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As the leaves change and the air turns crisp, we enter a season of reflection and gratitude. What better to appreciate than healthy, resilient skin? As we wrap up to protect ourselves against the chill, our skincare regimen must evolve to include the often-neglected neck area. While we lavish attention and products on our faces, the neck is left exposed to the elements. Let’s change that by extending our beauty rituals below the chin this season. It’s time to banish ‘turkey necks’ and welcome the holiday season with skin that makes us truly grateful.

Skin Structure: Neck vs. Face

The skin on your neck and chest is more delicate than your face. Not only is it thinner, it has less fatty tissue, fewer hair follicles, and fewer sweat and sebaceous glands that form a healthy acid mantle. This thin film on the skin’s surface prevents drying and cracking from water loss. It also helps prevent bacteria, viruses, and contaminants from penetrating the skin. To make matters worse, most people forget their necks in their daily skincare routines. This makes them particularly vulnerable to harsh environmental elements like dry air and UV radiation. There are also anatomical differences below the surface. These differences include a unique collagen and elastin fiber composition that causes the skin on your neck to show the signs of aging differently.

Turkey Neck and Other Troubles

Common signs of aging are crepey skin, double chins, and “tech neck.” Crepey skin refers to fine wrinkles often seen with aging due to decreased collagen and elastin, the proteins essential for firmness and elasticity. The same loss of collagen and elastin contributes to the dreaded double chin – and it can start appearing as early as our late 20s to early 30s. Our skin’s ability to stretch and return to its original state also loses firmness. This means it can’t hold tissues in place as tightly, so fat accumulation under the jaw looks droopy. An all-ages problem we see regularly is “tech neck,” which describes the horizontal lines and wrinkles that develop from constantly looking down at our phones and tablets.

Gobble Up Sun Protection

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, the sides of the neck are common areas to find melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers. It’s far more common in this area because the neck is often exposed to the sun just as frequently as the face but is neglected in the skincare routine and when applying SPF. Sunscreen protects your skin against the sun’s harmful effects, contributing to healthier skin and reducing long-term damage. Remember that sunscreen is crucial to your skin routine. Sunscreens, especially broad-spectrum with SPF 30 or higher, are essential even during the ‘sweater weather’ months – UV rays penetrate clouds and damage our skin even when we don’t see sunshine.

Recipe for a Youthful Neck

The good news is that there are products formulated specifically for your neck and chest. Still, in general, most of what you apply to your face can be used in these areas, giving you the same benefits from hyaluronic and ferulic acids to topical antioxidants like vitamins C and E. However, there is one exception – retinoids. These Vitamin A derivatives can be too much for the thin skin on your neck. If you use retinol, aim for a lower concentration and use it less frequently. You can try alternatives like Bakuchiol or peptides if that still feels too much. These still signal the skin to produce collagen, like retinol, but without the same irritating and drying effect.

Photo Credit: Courtesy of Shutterstock

Treatments for Neck Rejuvenation: Thankful for Tightening Techniques

Fractional Laser Resurfacing: This treatment uses a laser to deliver a matrix of pinpoint laser beams that treat fractions of the skin at a time. It’s effective for skin texture, fine lines, and scarring by promoting collagen production.

High-Frequency Ultrasound: Treatments like Sofwave and Ultherapy use ultrasound energy to heat targeted tissue under the skin’s surface, stimulating the body’s natural collagen production to lift and tighten skin.

Radiofrequency Treatments: These treatments involve using energy waves to heat the deep layer of your skin known as your dermis. This heat stimulates collagen production, which helps reduce the appearance of wrinkles.

CoolSculpting®: A non-invasive procedure that uses cold temperatures to reduce fat deposits, particularly effective for double chins.

Kybella®: An injectable treatment that destroys fat cells under the chin, reducing fullness and improving the profile of the neck and jawline.

If you are interested in learning more about caring for your neck and exploring available treatments, reach out to Dr. Mara Weinstein for a personalized discussion on options tailored to your lifestyle and budget. For more information and a list of my favorite products click here or call (585)-275-7546 to request an appointment.