We all want to maintain a youthful and vibrant appearance, but our neck often develops deep
creases faster than our faces. For some, neck wrinkles develop before their face shows fine lines, starting as early as their 20s!
Others notice fine lines on their face first and get to work on that without thinking much of their neck until it’s reached a tipping point.
Whichever category you fall into, there are a variety of things you can do to slow, minimize, and maybe even reverse the signs of aging.
#1 Sun Exposure
We can’t say it enough, few things age your skin more than UV exposure! Just like your face, your neck is more exposed than most areas of your body. We aren’t only referring to exposure when in swimwear or direct sunlight, as you are exposed to ultraviolet light all day long.
The most common sources of UV include:
- Halogen, fluorescent, and incandescent lights
- Smartphones, notebooks, and computers.
- Direct sunlight and sunlight from nearby windows.
- Artificial sun sources such as tanning beds.
It might not sound like much, but this photo of a 92-year-old woman who only applied sunscreen to her face says it all!
UV exposure can damage skin cells, and cause sunspots and wrinkles. It also increases your risk of skin cancer. The American Cancer Society lists UV exposure as the most preventable source of skin cancer.
Wearing sunscreen daily from head to toe minimizes exposure. Be sure to use a product designed
for your face or neck on your neck and décolletage. Also, turn on the UV filter on your electronic devices, use a broad-spectrum sunscreen to ensure it filters out all rays, and reapply sunscreen every 2 hours.
#2 Repetitive Movement
You move your neck all day long. Even when you are sitting down or sleeping. With every move you
make, you are stretching the skin on your neck. The skin on your neck is even thinner than the skin on your face, which can accelerate neck wrinkles.
There is no way around moving your neck, but you can support your neck by moving it in ways that are less likely to accelerate aging.
- Improve your posture to minimize wrinkle-causing neck strain, especially when seated.
- Use a silk or satin beauty pillowcase, especially if you sleep on your side or stomach.
- Stretch your neck to both alleviate tension and increase nutrient-rich blood flow.
- Use a facial roller or upward massage when applying your skincare products.
Add your neck to your facials and other non-surgical aesthetic skincare treatments.
#3 Technology Use
While closely related to repetitive movement, technology use is the top reason why the neck begins to age as early as your 20s.
A term coined “tech neck” refers to the head-down electronic use that causes neck, shoulder, and back pain. While you feel the effects of tech neck, you see them in the form of deep creases. Poor posture combined with head-down electronic use places up to 60 pounds of pressure on your neck and spine.
With the average daily use of electronics at over 8 hours per day, including 3.5 hours of head-down smartphone use this is of increasing concern.
A few ways to minimize technology-induced necklines include:
- Keep using your laptop on your lap to a minimum.
- Use a laptop riser or monitor riser for your desk.
- Invest in an ergonomic chair, footrest, mouse, and keyboard.
- Sit on a balance ball or stand a few hours a day while working.
- Use a smartphone or notebook riser while seated.
- Hold your phone and notebook at shoulder height while using.
#4 Skin Condition
The skin on your neck and décolletage varies from the skin on your face in a variety of ways that accelerate neck wrinkles.
Thickness—the skin on your neck, décolletage, and breasts is thinner. It is similar to the skin on and around your eyes.
Oil glands—the skin on the neck has fewer oil glands, making it prone to dryness, irritation, scarring, sunspots, sagging, and wrinkles.
You can’t change your oil glands or how thick your skin is, but you can use products to protect, nourish, and moisturize your skin.
#5 Using The Wrong Products
When it comes to anti-aging and daily skincare, most of us invest so much time from the neck up that we forget the two other most visible places, the neck and décolletage.
Skincare products designed for the face can and should also be used on the neck and décolletage—but you can also use a designated neck cream. Too few apply products to this area until signs of aging begin to show.
At minimum:
- Exfoliate 1 to 3 times per week and deep cleanse weekly.
- Use an anti-aging cream every morning and evening.
- Apply UV protection in the morning and every 2 hours.
- Once aging begins to show, use a nutrient-rich serum.
What is the difference between serums and moisturizers? Serums nourish and repair while creams are moisturizing and restorative.
#6 Lifestyle
Without realizing it, you may have adopted a few lifestyle habits that are accelerating the formation of neck wrinkles and whole-body aging.
This might include:
Smoking—nothing ages your skin faster than smoking. Not to mention the whole-body risk factors.
Heavy alcohol use—skin is your body’s largest organ and heavy daily drinking dehydrates your organs. This can lead to dry skin, inflammation, premature aging, and more.
Diet high in sugar—sugar wreaks havoc on your body. It causes internal inflammation, contributes significantly to weight gain, and degrades both collagen and elastin.
High stress levels—when stress is consistently high your body produces a steady stream of the hormone cortisol. This impedes the rate at which natural healing and repair can occur.
Poor quality of sleep—you have probably noticed that when you don’t get a good night’s sleep
your skin looks less than its best. This is because your body heals and repairs while you sleep.
Poor posture—even if you improve your posture while using technology, you must be mindful of your posture all day long. Being more mindful, posture tools, exercise, and stretching can improve posture.
#7 Natural Aging and Non-Surgical Options
Even with dedication to the tips above, aging is a natural part of life. There is no way to avoid face and neck wrinkles, but you can take a proactive and reactive approach. Here are just a few of our non-surgical options:
Thread Lift
In terms of your neck, thread lifts can lift the jowl area. They also lift the mid to lower-face and stimulate collagen production for up to 2 years. You’ll see the difference when you walk out the door!
Learn more HERE.
Forma Facial
Forma facials can be used on your face and neck. This is a generally pain-free combination of radio frequency and heat that targets the dermal layers of the skin, boosting collagen production. Multiple treatments are required.
Learn more HERE.
Morpheus8
Morpheus8 can be used on your face and neck. It is a combination of radio frequency and microneedling designed to rapidly remodel and rebuild collagen. You’ll see results after 1 visit, but you may require more than one treatment for optimal results.
Learn more HERE.
Hyperdilute Radiesse®
Your lips and face may be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of fillers, but Hyperdilute Radiesse® is thinned out with a combination of saline and lidocaine to boost collagen in areas other than the face—including the neck. It also revitalizes collagen production to reduce volume loss and smooth wrinkles.
Learn more HERE.
And More!
These are just a handful of the aesthetic services we offer at Valley Medical Weight Loss and Med
Spa. We will talk you through the best options to achieve your skincare objectives during your consultation.
For your convenience, we have offices in Phoenix, Tempe, and Glendale.
