The skin on your neck is some of the thinnest on the body, which is why it’s also one of the first places to reveal signs of aging. Here, six ways to make your neck look younger and address everything on this delicate area from sun damage to sagging.
How to Make Your Neck Look Younger
1. Wear Sunscreen Daily
Sunscreen is always a must. Proper protection (a nickel-sized amount for your neck and chest every single day) will help prevent collagen breakdown and the formation of sunspots. Psst: Don’t forget the sides and back of your neck.
2. Keep Your Skin Moisturized
Again, the skin on your neck is thinner and has fewer oil glands than other parts of the body so keeping the area hydrated is key to a smoother texture overall. Look for creams with peptides (which can help trigger new collagen growth) and apply them in gentle, upward strokes from your chest to your jawline.
3. Protect While You Sleep
Always wake up with pillow lines etched on the side of your neck? Stick one of these silicone patches on before hitting the hay to keep skin from crinkling while you slumber. You’ll wake up with a smoother neck (and stop further damage from occurring over time).
4. Improve Your Posture
All of the time we spend looking down at our phones and screens has led to what we now call "tech neck." The easiest fix would be to limit screen time altogether, but more realistically, you should keep everything at eye level as much as possible to prevent unnecessary wrinkling.
5. Consider Laser Treatments
Still seeing fine lines along your neck? You might want to try Fraxel lasers, which stimulate your body’s natural wound-healing response to promote collagen growth. Fraxel can also be used to treat any dark spots or broken capillaries in the area so you get a more even-toned appearance.
6. Or Try Ultrasound Therapy
For deeper, more stubborn lines and sagging, ultrasound therapy or Ultherapy is your best (non-surgical) bet. The FDA-approved treatment uses heat produced by targeted sonic waves to go deeper into your skin and generate new collagen. Note: The effect is gradual and most patients start to see a lifting effect over the course of three to six months following the initial treatment, so be patient.