If you are dealing with crepey skin under your eyes, you’re not alone (I do, too!).
Crepey skin under the eyes is a common problem and can be challenging to treat, so this post will discuss why we get crepey skin under our eyes and what you can do to prevent and reduce the look of crepey skin under the eyes.
I know how frustrating it is to deal with the appearance of aging skin, but the good news is that there are ways to reduce that crepey look. So why do we get crepey skin in the first place?
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What Causes Crepey Skin Under The Eyes
Crepey skin under the eyes is caused by reduced levels of collagen and a breakdown of elastin fibers in the skin.
Collagen and elastin are proteins which help to keep the skin firm, plump and elastic (think of the bounce-back of a rubber band), so when they start to diminish, the skin becomes thinner, loose, and doesn’t retain its shape.
This decrease in collagen and elastin can cause the skin to sag and form wrinkles, which we call crepey skin.
As we age, the collagen levels in our skin naturally decrease. This is partly due to the natural aging process, but it is accelerated mainly by sun damage from UV radiation.
Other factors contributing to crepey skin include smoking, poor nutrition, dehydration, gaining or losing significant amounts of weight, or other environmental factors.
Because collagen acts as your skin’s scaffolding, lowering it can cause your skin to lose its structure and tone.
This results in the thin, wrinkled look associated with crepey skin under the eyes. (Think of those crepe paper projects we did as kids!)
Sagging and loose skin can cause your skin to look tired and older than it really is.
The good news is that there are some treatments you can do at home or at the dermatologist’s office that will help tighten up those areas so they look smoother again.
How To Reduce Crepey Skin Under The Eyes
Depending on your budget, you can try some at-home or professional treatments to reduce the appearance of crepey skin under your eyes.
I’ll walk you through both options in this post so that you can find the right one for you.
At Home Crepey Skin Eye Treatments
There are some over-the-counter skincare products that you can use at home to help reduce the appearance of crepey skin:
Eye Cream with Retinol
Eye creams can provide targeted treatments that help reduce some of the signs of aging. Consider using an eye cream that contains a retinoid, such as retinol.
Retinol is a vitamin A derivative that helps increase collagen production and thicken the skin. Collagen will help the skin under your eyes look smoother, firmer, and less transparent.
Retinol increases skin cell turnover, so in addition to smoothing your complexion, it also brightens and evens out skin tone.
As with any retinoid, retinol can irritate your skin, but eye creams are usually formulated with retinoid concentrations that are lower than those you would find in a face cream.
NOTE: When you introduce a new skincare product to your routine, especially if you have sensitive skin, be sure to patch test to rule out irritation or an adverse initial reaction.
Olay Retinol24 Night Eye Cream or Olay Retinol24 MAX Night Eye Cream, which contains 20% more Retinol 24 Hydrating Complex than the original, will target crepey under eye skin and uneven skin texture with a retinoid complex that contains a potent dose of retinol.
These eye creams also contain brightening and smoothing niacinamide that helps fade dark spots and hydrators to nourish the fragile eye area.
Note that you should only use retinoids, including retinol, at night since they make your skin more sensitive to the sun.
Eyelid skin is the thinnest skin on our bodies, so it is important to be gentle with the products that you are using on this delicate skin.
A Hyaluronic Acid Skincare Product
If your crepey skin only occurs during certain times of the year and is seasonal, an easy fix is to use a skincare product that contains hyaluronic acid to hydrate and plump the skin to reduce the look of crepey skin.
Hyaluronic acid is a humectant, which means it draws moisture in from the air and helps keep your skin hydrated.
Be sure to moisturize your skin well to ensure that your skin’s moisture barrier is intact. Well-hydrated skin will look and feel smoother.
E.l.f. Holy Hydration! Eye Cream with hyaluronic acid and peptides is a lightweight, non-greasy eye cream that uses hyaluronic acid in the sodium salt form of sodium hyaluronate to hydrate, soften and plump the skin under your eyes.
Palmitoyl tripeptide-1 and palmitoyl tripeptide-7, is a peptide duo better known as Matrixyl 3000. These peptides work together to stimulate collagen production, and reduce wrinkles, fine lines, and crepey skin under eyes for a firmer orbital area.
The eye cream also contains vitamin E, which offers antioxidant protection, while jojoba esters moisturize your skin.
Antioxidants
If you want to reduce the appearance of aging, including crepey skin, then consider using a skincare product that contains antioxidants.
Antioxidants combat free radicals that damage your skin. Free radicals can come from environmental factors like UV radiation, smoking, or a poor diet.
Free radicals accelerate skin aging by destroying collagen and elastin fibers.
Antioxidants work by limiting the free radical damage (also called oxidative stress) to help protect your skin from premature aging.
Consider using a skincare product that contains vitamin C, a potent antioxidant that reduces the appearance of wrinkles, fine lines, and skin dullness.
Sunscreen
The importance of wearing a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher daily cannot be understated. In fact, sunscreen may be the most important treatment of all when it comes to reducing wrinkles.
Sun exposure is a major contributor to wrinkles and aging skin.
As previously noted, free radicals in UV rays damage the collagen and elastin in your skin, which contributes to the formation of wrinkles and crepey skin.
Wearing sunscreen every day helps to reduce the visible signs of aging by preventing these free radicals from damaging the collagen and elastin in your skin.
Makeup
Use an under-eye concealer and/or corrector to help camouflage the appearance of crepey skin.
Choose a shade that is one shade lighter than your natural skin tone and apply it in a triangular shape below your eyes. Pat gently with a concealer brush, sponge, or your ring finger.
If you also have dark circles, look for a concealer with peach or pink undertones for lighter skin or orange undertones for darker skin.
At-Home Skincare Devices
If it’s in your budget, an at-home device like NuFace Trinity can help reduce the appearance of eye wrinkles and crepey skin.
NuFACE Trinity uses microcurrent technology to help firm and tone the skin. Microcurrents stimulate the muscles under the skin to contract, which helps tone and strengthen them.
You can purchase an eye attachment for the NuFACE that helps to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and crepey, saggy skin around the eyes.
I have this device and have learned that the trick to using it is to be consistent and understand that the immediate results you see are temporary. With continual use, you should see improved results.
Professional Treatments for Crepey Skin Under The Eyes
If the crepey skin under your eyes is more pronounced than you’d like, and if over-the-counter treatments are not getting you the results you are looking for, you might want to see a dermatologist to determine if professional treatments are right for you.
Fractional Laser Treatments
Lasers can be used to reduce the appearance of crepey skin under your eyes by stimulating collagen production.
Lasers can help tighten the skin in that area, which will reduce the appearance of wrinkles.
Fractional lasers like Fraxel use tiny laser light beams to stimulate the skin to create new collagen, which tightens up loose skin. Speak to your dermatologist to see if laser treatment is right for you.
Energy-Based Device Treatments
Energy-based treatments are another option to consider. An option for treating crepey skin under your eyes is a radiofrequency treatment that supports collagen production.
Thermage is a non-surgical treatment that uses radio-frequency energy to stimulate the production of new collagen. It heats the deep layers of skin.
This heat then causes the skin to contract, which stimulates the production of collagen.
Not everyone is a candidate for these treatments. Your dermatologist will help you determine if you are a good candidate for laser or energy-based treatments and which type of treatment would be best for you.
Dermal Filler Injections
Dermal fillers are injected under the skin to smooth out those areas, so they look more youthful again.
Hyaluronic acid fillers, such as Restylane and Juvederm, are commonly used to treat crepey skin under the eyes.
They can plump up the skin to reduce the appearance of crepiness and fine lines and reduce hollows under the eyes and tear troughs.
Plastic Surgery
If laser treatments or fillers are not an option for you, or if you are not happy with the results, eyelid surgery or another plastic surgery procedure might be the answer.
Speak to a qualified plastic surgeon to determine if a surgical procedure is right for you.
Lifestyle Choices To Prevent Crepey Skin Under The Eyes
There are also some things you can do daily to help prevent crepey skin from forming in the first place:
- Be sure to eat a healthy diet with lots of water. This will give you the nutrients your skin needs to stay hydrated and healthy. Drink plenty of clear fluids throughout the day, especially water, to improve skin hydration.
- Get at least 7-8 hours of sleep every night. This will help your skin to rejuvenate and repair itself.
- Quit smoking. Smoking causes wrinkles by damaging the collagen in your skin.
Final Thoughts on Crepey Skin Under The Eyes
Crepey skin under eyes can be frustrating to deal with, but there are treatments available that can help tighten the skin under your eyes and improve the appearance of skin texture on this area of your face.
If you follow some of the suggested steps above to prevent the formation of crepey skin under your eyes, you can keep wrinkles at bay and maintain a youthful look for longer!
Thanks for reading, and until next time, here’s to your good skin health!
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