Skin starts to have a crepey appearance in the late 40s or mid-50s, and continues to worsen with age. LovelySkin has treatments that can improve this or reverse it, and our expert dermatologists are here to answer your questions about crepey skin, including:

• What causes crepey skin on arms and legs?

• Do any body lotions for crepey skin really work?

• How to get rid of crepey skin with in-office treatments

• The best lotions for crepey skin on arms and legs

What causes crepey skin on arms and legs?

“Aging and sun exposure are the two major causes of crepey skin on arms and legs,” says LovelySkin CEO Dr. Joel Schlessinger, board-certified dermatologist, Mohs surgeon and cosmetic surgeon. “It all has to do with collagen and elastin, the proteins that give skin its structure and stretchiness. UV rays break down collagen and elastin in skin, and our bodies also produce less of both proteins as we age.” This results in sagging skin that looks crepey in texture.

Do any body lotions for crepey skin really work?

It’s possible for topical lotions and skin-firming creams to help improve the appearance of crepey skin. “The best lotions for crepey skin contain active ingredients such as peptides, which can have a firming effect, and retinol, which can help improve the appearance of your skin by improving skin elasticity and supporting the production of collagen,” says Dr. Joel Schlessinger.

He continues, “Creams with hydrating ingredients such as hyaluronic acid can also have an immediate, temporary plumping effect that helps crepey skin look smoother.” Body creams or lotions with exfoliating ingredients can also help improve the appearance of dry, crepey skin by smoothing out rough surface texture.

How to get rid of crepey skin with in-office treatments

If you’re bothered by the appearance of crepey skin on your arms and legs, consider a visit to a board-certified dermatologist to discuss whether laser resurfacing treatments might be a good option for you.

“Laser treatments such as the BBL HEROic, which we offer in our dermatology practice, work by stimulating collagen production in your skin and boosting your skin’s ability to renew itself,” says LovelySkin Medical Director Dr. Daniel Schlessinger, a board-certified dermatologist, Mohs surgeon and cosmetic surgeon.

He adds that “depending on the severity of crepiness on your arms and legs, it might be a treatment worth considering. Some individuals also have bruising that accompanies crepey skin and we have a topical treatment, DerMend, that helps with that as well.”

The best lotions for crepey skin on arms and legs

Whether you’re interested in trying a skin-firming cream on its own or in tandem with an in-office treatment, here are eight of the best creams for crepey skin on the arms and legs.

afa Advanced Treatment Body Lotion

This smoothing body lotion helps improve skin elasticity and texture thanks to afaLUXE™, a proprietary blend of amino-based filaggrin antioxidants, Dead Sea minerals and vitamin C that naturally exfoliates the skin. “I recommend this crepey skin treatment as an at-home option to enhance the benefits of in-office treatments such as laser resurfacing,” Dr. Joel Schlessinger says.

DerMend Moisturizing Bruise Formula Cream

“For my patients who have bruising that accompanies crepey skin, I recommend they use this lotion as a preventative measure,” Dr. Joel Schlessinger says. “I recommend applying it twice a day for at least a month to get a head start on avoiding bruising on the arms and other areas.” In addition to phytonadione, a form of vitamin K that helps improve bruising, it also contains skin-smoothing retinol, niacinamide and ceramides.

Revision Skincare BodiContour

Revision Skincare makes some of our favorite anti-aging facial products, so it makes sense their skin firming cream, BodiContour, is also worth considering. It helps visibly lift lax skin with iFirm Technology, Revision’s patent-pending blend of peptides, botanical extracts and antioxidants.

SkinMedica Firm & Tone Body Lotion

This skin treatment by SkinMedica ranks as one of the best firming body lotions thanks to its impressive clinical results. After twelve weeks of use, study participants noticed a reduction in the appearance of crepiness and an improvement in firmness. Its formula contains a variety of antioxidant-rich plant-based ingredients that help support healthy skin, including green microalgae, shiitake mushroom extract, ginger root extract and coffee seed oil.

ALASTIN Skincare TransFORM Body Treatment with TriHex Technology

ALASTIN Skincare is best known for its proprietary TriHEX Technology, a peptide and botanical blend that helps improve the appearance of aging skin by clearing out old, damaged collagen and elastin fibers as well as supporting the creation of new collagen and elastin in the skin. When used regularly, it can help improve crepiness on arms and legs as well as other parts of the body, such as the hands and chest.

Neocutis Neo Body Restorative Body Cream

From Neocutis, this is one of the best lotions for crepey skin on arms and legs thanks to its potent lineup of active ingredients, including hyaluronic acid to plump skin, ceramides and cholesterol to smooth and moisturize and proprietary Micro Protein Complex to firm skin by boosting collagen production. We also love that it features salicylic acid, a beta hydroxy acid, to stimulate cellular turnover and slough away rough, dry surface skin.

NassifMD Crepe Inhibitor Triple Action Body Butter

If you’re looking for a crepey skin treatment with a rich, nourishing texture, give this whipped body butter a try. It contains ingredients to help improve the appearance of crepey skin over time—such as a peptide complex and hydrating botanicals—as well as moisturizing shea butter and a gold-hued mineral pigment to help diffuse light and blur skin imperfections.

Strivectin Crepe Control Tightening Body Cream

Skin-firming peptides combine with antioxidant-rich plant extracts in this anti-aging body cream from Strivectin. It was created to use in combination with StriVectin Crepe Control Exfoliating Body Scrub, which provides both physical and chemical exfoliation with rice powder and alpha hydroxy acids.

Replenix Smooth + Tighten Body Lotion

With many five-star reviews, this is one of the best rated firming body lotions carried by LovelySkin. The formula matches retinol with moisturizing ceramides and hyaluronic acid to support cellular renewal and boost hydration levels to help smooth and soften crepey skin.

Are you looking for skin care recommendations on a budget? You can check out our post on the best derm-approved affordable skin care on the LovelySkin Blog.