What Can You Do About Crepey Skin?

Crepey skin (also referred to as elephant skin) refers to a skin that appears wrinkled or crepe like. It can occur anywhere on the body, but some areas are more susceptible to crinkling than others. This is especially true for your neck, chest, shoulders, and back, as well as eyes and mouth.

The skin on your elbows and knees are the first parts of the body that you notice crepey skin. This is because of the very little or thin skin that covers the bone in those areas. Bending or stretching your knees and elbows repeatedly is too much for the thin skin to handle, which then loses its ability to return to normal.

Crepey Skin vs. Wrinkles

Although it is easy to confuse crepey skin with wrinkles, they are not completely the same. Wrinkles form due to repeated muscle contractions or motions in a single area. Crepey skin, on the other hand, appears when the skin becomes thinner and loses its ability to go back to its normal state after being stretched constantly.

Aging plays a big role in the formation of crepey skin, but it is not the only one to blame. There are a number of factors that can contribute to skin crinkling, such as:

• Sudden or drastic weight changes
• Excessive sun exposure
• Cigarette smoking
• Gravity
• Sleep deprivation
• Poor nutrition

Treatments for Crepey Skin

The treatment for crepey skin can depend on its cause, severity, and location on the body. If your crepey skin bothers you, it is advisable to talk to a skin or aesthetic doctor to determine the right treatment for your concerns.

Here at Cutis Medical Laser Clinics in Singapore, we offer a number of non-invasive skin tightening and lifting treatments that can reduce the appearance of crepey skin. Here are some procedures worth considering:

Juvederm Volite

Juvederm Volite is an innovative FDA-cleared injectable treatment that delivers hyaluronic acid (HA) directly into the dermis layer. HA is a naturally occurring substance in the body and is responsible for retaining water to keep the skin tissues moist and lubricated. 

Volite is a skin booster that can hydrate crepey, dry skin, reduce scaly, rough texture, and even out skin depressions. Clinical studies suggest that it is proven to reduce fine lines and improve skin hydration and elasticity for up to 9 months with one treatment. It can be used on the face, neck, hands, and décolletage.

Plumping effects can be seen after the procedure, but full results are visible after two weeks. You can check out our previous blog to find out what makes Juvederm Volite different from typical dermal fillers. 

Radiesse Volumizing Filler

Radiesse is a US FDA-cleared dermal filler made of calcium-based microspheres suspended in a water-based gel carrier. This can replenish volume lost over time, fill the lips and nasolabial folds, correct folds and wrinkles on the hands, and stimulate collagen production.

Radiesse has a volumizing effect that immediately provides the lift needed to diminish the signs of aging. This dermal filler is also a bio-stimulator that helps in stimulating the body to produce its own natural collagen. 

Results can be seen after the procedure and can last for at least 9 to 15 months, but this will depend on the number of syringes used. Touch-up treatments are also necessary, as the results are temporary.

Ultherapy

Ultherapy is the only non-invasive procedure cleared by the US FDA to tighten the skin on the face, brows, jawline, under the chin, and neck. It has also received the European CE mark for non-invasive sculpting and lifting of the upper and lower face, neck, and décolletage. 

Ultherapy safely delivers time-tested ultrasound energy into the deeper layers or the skin’s foundational layer called SMAS (Superficial MusculoAponeurotic System). This layer is commonly addressed in cosmetic surgery, but with Ultherapy, it can be treated without cutting or disrupting the skin surface.

This triggers the production of new collagen, enabling your skin to achieve a visible yet natural lift over time. You may notice an initial effect after, but significant results appear over 2 to 3 months. You can then see further improvements up to six months after the treatment.

At Cutis Laser Clinics, we recommend our patients to consider Ultherapy as an annual maintenance procedure, as the aging process continues over time. We also provide two different types of Ultherapy protocol: Classic and Premium, depending on your needs. The differences of these protocols will be further explained during your consultation.

Exilis Ultra 

Exilis Ultra is an FDA-cleared device that uses the power of radiofrequency and ultrasound energy to tighten the skin and stimulate collagen production. It delivers effective skin tightening without the longer recovery period associated with an invasive or surgical procedure.

This aesthetic device has a small applicator that heats the deeper layer of the skin to promote collagen production. It is ideal for reducing wrinkles and tightening the skin on the face, décolletage, or other small areas of the body such as the hands and arms.

Exilis also features a big applicator for contouring the body and reducing fat on the belly, arms and thighs. It uses the similar technology but with a controlled cooling system. This enables the heat to go deeper, which then disrupts the fats cells and triggers natural cell death without harming the skin. 

The simultaneous delivery of two energies can give you an effective treatment without cuts, needles, and pain medications. You can turn to this for wrinkle reduction, crepey skin treatment, cellulite reduction, skin tightening due to laxity, as well as rejuvenation of intimate areas.

At Cutis Laser Clinics, you can also combine Ultherapy with Exilis Ultra skin to further enhance the results. You can read our previous post to learn more about this non-invasive skin tightening procedure for the face and body. 

Schedule a Consultation Today

Don’t let crepey skin bring you down. Contact Cutis Laser Clinics in Singapore today and schedule a consultation with our Harvard-trained aesthetic doctor, Dr. Sylvia Ramirez, to learn which procedures can treat your crepey skin and other body concerns.