What causes crepey skin, and how to treat it

Are you headed into menopause, and dreading the changes that will happen to your face? I’m happy to tell you that there’s something you can do to help prevent crepey skin!

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Welcome to your 40s

There’s a meme going around Facebook that says, “Welcome to your 40s. If you don’t have a mysterious ailment, one will be given to you.”

It’s sad, but true. When I hit 40 things started happening that I had no idea were coming.

The biggest slap in the face was needing reading glasses. For my entire life I’d had perfect vision, and I guess I just thought that’s how I would always be. But one day I was trying to clasp a necklace behind my head and I couldn’t get it. I swung it around to the front so that I could see it, but much to my surprise I couldn’t see it! It was blurry!! 

I went to an eye doctor, thinking there might be something seriously wrong, like a tumor or something. 

But no, I was informed that it was just middle age.

GAH.

I’m 46 now and have three different pairs of reading glasses. And while I’m incredibly annoyed that I have to wear them, I’m really glad that my blurry eyesight had an easy remedy.

Crepey skin and hormones

Another thing that apparently just happens in middle age is crepey skin, that dry, thin, papery skin (think of crumpled crepe paper) that makes women look older. This really sucks, because my skin is actually good right now. I had terrible skin when I was younger, so I feel like I’m making up for it now with skin that doesn’t really give me any problems. 

I moisturize and use sunscreen, and I thought that was all I had to do. But recently I learned about skin care after 40, and how hormones (or lack thereof) can affect my skin.

Estrogen and dry skin

When I think of estrogen, I think of the parts of my body that have to do with making babies. But skin is the largest non-reproductive organ that estrogen has an effect on, and when skin doesn’t have enough estrogen, it can lose collagen.

There can be a 30% loss of skin collagen in just the first five years of menopause. This can cause skin to get thin, dry, and delicate. It can lose its “glow,” looking older and more wrinkly.

Some women use hormone replacement therapy (HRT) to combat the effects of producing less estrogen. The problem is that this carries side effects.

But according to a study published in the Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, which I recommend you read, there’s a new topical treatment that can help improve estrogen-deficient skin in a number of ways.

What is MEP?

MEP is a molecule that has the benefits of estrogen on aging skin, but without the side effects of HRT. It is not a hormone.

Is MEP safe?

Before studying the effectiveness of MEP on skin, a separate 12-week study was done to test the safety of MEP. 60 post-menopausal women applied MEP or a placebo to their skin twice a day. Not only were there no adverse side effects observed in the women who applied the MEP, but MEP was proven to also have benefits exclusively for the skin and nowhere else in the body.

What can MEP do?

According to the study, a 14-week treatment with MEP improved skin thickness, fine lines, dryness, dullness, and more. The researchers also noted that “a more dramatic effect would likely be observed if the study had been carried out longer.”

*Telangiectasias = small visible blood vessels & Erythema = redness in the skin

How to treat crepey skin

So now that we know what MEP is and how it can help improve skin that’s deficient in estrogen, what can we do about it?

Emepelle

I’ve been using Emepelle Serum and Night Cream, and both contain MEP, as well as other ingredients that can help skin.

Emepelle Serum

In addition to MEP, the Serum contains antioxidants, hyaluronic acid, and other ingredients that have anti-aging benefits.

It goes on very light, and is not greasy at all. I wear it under sunscreen and makeup, like in the picture below. Or with nothing else, like the no-makeup selfie at the top of this post.

Emepelle Night Cream

In total contrast to the Serum, Emepelle Night Cream is very thick and creamy. It also has Retinol (which the serum does not), and since my skin is fairly sensitive, I’m not using the night cream every night, at least not yet. I started out about six weeks ago using it twice a week, and so far so good. I’m going to increase gradually and see what happens.

Menopause skin care

I’m making Emepelle part of my pre-menopause skin care routine, along with using sunscreen, drinking plenty of water, and getting a good amount of sleep. 

And while I’m using Emepelle to try to prevent my skin from getting dry as I age, it can also be used on skin that is already papery and wrinkled. You can see in the picture below how just 14 weeks of treatment made a noticeable difference for this woman.

Her skin looks fuller and thicker, the crepiness from her cheeks is gone, and the lines on her face don’t stand out anywhere near as much.

Where can you buy Emepelle?

Emepelle, which is made by Biopelle, is available through licensed skin care professionals or through lovelyskin.com. It’s too early for me to tell if Emepelle is the best product for crepey skin, but the science behind it certainly looks promising!

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