You care for your face with soothing cleansers, moisturizers, and anti-wrinkle products to fight the signs of aging. However, there's one telltale sign that can betray your true age: your neck.
The skin on your neck is much thinner than the skin on your face, which is why it shows signs of aging much faster. So why doesn't your neck get some love and attention too?
It's never too late to start taking care of your neck and making up for lost time.
Whether you start your daily skincare routine in your 20s, 30s, or later, the right skincare products can help you maintain a more youthful appearance, with plumper, smoother skin that defies the appearance of pronounced lines, deep wrinkles, and sagging skin on your neck.
Here, we share a complete guide to help you say goodbye to neck wrinkles, including prevention and treatment tips that deliver results.
Understanding the Causes of Neck Wrinkles
It's easy to neglect your neck when you're busy caring for your face and slathering your arms and legs with moisturizers. However, your neck ages right along with the rest of your skin—just faster. The discouraging result is wrinkles, crepey skin, sagging, and that dreaded double chin and turkey neck.
Several factors contribute to neck wrinkles, including:
- Age-related volume loss : Because of that thin skin mentioned earlier, the neck ages faster as you naturally lose collagen and elastin. This leads to sagging, looseness, and wrinkles earlier than what is typically seen on the face.
- Sun exposure : We often neglect our necks when applying sunscreen, thinking they're protected by the shade of our chin. As a result, sun damage adds to the signs of aging.
- Lifestyle Habits : There are all kinds of lifestyle habits that contribute to neck wrinkles, such as lack of sleep, dehydration, unhealthy diet, smoking, and alcohol consumption.
- Sleeping positions : This may seem like an old myth, but sleeping on your stomach or side puts pressure on your face for hours. These sleeping positions break down collagen, which can accelerate the appearance of lines on your neck and face.
- Tech Neck : Constantly looking down at devices like your phone for hours each day causes “tech neck” which not only leads to neck, head, and jaw pain, but also horizontal lines and wrinkles on the neck.
Is it neck wrinkles or something else?
It's important to understand the difference between neck wrinkles, which are easier to prevent and treat, and something like loose skin or platysmal (neck) bands. Here are the main differences between the three:
- Neck Wrinkles : Wrinkles are the fine lines that appear vertically or horizontally on our necks as we age. They are caused by sun exposure and reduced collagen and elastin production, making our skin less resilient over time.
- Loose skin : Loose skin isn't like wrinkles or bands. Instead, it can give the appearance of a double chin, regardless of your weight, or what's known as a "turkey neck" or "dewlap," where the skin is visibly loose and sagging, gathering in the center of the neck. While age is the most common factor, it can also be caused by rapid and sudden weight loss.
- Platysmal bands : Platysmal bands appear as two defined horizontal lines, visible from a young age when we grimace or strain. Although some people have more pronounced lines than others when they are younger, most of us begin to see these bands as we age. Either way, the loss of collagen and elastin thins the skin, further weakening elasticity and causing sagging, making the lines more obvious.
How to Treat Your Neck Wrinkle Concerns
Treating neck wrinkles requires a dual approach combining preventive measures with effective treatments.
1. Prevention of Neck Wrinkles
Whether you already have neck wrinkles or are worried about developing them, prevention is key to maintaining a youthful neck, including:
- Apply sunscreen : When applying sunscreen with SPF to your face, include your neck and chest. Make it a daily routine to help reduce sun damage and prevent UV rays from breaking down elastin.
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Adopt a healthier lifestyle : Here are three essential lifestyle improvements to enjoy a radiant, more youthful appearance:
- Get enough sleep : Getting enough sleep allows you to benefit from the cell renewal we experience between 10 p.m. and midnight. This process rejuvenates your skin cells for a healthier glow.
- Drink water : Staying hydrated helps maintain your skin's elasticity and moisture by improving blood circulation, helping to reduce neck wrinkles and fine lines that appear with age.
- Enjoy a balanced diet rich in antioxidants : Antioxidants in the skin promote the formation of new cells and can also inhibit the formation of wrinkles while reducing the risk of skin cancer.
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Posture : Reduce the risk of tech neck by holding your phone at eye level and aligning your monitor with your eyes. Taking breaks to relax your muscles allows for better blood circulation, which in turn helps reduce tension and promotes skin health, potentially reducing the appearance of sagging skin. You can also do neck exercises to strengthen your neck muscles, which in turn can firm sagging skin and smooth out neck wrinkles.
- A great way to start is to sit in a chair and tilt your head toward the ceiling. Purse your lips as if you were trying to give someone a kiss. Then, stick out your tongue and try to touch your chin. You should feel the muscles and skin in your neck tighten as you do this. Hold for a count of five, then return to a normal position. Start with two sets of five repetitions and work your way up.
- Sleeping Positions : Sleeping on your back will put less pressure on your face to avoid breaking down collagen while you sleep.
- Targeted Skin Care : Anti-aging serums work equally well on the neck and face. These anti-aging serums often contain retinoids, peptides, or hyaluronic acid, which can reduce the severity of existing neck wrinkles. At the same time, they can prevent new neck wrinkles from forming.
2. Neck Wrinkle Treatment Options
How to Remove Neck Wrinkles at Home: In addition to your preventative measures, you may also want to consider the following neck wrinkle treatment options, starting with some simple natural home remedies:
Hydration: A daily moisturizer helps keep your skin hydrated, allowing collagen and elastin to maintain firmness and volume. And the best part is, it doesn't require any extra effort. When you're done applying your moisturizer to your face, continue applying it to the skin on your neck.
Facial massage (effleurage): A gentle massage using a small amount of facial oil helps improve circulation. Simply apply the oil to your face and neck using gentle upward strokes, starting at the collarbone and moving up toward the jawline, repeating several times. You can continue this motion from the chin using an outward and upward motion, slowly moving up toward the forehead.
Exfoliation: Exfoliation promotes cell regeneration and removes dirt and dead skin cells. It's important to exfoliate the skin on your neck at least once a week, if not more often. Harsh products can cause more problems than you're trying to prevent, so it's best to choose a gentler formula.
How to Reduce Neck Wrinkles with Surgical Treatments: Professional treatments are also available if you find that your neck wrinkles have become more pronounced, such as:
- Botox: Botox injections help relax muscles to smooth the appearance of wrinkles.
- Fillers: These injections help plump the skin for a more youthful look, reducing the signs of deep bands in the neck.
- Microneedling / Laser Treatments: These more invasive treatments are performed by a dermatologist and require a consultation to determine which treatment is right for your needs.
Surgical treatments can be extremely effective at reducing neck wrinkles, but they carry some risks, including side effects ranging from small bumps or a bluish tint to the skin (which may be permanent) to nerve damage and paralysis. Surgical treatments can also be very expensive and require multiple doctor visits to be effective. Be sure to consult a doctor or dermatologist before undergoing any treatment.
It's never too late (or too early) to include your neck in your daily skincare routine. Consistency in preventative care will help slow the process, while a combination of home remedies will help reduce the signs of wrinkles.
If you find that your treatments aren't achieving the desired results, consult a dermatologist to understand the available surgical procedures. Finding the right approach will help you maintain a healthy, youthful appearance, for increased confidence at every stage of your life.
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