Many men and women have no idea how delicate the skin on their necks is. It doesn't help that it contains fewer oil glands than other areas, making it more prone to dryness.
Sadly, most people tend to overlook their necks when it comes to skincare. That's until signs of ageing creep up seemingly out of nowhere—thin, dry skin, left untreated, will eventually take on that "crepey" texture.
In recent years, things seem to have taken a turn for the worse. After seeing a massive influx in patients in their 20s with neck-related muscle and skin problems, cosmetic doctors coined a new term: "tech neck."
Why are there so many young people complaining of neck wrinkles in their 20s? What exactly causes them? What's the best way to treat them?
In this post, we tackle these questions and many more. If you are older and the skin on your neck has already started drooping, don't worry. We got you covered too!
Why Do The Skin on Our Necks Sag?
The most common sign of ageing in this neck region is the dreaded turkey neck. The skin looks loose and shows wrinkly folds that look very much like a turkey's wattle. Why does this happen?
We all lose skin elasticity. Collagen is a protein found in the skin that provides structure and support for the tissue. After the age of 25, the dermis layer produces 1% less collagen each year.
As collagen and elastin fibres become thinner and weaker, the skin on our necks becomes less elastic. This eventually causes wrinkling and sagging.
Sun exposure also promotes a faster breakdown of collagen, further exacerbating the condition.
Beyond these two common culprits, we have a new offender -- screentime!
Let me explain.
Has the Pandemic Caused Our Necks to Get Creased?
Since early 2020, many of us have been working from home, hunched over laptops or smartphones. The annual study of UK's media consumption from Ofcom found that adults in the UK on average spend a whopping 45 hours on their phones, TVs and laptops each week!
The figure rose 33% compared to the same period in 2019.
This has coincided with a sharp increase in the number of patients asking us for neck skin treatments.
Think about the number of times you look down at your phone on a given day. Research has shown that the simple act of staring down at a device can add anywhere between 10-60 pounds of weight to the delicate neck area!
This extra pressure on the neck causes collagen and elastin fibres to break down faster and weekend the neck's muscular structure, making your neck more vulnerable to premature signs of ageing.
How to Fight a Neck Wrinkles and Premature Ageing
Since ditching our devices isn't really an option. What else can we do?
The first step would be to extend skincare down your neck and chest. By your mid-20s, you should have embarked on some anti-ageing efforts on your neck. That being said, it's never too late to start taking good care of your skin.
Here are a couple of pointers for your neck anti-ageing regimen.
Start by adding an extra boost of hydration to keep neck wrinkles at bay. While there are many products out there, we stand by AlumierMD's line of skincare solutions.
If you care about terms like clean beauty and sustainable packaging while still being firm on getting what you paid for (aka outstanding results), this is the brand for you.
A great place to start would be AlumierMD Speciality Serums.
While moisturisers offer hydration and nourishment for the skin, these serums are formulated to have a much higher concentration of active ingredients and specialised absorption mechanisms to enhance delivery to deeper areas of the skin.
Using sunscreen all year round, even on cloudy days, is hands down one of the best (but sadly least followed) skin care tips out there.
But not all sunscreens are made equal. If you've read our viral article: Top Aesthetics and Skincare Trends for 2022, you know that mineral sunscreens are quickly replacing chemical ones.
AlumierMD's award-winning Sheer Hydration Broad Spectrum SPF 40 is packed with free-radical-quenching antioxidants, including a stable vitamin C, resveratrol, grape seed extract, and glutathione.
Its Versatile Tint blends exquisitely on the skin, providing for a healthy glow for anyone who puts it on.
Just one quick disclaimer, these are medical-grade formulations. If you walk into your local beauty store, you will come out empty-handed. AlumierMD products are only sold through authorised cosmetic clinics like Dr Aesthetica.
Prevention is better than cure but,
What if the neck creases are already there?
If you are already struggling with loose neck skin, here are a few options you should consider.
No, I'm not talking about neck-tightening exercises or out-there ideas like neck-lift tape. If you've tried these, you know that improvement is negligible to null.
If you are serious about losing the loose, wrinkled or ropey neck skin, it's time to consider solutions that only a professional can offer.
Although there's no way to completely stop the ageing process, these can help you slow it down and reverse the appearance of its effects.
Option One: Neck Lift with Profhilo
Profhilo also referred to as '3D biomodelling' has become one of the most buzzed-about non-surgical treatments in recent years. This incredible treatment targets sagging or wrinkled skin in the neck and décolletage area.
After being strategically injected across areas of skin laxity, Profhilo's highly concentrated HA formulation will stimulate and boost natural collagen production.
In the months that follow, Profhilo will hydrate and rejuvenate your skin from the inside out every minute of every day.
Over time, this creates a lift and tightens the skin. There's no way to detect what was done except to marvel at the fact that it works.
Also read: Profhilo vs Dermal Filler: Which Is The Right Treatment For You?
Option Two: RF Skin Tightening
Radiofrequency (RF) skin tightening is another popular non-surgical and noninvasive skin tightening and anti-ageing treatment in our clinic, Dr Aesthetica.
This procedure uses energy waves to heat the dermis and tighten the skin without damaging the top skin layers.
The heat stimulates the production of fibroblasts, which secrete collagen proteins. By this stage, you know how important collagen is.
The tightening, firming action, brought about by boosting collagen and elastin synthesis, makes radiofrequency especially suitable for targeting loose skin and neck wrinkles.
We use NuEra Tight from Lumenis, which allows for precision targeting of varying skin depths.
Given that the ideal layer of neck skin tissue to target varies from person to person, our superior and more advanced RF device makes this treatment suitable for just about everyone!
Also read: Top Non-Surgical Options For Getting Rid of a Double Chin
Option Three: A Nefertiti Lift
There are two vertical strips of muscles that run from the base of your neck to your jaw, known as the platysma muscles.
These strips are continuously pulling down on your lower face, and eventually, this leads to drooping skin and a loss of jawline definition.
Nefertiti lift involves injecting tiny amounts of Botox into these muscles in your neck.
Once the Botox begins working, the muscles under the jaw will relax, allowing the upward-pulling facial muscles to lift up the lower face.
This mini-lift counteracts the effects of gravity, reduces the appearance of skin drooping below the jawline and minimises the appearance of folds and lines on the upper neck, contributing to a softer, fresher, and more youthful appearance.
Also read: The Top 15 Botox and Filler Injectors in Birmingham UK (2020)
Get Rid of Neck Wrinkles With Dr Aesthetica
Regardless of your age or whether you are looking for preventive or corrective treatment, we've got you covered.
You don't have to feel embarrassed or self-conscious about the appearance of neck wrinkles anymore.
Even if you are now suffering the consequences of years of neck skin care neglect, it's not too late to turn things around.
Talk to us today, and let's see how we can help you out. Above all, we want you to feel confident and happy about how you look.
