyaluronic acid, glycerin or ceramides plump the surface and make fine lines less visible, although the effect lasts only as long as you keep using them.
• Use a retinoid. Retinoids have good evidence for improving sun-damaged skin over several months. Start slowly, as they can irritate.
• Exfoliate gently. Lotions with lactic or glycolic acid smooth texture and help moisturisers work.
• Build muscle. Strength training fills out the upper arms and thighs, so the skin over them looks smoother.
• Do not smoke and drink enough water.

Creams sold specifically for crepey skin mostly combine these same ingredients. They can improve how the skin looks, but none of them tightens skin in the way a professional treatment can.

Professional treatments for crepey skin

• LPG Endermologie. Gentle suction and motorised rollers stimulate the skin's own collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid, with no needles, no heat and no recovery time. It treats large areas such as the arms, stomach and thighs as well as the face and neck.
• Red light therapy. Red and near-infrared light may support collagen production and skin quality over a course of sessions. Read about red light therapy for skin.
• Radiofrequency. Heats the deeper skin to trigger new collagen.
• Microneedling. Tiny needles create controlled injuries that prompt the skin to repair and thicken.
• Laser resurfacing and chemical peels. Remove damaged surface layers to reveal smoother skin, with some recovery time.

Crepey skin on the arms, neck and stomach

Arms: the upper arms are the most common place for crepey skin, often after weight loss. LPG Endermologie and strength training work well together here. Neck and chest: usually caused by sun damage, so daily sunscreen is essential, and LPG facial treatment can include the neck. Stomach: often follows pregnancy or weight loss. See skin tightening for face and body for how we treat each area.

How LPG Endermologie helps crepey skin

At Omnia we use the LPG Cellu M6 Infinity, the latest Endermologie system. It lifts and rolls the skin to stimulate the cells that make collagen and elastin, so skin becomes thicker, firmer and smoother over a course of sessions. In a study published by LPG Systems (BeScored, 2024), 92% of participants reported firmer skin after 12 sessions. These are manufacturer figures and results vary from person to person.

A typical plan is one or two sessions a week to start, then weekly, with occasional maintenance once you are happy. If your skin is loose as well as crepey after weight loss, see loose skin after weight loss.

When to see your GP

See your GP if your skin becomes thin and bruises or tears easily over a short time, if it changes after starting a new medicine, or if you have a patch of skin that changes colour, bleeds or does not heal.

Frequently asked questions

Can crepey skin be reversed?

It can be improved noticeably. Collagen-stimulating treatments thicken and firm the skin over a course of sessions, and daily sunscreen stops further damage.

What is the best treatment for crepey skin?

It depends on the area and how much loose skin there is. For the arms, stomach and thighs, LPG Endermologie with strength training is a good no-downtime option. Laser resurfacing gives a bigger change on the face but needs recovery time.

Do creams for crepey skin work?

Moisturisers and acid lotions make crepey skin look smoother while you use them, and retinoids improve texture over months, but creams cannot tighten skin significantly.

At what age does crepey skin start?

Many people notice it from their forties or fifties, but sun damage and weight loss can bring it on earlier.

Crepey skin treatment in Chiswick

Our clinic is at 8 to 9 Bedford Corner, The Avenue, Chiswick W4 1LZ, close to Turnham Green station, on bus routes 94, E3 and 272. Limited parking is available on request when booking. Clients come to us from across West London, including Hammersmith, Ealing and Richmond.

Book LPG Endermologie in Chiswick: Discovery Session £99 for 60 minutes, including consultation and treatment, face and body included, then follow-up sessions from £70. Book online or call 020 4515 0000.

This article is general information, not medical advice.