Best Supplements for Crepey, Sagging & Loose Skin

By Lily Shapiro, PharmD · Approx. 5 min read

Crepey skin and loose or sagging skin are related but different concerns. Crepey skin describes thin, finely wrinkled, often dry-looking texture, while loose or sagging skin reflects greater tissue laxity. Aging and cumulative UV exposure can contribute to both through changes in collagen, elastic fibers, hydration and the skin barrier.

Short Answer

No supplement has been shown to physically tighten substantially loose or sagging skin. However, specific collagen peptides, oral ceramides and certain antioxidant nutrients have human evidence for improving measurable characteristics including skin elasticity, hydration and wrinkles. These changes may improve the appearance and resilience of aging or crepey skin, but they are not equivalent to tightening excess or significantly lax skin.^1–5

What Causes Crepey or Sagging Skin?

Skin changes with age on several levels. Collagen and elastic-fiber architecture changes, cumulative UV exposure damages the extracellular matrix, and declining barrier function can make skin drier and less resilient.

This is why crepey or aging skin is not simply a collagen problem. Structure, elasticity, hydration, barrier function and accumulated environmental stress all matter.

Which Supplements Have the Best Evidence?

1. Collagen Peptides: Structure + Elasticity

Specific collagen peptides have some of the most direct human evidence for characteristics relevant to aging skin.

In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, women taking specific collagen peptides experienced improvements in measured skin elasticity.¹ A separate trial of 2.5 g of VERISOL® daily reported reduced eye-wrinkle volume and increased levels of procollagen type I and elastin after eight weeks.²

Important: these studies measured elasticity, wrinkles and dermal-matrix markers—not physical tightening of loose skin. Results from a specific studied collagen peptide also should not automatically be generalized to every collagen supplement.

2. Oral Ceramides: Hydration + Barrier + Texture

Dryness can make crepey texture considerably more visible. Ceramides are lipids found naturally in the skin barrier that help limit water loss.

In a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, supplementation with a wheat polar lipid complex containing ceramides improved skin hydration, elasticity and smoothness while reducing transepidermal water loss, roughness and wrinkle depth, with improvements observed after 14 days.³

This makes oral ceramides particularly relevant to the dry, finely wrinkled appearance associated with crepey skin. It does not mean they physically tighten lax skin.

3. Astaxanthin: Antioxidant Defense + Elasticity

Oxidative and UV-related stress contribute to skin aging and changes in the skin's structural matrix. Astaxanthin is a carotenoid antioxidant with human data relevant to both elasticity and hydration.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials found that oral astaxanthin supplementation significantly improved skin elasticity and moisture compared with placebo, although the studies were relatively small and heterogeneous.⁴

4. Red Orange Extract: Elasticity + Hydration + Environmental Defense

A standardized Sicilian red-orange extract has also been studied in humans. In a randomized, double-blind controlled trial, 100 mg daily for 56 days improved measures including skin elasticity, moisturization, transepidermal water loss and wrinkle depth, while also improving measures related to UV response and antioxidant capacity.⁵

Other carotenoids, polyphenols and photoprotective nutrients also have evidence relevant to oxidative or UV-related skin stress. That should not be interpreted as evidence that each independently improves crepey or loose skin.

Important distinction: Most supplement studies have not enrolled people specifically because they had “crepey skin.” Instead, researchers measure characteristics such as elasticity, wrinkles, roughness, hydration and water loss. These outcomes are relevant to the appearance of crepey skin, but they are not the same as demonstrating that a supplement treats or eliminates crepey skin.

Why Collagen Alone May Not Address the Whole Problem

Collagen supports skin structure, but the visible characteristics of aging and crepey skin also involve hydration, barrier integrity, elastic fibers and cumulative environmental stress.

A broader nutritional approach can therefore address several complementary areas: skin structure, hydration and barrier function, and antioxidant defense.

Where ATIKA Advanced Skin Nutrition Fits

For people looking for a more comprehensive skin supplement, ATIKA Advanced Skin Nutrition combines ingredients that support multiple aspects of skin biology in one daily formula.

Each daily serving provides 2.5 g VERISOL® collagen peptides for structural support and 30 mg Ceramosides™ for skin-barrier and hydration support, alongside antioxidant and photoprotective nutrients including AstaReal® astaxanthin, Red Orange Complex®, Polypodium leucotomos, lutein, zeaxanthin, lycopene, EGCG, grape-seed extract and vitamin C.

The finished ATIKA formula itself has not been clinically tested specifically for crepey, sagging or loose skin. Evidence from individual ingredients should not be interpreted as evidence that the finished formula produces the same outcomes observed in individual ingredient studies.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the best supplements for crepey skin?

No supplement has been proven specifically to eliminate crepey skin. Specific collagen peptides have human evidence for elasticity and wrinkle-related outcomes, while oral ceramides have evidence for hydration, barrier function, texture and elasticity. Astaxanthin and standardized red-orange extract also have human evidence for elasticity-related outcomes.

Does collagen help crepey skin?

Collagen has been studied for characteristics associated with crepey skin rather than crepey skin itself. Trials of specific collagen peptides have reported improvements in skin elasticity and wrinkle-related outcomes.^{1, 2}

What is the best collagen supplement for sagging skin?

No collagen supplement has been proven to physically tighten sagging skin. For skin-related outcomes, look for the specific collagen peptide used in human studies and whether the product provides the clinically studied daily amount rather than assuming all collagen supplements are interchangeable.

Can supplements tighten loose skin?

There is no good evidence that an oral supplement can physically tighten substantially loose skin. Certain nutrients may improve measurable characteristics such as elasticity, hydration and wrinkles, but significant skin laxity or excess skin is a different problem.

What vitamins help crepey skin?

Vitamin C is required for normal collagen synthesis and also functions as an antioxidant. Other micronutrients contribute to normal skin biology, but being biologically necessary does not mean taking additional amounts has been proven to reverse crepey skin in people who already have adequate nutritional status.

Is crepey skin caused by dehydration?

Not entirely, but dryness can make crepey texture more noticeable. Crepey skin can reflect age-related structural changes, cumulative UV exposure and reduced hydration or barrier function. Improving hydration may therefore improve its appearance without reversing underlying tissue laxity.

The Bottom Line

Supplements cannot be expected to physically tighten significantly loose or sagging skin. But specific ingredients have human evidence for improving elasticity, hydration, wrinkles and skin texture—characteristics that can contribute to the appearance of crepey and aging skin. The strongest approach is therefore not simply “more collagen,” but supporting skin structure, barrier function and defenses against environmental stress.

References

Proksch E, Segger D, Degwert J, Schunck M, Zague V, Oesser S. Oral supplementation of specific collagen peptides has beneficial effects on human skin physiology: A double-blind, placebo-controlled study. Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2014;27(1):47–55. doi:10.1159/000351376.
Proksch E, Schunck M, Zague V, Segger D, Degwert J, Oesser S. Oral intake of specific bioactive collagen peptides reduces skin wrinkles and increases dermal matrix synthesis. Skin Pharmacol Physiol. 2014;27(3):113–119. doi:10.1159/000355523.
Kern C, Dudonné S, Garcia C. Dietary supplementation with a wheat polar lipid complex improves skin conditions in women with dry skin and mild-to-moderate skin aging. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2024;23(4):1320–1330. doi:10.1111/jocd.16130.
Zhou X, Cao Q, Orfila C, Zhao J, Zhang L. Systematic review and meta-analysis on the effects of astaxanthin on human skin ageing. Nutrients. 2021;13(9):2917. doi:10.3390/nu13092917.
Nobile V, Burioli A, Yu S, et al. Photoprotective and antiaging effects of a standardized red orange (Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck) extract in Asian and Caucasian subjects: A randomized, double-blind, controlled study. Nutrients. 2022;14(11):2241. doi:10.3390/nu14112241.

Disclaimer

This article is educational and is not medical advice. ATIKA Advanced Skin Nutrition is a dietary supplement intended to support normal skin health and is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. Consult a healthcare professional before beginning a supplement, particularly if you are pregnant, nursing, taking medication, or managing a medical condition.

†These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. This product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

What Are the Best Supplements for Crepey, Sagging or Loose Skin?