Aging is not for the faint of heart. It takes courage to face the difficult facts that our bodies change over time and not really for the better. Since skin is my specialty, I am a dermatologist by training and profession, it is the first thing I feel sad about as time goes on. If only we could effortlessly keep that dewy complexion! Why does crepey skin replace dewy anyway?

Of course, it is all science. With age, the body decides to slow down the production of collagen. In fact, the best year you will ever have in terms of natural collagen production is around 29! Collagen and Elastin are the proteins that make up a large part of the skin. And yes, elastin declines with age too. Collagen gives skin its firmness and strength, elastin gives it the bounce and stretch.

So, at the ripe old age of 30, crepey starts to slowly creep in. And don’t forget hyaluronic acid gel, or HAs, the Jell-O of the skin in a way. HA’s hold water in the skin and add to plumping and hydration, dewiness if you will. Without HA’s the skin suffers from dryness and dehydration. So there you have it: dewy to crepey in a few short years.

For women a major trigger of skin aging is menopause. Why? Menopause is the medical name for the abrupt and rapid decline in the hormone estrogen. Estrogen (estradiol specifically) is the main factor in aging skin in women. In the first 5 years after menopause the collagen content of skin decreases by about 30%! Less collagen means thinner skin and more dehydrated skin. Together the surface gets fine crinkly lines (like crepe paper). Elastin is also negatively affected by menopause adding to the laxity (lack of elasticity) and also adding to the crepe factor.

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