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Crepey Eyelid Skin Help

asked 3 years ago by anon
Latest answer by David Alessi, MD
Question viewed 39,801 times
Tags: eyelids, crepey skin

I have crepey, loose skin in my eye area, mostly on my eyelids.  I wonder if having a blepharoplasty can fix the crepey skin problem. Are there any options besides eyelid surgery to fix my crepey eyelids?

42 answers to Crepey Eyelid Skin Help

+5

If you have a lot of excess skin then surgery would be...

If you have a lot of excess skin then surgery would be necessary to remove the excess skin (although lasers will tighten it somewhat). If your only concern is the quality of the skin (the crepiness) and you don't have excess skin, then you're better off not having surgery. Options to address the crepey eyelid skin are prescription creams like Retin-A or non-prescription creams containing glycolic acid, lactic acid, or a similar exfoliant. Be careful - these will likely cause irritiation,... more
Jonathan Hoenig, MD

Beverly Hills Oculoplastic Surgeon
+5

Eyelid surgery for crepey skin

When I read the title question I was prepared to discuss laser resurfacing and chemical peels with you. However, when I read the description of your eyelids it became clear that surgery is your best option. Eyelid surgery can be done under local anesthesia and can be a very easy recovery depending on the techniques your surgeon needs to use. Simple skin removal has minimal complications and a quick recovery. The reason I am telling you this is because lesser procedures yield less cosmetic... more
Robert W. Kessler, MD

Orange County Plastic Surgeon
+4

There are several component to loose, crepey skin in the...

There are several component to loose, crepey skin in the eyelid area, and therefore, several options to fix the underlying problem. Surgery, indeed is probably one of the best options when there is a lot of extra loose skin, especially on the upper lids. It is usually done in the office, frequestly under local anesthesia, sometimes with minimal sedation, and has proved to be one of the best and cost-effective treatments. If you decide against the surgery, Active FX/ Deep FX laser resurfacing... more
Stella Desyatnikova, MD

Seattle Facial Plastic Surgeon
+4

Periorbial Improvement

If Blepharoplasty is not possible (no excess skin) or it is not desired, there are still other ways to provide improvement for crepiness. We have found that combining Fraxel Laser (or Erbium laser) with Botox can provide a number of benefits, including reduced crepiness. You may wish to consult with board certified physicians who have the ability to offer both a surgical solution and nonsurgical so that you have a relatively unbiased opinion on which option works better for you. more
Kris M. Reddy, MD, FACS

West Palm Beach Plastic Surgeon
+4

Crepey eyelid skin

Crepey or loose eyelid skin is a common problem faced by many patients. Depending on the amount of excess skin the treatement options are different. Mimimal excess skin: Can be addressed with chemical peel (TCA 30-40%) or LASER. Can be performed in the office. Moderate/Severe: Surgery is the preferred method to actually removed the excess skin. Can be done under local anesthesia if fat is not being removed. It is critical to note that blepharoplasty or eyelid surgery should not be performed... more
Kyle S. Choe, MD

Virginia Beach Facial Plastic Surgeon
+3

If you have extra skin that is crepey, you will need...

If you have extra skin that is crepey, you will need surgery to remove the extra.  This may not totally solve the problem and you probably will still need medical grade skin care treatments and even possibly laser or chemical peels to get the most change possible.
Richard P. Rand, MD, FACS

Seattle Plastic Surgeon
+3

Depending on your aesthetic desires, extra skin on your...

Depending on your aesthetic desires, extra skin on your eyelids can be tightened up by non-surgical means. The most important thing to remember is that eyelid skin is very thin and fragile. I will routinely start my patient on some type of topical eye cream like Retin-A or Vitamin C serum. My favorite skin thickening cream is NIA-24, a niacin cream that repairs DNA in your skin to produce healthier collagen. I also like to use a hyaluronic gel to plump up the fine wrinkles. Next, I will... more
Manish H. Shah, MD

Denver Plastic Surgeon
+2

Crepey Eyelid Skin Can be Made Lots Better!

Crepey eyelid skin can be made much better using one- or a combination of techniques. Blepharoplasty might be the answer if the problem is extra skin and all the crepey skin can be safely cut out. Alternative (or complementary) techniques include chemical peel or laser to tighten fin lines. Consult with your surgeon as to which is best for you.
Paul C. Zwiebel, MD

Denver Plastic Surgeon
+2

Crepe Eyelid Skin Help

There are many ways crepe skin can be handled.  It depends on many factors including how crepe the skin is, where is the crepe skin, and how much excess skin there is.    If there is too much skin, especially in the upper eyelids, surgery is the best option. If the crepe skin is in the lower lids, I usually prefer an approach with fractionated CO2 laser resurfacing.  Other lasers can work as well.  Creams can work over a long period of time but usually... more
Sam Goldberger, MD

Beverly Hills Oculoplastic Surgeon
+2

Surger or laser treatments can get reduce crepey lower eyelid skin.

First the options depend on whether it is the lower or upper eyelid skin. Typically the lower eyelid skin can be treated with either surgery or LASER. If the lower eyelid skin is really just crepey this is a skin quality issue and LASER would be my choice. If there is skin redundancy and/or bags, surgery would be my choice; there is a chance you would also need LASER for optimal result. Upper eyelid skin is usually best treated by surgical excision. All patients should use a Vitamin A... more
Tracy Pfeifer, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon
+2

Crepey eyelid repair

Not only are there other options, these may be preferable, depending on the degree of skin laxity, lid laxity, fat pockets. Fractional ablative lasers offer a controlled way to tighten skin in this area with relatively little downtime. Other options include a phenol peel, which can give an excellent, cost-effective result in this situation. Good luck!
W. Tracy Hankins, MD

Las Vegas Plastic Surgeon
+2

Usually a blepharoplasty will give the best result

A 69-year woman who has never had surgery will most likely benefit from an upper blepharoplasty. Fortunately, almost all upper blepharoplasties can be done under local anesthesia or local anesthesia with light sedation. The risk of the local anesthetic should be very low in competent hands, even in patients with medical issues. The recovery for a simple upper blepharoplasty should also be very fast, with most patients back in public after 5 days feeling comfortable. Most patients have... more
Brent Moelleken, MD

Beverly Hills Plastic Surgeon
+2

Fine lines & crepey skin can be treated with Retin-A

Fine lines and crêpey skin can be treated topically with Retin-A, which has been scientifically proven in clinical trials to improve fine lines. It takes approximately one year of daily use to see a beneficial effect. Occasionally, if there is an excess amount of skin on the lower lids, there is a small pinch technique that can be used to remove simple excess crepey skin under local anesthesia.
William Portuese, MD

Seattle Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Eyelids

Hi There, It sounds like a Blepharoplasty is the fix for your crepey skin. This is a relatively short procedure with very little down-time. This procedure can be done with local anesthesia. This is a very cost effective procedure with the possibility of great results. Thank you, Dr. David Alessi
David Alessi, MD

Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Crepey skin on the eyelids

Crepey skin, if in excess, can be improved with a Blepharoplasty where excess skin is removed. One thing to remember though is that crepey skin also has significant damage in terms of quality and not just quantity. Surgery removes excess quantity of skin and creams, lasers and chemical peels can improve the quality. The skin of the eyelids is very thin though and the level of aggressiveness for a quality of skin treatment can be performed but will be limited. That limited depth of injury... more
Julio Garcia, MD

Las Vegas Plastic Surgeon
+1

How to treat crepey eyelid skin

An upper lid blepharoplasty would remove the excess skin and recovery would be quite rapid. if the skin laxity is excessive, the result may not be optimal. Nonsurgical methods will offer limited improvement at best. This is one scenario in which surgery is short, has a quick recovery, very little downside risk and superior results. Always seek treatment from a board certified plastic surgeon who is familiar with various surgical techniques and who operates in an accredited facility. more
Robert L. Kraft, MD

New York Plastic Surgeon
+1

Correcting Crepy Eyelid Skin

You can correct most of the crepy eyelid skin in the upper eyelids. The lower eyelid is a little more complex as you can correct some of it, but when the patient animates it can have some redundancy. The key element in blepharoplasty is that one has to retain normal function and lid closure to prevent dry eyes and any of the other severe problems which can cause long term sequelae. Sometimes you can correct some of the redundant skin and if you have some fine rhytids one can use topical... more
Rod J. Rohrich, MD

Dallas Plastic Surgeon
+1

Alternatives to Improve Crepey Eyelid Skin

Surgery is the best because excess skin is directly removed. A good alternative may be laser skin resurfacing. The laser takes off the surface layer of skin and leads to new baby skin that is tighter and does not have the etched lines that the old skin accumulated over time. The downtime is about two weeks with full resurfacing and one week with a fractionated laser (though the result is not as good).
Anand D. Patel, MD

Austin Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Eyelid Rejuvenation

Yes, surgery can help. Crepey skin is a common problem in the eyelid area.If there is extra skin, then it should be removed by surgery. However, removing the skin does not improve the skin quality. Lasers, chemical peels and non-laser sublative rejuvenation help create new collagen that improves skin quality, eliminating crepiness.
David Schlessinger, MD

New York Oculoplastic Surgeon
+1

Yes! Blepharoplasty helps get rid of wrinkly eyelid skin.

Without question, blepharoplasty can help get rid of crepe paper like skin.  The question is how much skin can safely be removed and should you also consider having a laser or chemical peel done at the same time.
P. Daniel Ward, MD

Salt Lake City Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Loose, crepey eyelid skin is one of the most common reasons for seeking blepharoplasty

Loose, crepey eyelid skin is one of the most common reasons for seeking blepharoplasty surgery. A second common reason is for the correction of puffy, tired-looking eyes. Removal of crepey, loose skin can certainly be accomplished with eyelid surgery, whether it’s the upper lids or the lower eyelids. Alternative options include various forms of laser resurfacing. If the crepey skin is in the crow’s feet area, a simple BOTOX treatment may provide an excellent, temporary... more
Michael R. Macdonald, MD

Bay Area Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Crepey Eyelid Skin Help

Thanks for the question. a posted photo would have helped. But the simple answer is Yes a Blepharoplasty is the choice. Seek 3 in person evaluations from boarded surgeons in your area. 
Darryl J. Blinski, MD

Miami Plastic Surgeon
+1

Bye-Bye crepey skin

Crepey skin in the upper eyelid is easy.  It's simply removed and it's GONE for good. The lower eyelid is a bit more tricky.  If there is a lot of skin, it can be removed.  The procedure is a bit more tedious.  If there is just a little bit of skin, I have had excellent results with lasers and peels.  Some of my patients have also had filler treatments with goiod success.  We also have a serum in our office that we sell to pump up the area... more
Raghu Athre, MD

Houston Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

"Crepey Eyelid Skin"

Crepey eyelid skin has a few options, as mentioned here.  Upper eyelids are best treated with excision of extra skin.  It is important to note how the upper brow relates to the skin of the eyelid, as in some cases, a browlift or botox can be helpful or even replace the need for removal of skin on the upper eyelids.  As the upper eyelids are not as commonly sundamaged, peels and LASERS are not a good solution here.   Whereas skin excision is the preferred... more
Anil R. Shah, MD

Chicago Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Crepey skin

A blepharoplasty can help with skin folds under the eyelid HOWEVER too much skin excision can result in retraction of the lower lids where the whites of the eye are visible. As I tell patients, I can always go back and remove more skin but once too much is removed it is really difficult to fix it perfectly.
Chris Thiagarajah, MD

Washington DC Oculoplastic Surgeon
+1

Crepey skin correction

Crepey skin can be corrected in a number of ways, both surgical and non-surgical.  The non-surgical means of correction involve lasers or chemical peels. These can be slow healing and may lead to pigment changes in the skin treated.  Removing some of the skin surgically can correct some of the crepiness.  However this has limits to the amount removed.  Sometimes modifying the muscle around the eye can also correct some crepe.   Tal Raine MD more
Talmage J. Raine, MD

Chicago Plastic Surgeon
+1

Solutions for Crepey Eyelid Skin

I am a Cosmetic Oculofacial Plastic Surgeon (Specializing in Eyelid and Facelift Surgery) practicing New York City's Upper Eastside. Skin that is thin and wrinkled can be managed in many ways from using topical creams to using lasers. Eyelid surgery such as blepharoplasty may help the skin look better if the there is redundant or excess skin. In my practice, I often perform blepharoplasty to remove or reposition fat as well as excess skin and combite this surgery with the use of the... more
Amiya Prasad, MD

New York Oculoplastic Surgeon
+1

Fixing "crepey" eyelid skin

Based only on your description of "crepey", I'd assume you have considerable skin laxity. If this is the case, surgery in combination with laser resurfacing of the area would probably give you the best overall improvement and outcome. It's hard to say for sure without seeing you myself, so I'd recommend a consultation with a good surgeon with whom you can discuss your goals. He or she will be able to work with you to figure out how to get the best results for you face. more
Deason Dunagan, MD

Huntsville Plastic Surgeon
+1

A cure for Crepey eyelid skin

Crepey eyelid skin is a problem that can be treated both surgically and non-surgically. Skin may removed via an eye surgery that can also remove excess fat from the lower eye lid. Upper eyelid skin can also be removed along with fat in the upper lid. Crepey skin may be improved with the use of a laser or with chemical peels. The preferred procedure varies with different doctors. Good Luck
Carlos Wolf, MD

Miami Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Crepy skin around the eyelids can be fixed by a laser or by surgery (blepharoplasty)

There are ways to tighten skin a bit by resurfacing (laser, chemical peels, etc.). If the excess skin is modest, I use the CO2 laser to fix the problem. Patient selection is critical because some patients, especially dark complexions, are not suitable candidates. The skin can be directly removed by a blepharoplasty. This operation allow correction of other aging features as well.
Vincent N. Zubowicz, MD

Atlanta Plastic Surgeon
+1

Solutions for crepey skin around the eyes

Mild Upper lid crepey skin: laser resurfacing with erbium, co2, or fractionated laser medium depth peel; TCA peel, wrinkle peel Moderate upper lid crepey skin: excision with upper blepharoplasty surgery browlifting when brow sagginess is also a component Mild lower lid crepey skin: medium depth peel; TCA peel; wrinkle peel laser resurfacing with erbium, co2, or fractionated laser platelet rich plasma(PRP) tinjection to generate new collagen to thicken the skin botox in select... more
George Sun, MD

Los Angeles Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Improving Crepey Eyelids skin

As the other surgeons have pointed out, there are two primary ways to improve crepey eyelid skin. First, judiciously removing truly redundant skin can improve crepiness. This is certainly the treatment of choice for upper eyelids, which can be performed safely through a hidden incision and which typically heal beautifully. Removing skin from lower eyelids is fraught with more potential problems, unless done very conservatively. The second option is "shrink wrapping" the existing... more
Laxmeesh Mike Nayak, MD

Saint Louis Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Loose eyelid skin has several options

Loose eyelid skin problem can be treated with a blepharoplasty or eyelid surgery or with laser treatment. The choice would only be after an examination with a qualified physician.
Barry E. DiBernardo, MD

Montclair Plastic Surgeon
+1

Options to correct crepey eyelids

It is possible that a non-surgical option such as resurfacing laser can assist with the crepiness you notice around your eyes. Chemical peels are also sometimes used, but you should keep in mind that often the recovery time is longer for peels and lasers than a simple skin excision if the problem is loose skin only. Generally, the most effective way to reduce the appearance of crepey looking excess skin on the eyelid is to have an upper blepharoplasty. This procedure can be performed under a... more
Scott W. Mosser, MD

San Francisco Plastic Surgeon
+1

Multiple options for crepey eyelid skin

Upper eyelid skin redundancy (with or without some fat pseudoherniation) is generally best treated with blepharoplasty. A crepey lower eyelid skin can also be treated with a blepharoplasty via subciliary (or external) approach, but most surgeons today recommend addressing this problem by tightening the skin. Options for this include fractionated laser resurfacing or chemical peeling; both achieve nice results. Often, there is also fat pseudoherniation in the lower eyelids which is best... more
Corey S. Maas, MD

San Francisco Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Laser resurfacing not blepharoplasty will help crepy eyelid skin

The crepy eyelid skin is a surface problem on the skin. Blepharoplasty is designed to remove excess skin on the upper eyelid and to remove bags on the lower eyelid. The blepharoplasty achieves the above but does not change the quality or superficial appearance of the eyelid skin. Modern fractional erbium laser resurfacing, not blepahroplasty surgery, is the most effective and safest option tpo rejuvenate crepy eyelid skin. Be sure to consult an experienced board certified plastic surgeon who... more
Brooke R. Seckel, MD

Boston Plastic Surgeon
+1

There are several options for the removal of crepy upper and lower eyelid skin

There are several options for the removal of crepy upper and lower eyelid skin. If there is significant amount of skin only, often times this can be removed with a simple pinch excision under local anesthesia for both the upper and lower eyelids especially if there are no issues of excessive fat. If there is less redundant skin or only a small amount present, other options include a CO2 laser or erbium laser removal or a chemical peel for the lower eyelids. However, the down time is often... more
Scott Trimas, MD

Jacksonville Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

In this case, surgery is the clear winner

There are a good number of facial aesthetic concerns in which non-surgical and surgical options compete effectively with each other. The type of concern you have with your upper eyelids is not really one of them. By far, the best option you have is a surgical upper blepharoplasty. That’s not to say that if you are completely set against surgery nothing else will help at all. Laser treatments to this area can provide some benefit. While no surgery is risk free, a standard upper... more
Paul L. Leong, MD

Pittsburgh Facial Plastic Surgeon
+1

Insurance may cover blepharoplasty in select cases

Hi Dan, Based on your description, you may fit within the guidelines for insurance-covered upper blepharoplasty (surgery to remove the extra skin of the upper eyelids.) Generally, if there is skin hanging over the lashes, and there is a demonstrable loss of the superior visual field (as shown on visual field testing), then the insurance review will usually approve the case. The best bet is to visit your local oculoplastic surgeon, have an examination performed, and have the doctor submit a... more
Tanuj Nakra, MD

Austin Oculoplastic Surgeon
+1

It is not the only answer but usually it is the best.

Hello, Eyelid surgery can be simple or complicated. Simple surgery to tighten lax eyelid skin is very well-tolerated and reliable. Best Regards,   John Di Saia MD          
John P. Di Saia, MD

Orange Plastic Surgeon
+1

Crepey skin may be deflated upper eyelid skin

Based on your description it is likely that the best approach would be an upper eyelid blepharoplasty as many have suggested. This can be done under oral or IV sedation and usually takes less than 45-60 minutes. As long as blood pressure is controlled and the patient is off blood thinners (such as aspirin, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication, Plavix, Coumadin, and certain vitamins/supplements) the surgery can be done safely. In my practice at least 75% of my patients are 60-85... more
Sean M. Blaydon, MD

Austin Oculoplastic Surgeon
+1

Possibly

Greetings Betty, The answer to your question depends on where the skin is. For upper eyelid excess skin, surgery is probably the best solution. For lower eyelid skin, you can consider surgery or depending on the amount of skin possibly laser resurfacing or a deep chemical peel. Fortunately the surgery to simply remove excess skin is not a big procedure. Most of the time it can be done with local anesthesia only and the recovery is generally fairly easy, even for someone of your young age.... more
D.J. Verret, MD

Dallas Facial Plastic Surgeon

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