An “orange peel chin” is somehow what you think it is. It is a chin that has the appearance of an orange peel texture; shiny, thick skin with enlarged pores. In the French language, it is called peau d’orange, which means “skin of an orange.” However, the chin is not the only place to develop an orange peel, it can appear on any part of the body.
This article covers the causes of orange peel on the skin generally and specifically on the chin. It will also look into various treatment options to eliminate orange peel skin.
Orange peel skin
Orange peel-like pitting is the term used for a skin bump that usually looks slightly puckered or dimpled. The pitting can appear anywhere on the body. However, it is often more pronounced on the chin, where the muscle is solid.
Orange peel skin can appear on anybody’s skin. It is more common in women with fragile, dry skin. It is often nothing to worry about, except for the self-consciousness people tend to have because orange peel skin is not aesthetically pleasing. However, sometimes, orange peel skin may be a symptom of an underlying disease. You may start to worry when you have orange peel skin on areas like your breast because it may be a sign of breast cancer.
Causes of Orange peel skin
Ageing
Human skin loses its elastin and collagen as it ages. The skin starts to sag and gets less firm. During this period, the pores will look bigger and more visible since there is nothing to hold them together. Such circumstances give rise to orange peel skin. However, there are different treatments to make the skin regain its elasticity even in old age.
Cellulite
Cellulite is often called orange peel skin because it causes dimples and bumpy flesh like orange peel. Cellulite is a harmless skin condition that is caused by the accumulation of fat in the subcutaneous tissue beneath the skin. Cellulite occurs on the thighs, buttocks and sometimes, hips.
There are different grades of cellulite;
Grade 0: There is no visible cellulite but the formation of the cellulite is going on beneath the skin.
Grade 1: The dimpled orange peel effect appears when the skin is pinched. However, when you are standing or lying down, the orange peel will be invisible
Grade 2: The orange peel is visible when you stand but it disappears when you lie down.
Grade 3: The orange peel is visible whether you are standing or lying down.
Women are prone to have cellulite more than men. Research predicted that 80-90% of women are likely to have cellulite in varying degrees post-puberty. Cellulite may appear due to unhealthy diets( consuming excess high-fat foods), ageing ( depletion of skin elasticity and skin thinning) or genetics( Some people inherited thin skin).
Sun damage
Sun damage is one of the leading causes of orange peel skin especially on the chin. Prolonged exposure to UV light without using sunscreen SPF can gradually lead to the degradation of collagen and skin elasticity. As such, sun damage can lead to changes in skin texture such as orange peel.
Read: Sunburn Remedies and Prevention
Skin infection (Cellulitis )
Skin infections are also one of the reasons why the skin develops orange peel. Cellulitis is a skin condition caused by bacterial infection of open skin. The skin affected by cellulitis may appear pitted like an orange peel. The skin is often swollen, red, warm and tender. Cellulitis can appear on any part of the body but it’s common on the feet and legs.
Since it is caused by bacteria it can be treated by oral antibiotics. According to the NHS, the infection may become severe and life-threatening if it’s not treated quickly. As such, patients affected should seek immediate medical attention.
Breast cancer
Orange peel skin is one of the symptoms of breast cancer. If you see an orange peel-like pitting on your breast, it could be a sign of inflammatory breast cancer. So, you should see a doctor as soon as possible.
Orange peel chin
A chin with textural changes and pitting with the appearance of an orange peel is called an “orange peel chin.” The orange peel skin on the chin is not harmful and can be left alone without treatment. If you, however, feel self-conscious about your chin texture, then you can explore different treatment options available.
Causes of orange peel chin
The leading cause of a textured chin(orange peel chin) is the loss of elasticity on the face. As we age, the chin muscles (the mentalis muscles) go through excessive flexing that causes the chin to look bumpy and or uneven. Also, the loss of volume that accompanies ageing eventually produces an ‘orange peel’ effect on the chin.
Sun exposure is also another reason that contributes to the development of an orange peel chin. People who do not use sunscreen to protect their faces from UV rays are at higher risk of having orange peel chin later in old age.
When to see a doctor
As much as a lot of orange peel skins are nothing to worry about, there are some signs you should not ignore, especially around the breast area. These signs are;
- Additional symptoms of infection such as fatigue, chills, and fever.
- Orange peel skin with a sudden increase in breast size.
- A large amount of swelling around the pitting.
How to fix orange peel chin in the UK
In case you are aesthetically conscious and do not like the orange peel texture on your skin or chin, you can try out some of these orange peel chin treatments.
- Botulinum toxin A( Botox)
Botulinum toxin A is a type of neurotoxin that helps relax the muscles on the parts with bumpy and uneven textures.
The process of orange peel skin Botox is the injection of botulinum toxin into the overly active facial muscles to help reduce the wrinkles and fine lines caused by excessive movements.
The use of this simple and short process on the chin area, especially one with orange peel, helps erase textures, wrinkles or dimpling. The solo work of the botulinum toxin A is to relax the mentalis muscle and consequently take care of wrinkles in the chin area.
The procedure of getting a botulinum toxin A
After making up your mind to get into this process, you should consult Dr Nina to discuss your symptoms, the pros and cons of the treatment, your ideal results, and the side effects to expect.
During the meeting, Dr Nina will assess the extremity of the orange peel texture. The botulinum toxin will then be injected into the chin muscles. Not to worry, you will be given an anaesthetic to relieve any pain the injection could have inflicted.
After the whole procedure, you may experience slight bruising, preventing you from stopping your daily activity. Fortunately, it is only a matter of time before the bruises disappear, and you get to enjoy your smooth baby face, irrespective of your age.
- Microneedling
Microneedling helps with a lot of skin conditions and can also help with orange peel skin. Micro-needling helps shrink pores and increase collagen to make the skin pores tighter and firmer, thereby improving the chin texture.
- Sunscreen
One of the anti-ageing routines you can follow from your youthful days is the regular use of sunscreen. Wearing sunscreen prevents you from UV rays that cause premature ageing and wrinkles, which may eventually lead to orange peel skin.
- Vitamin C
Vitamin C serums help moisturise the skin and also help reduce the signs of ageing.
- Retinol
Retinol encourages healthy cells to grow and makes pores look smaller. It may also help in dealing with cellulite.
- Exfoliation
Regular exfoliation is one of the best home remedies for orange peel skin. Pores get enlarged when clogged with dead skin cells, bacteria and excess oil. Mild exfoliation will get rid of these blockages and shrink the pores. However, it would help if you were careful not to over-exfoliate the facial skin cells.
- Facial peels
A facial peel is a process of using a chemical to peel off and exfoliate dead skin cells. This reveals the smoother skin underneath the dead ones.
- Healthy living
Orange peel skin caused by cellulite can be reduced by eating healthy less fatty foods, strength training, exercise, and a good skincare routine. All these efforts can increase blood circulation and improve skin elasticity.
Orange Peel FAQs
Orange peel skin can be treated and managed to get a smooth textured face. However, leaving the skin that way is not harmful in any way.
Orange peel on the chin can be treated in so many ways, like retinol, facial peels, micro-needling, routine facial treatment, appropriate skincare regimen and the use of botulinum toxin A.
The effect of botulinum toxin A usually depends on the patient’s physiology and the toxin dosage. It works within two to seven months, and the patient may have to repeat the process once or twice a year.
Final words
Orange peel skin is another skin condition that has numerous causes. Quite a number of these causes have no adverse effects whatsoever.
Aside from the orange peel on the breast and which may be a sign of skin cancer and cellulitis, orange skin peels can be left alone without treatment. However, if you are conscious or uncomfortable about the way your skin looks, you should visit your doctor to discuss the best option that suits you to get rid of the orange skin peel.
