Contrary to popular belief, the face ends at the chest. In other words, don’t forget to take care of your neck the way you do your canvas. More than holding up our head (the average adult head weighs up to 11 pounds), “the neck facilitates movement, breathing, chewing and laughing, which over time affects the quality of the skin,” esthetician, author and founder of Black Skin Directory Dija Ayodele tells ESSENCE. “Repetitive movement will eventually lead to loss of tone and the skin will show more fine lines and wrinkles.”
Here, Ayodele explains how to reverse the signs of aging on your neck––and the best neck care routine to support your skin.
Does the neck and décolletage age faster?
Although anti-aging is all the buzz in the beauty industry, the neck and décolletage is often left out of the conversation. “So many people forget the neck is an extension of their face,” Ayodele says, reduced to an afterthought in targeted skincare routines––big mistake. Neck wrinkles actually tend to appear faster than on the face. “The skin on the neck is naturally thinner with less collagen, elastin and oil glands,” she says. “This degradation can show up quite fast––faster than the face.”
Early signs of neck aging
“The early signs of neck aging are related to how the neck muscles weaken over time, causing vertical and horizontal lines to appear more prominently and deeply etched,” she says. “They can also be darker than surrounding skin.” “Muscle loss also means textural skin changes, development of jowls (sometimes unkindly called “turkey neck”) and weaker jawline definition,” she continues.
While neck aging may appear in the 20s for some, others may not notice aging until their 40s. Luckily, “Black skin is afforded the protection of melanin so this can sometimes mask any skin damage on the neck,” she says.
Can I reverse signs of neck aging?
Though neck wrinkles are a normal sign of the aging process, which depends on factors such as genetics, skin quality and environment, prevention is much easier than reversal. “Whilst you cannot naturally reverse neck wrinkles you can do a few things to stave off or soften their appearance,” she says. From a neck care routine to professional rejuvenation treatments (try: microneedling, laser, microcurrent and radio frequency), using proven methods to stimulate collagen can tighten the skin.
“Skin-boosting injectables, like Profilo and Polynucleotides, improve skin quality; skin fillers restore volume; and, wrinkle-relaxing injections, like Botox, temporarily provide smoothness and reduce the appearance of sagging skin,” she says. “The key to maintaining the results of in-office treatments is to have them administered on a regular schedule as once will never be enough for sustained improvements.”
What should my neck care routine consist of?
“You should always extend your facial skin care from the hair line to the top of your boobies,” she says. Hydration is key to neck care, which means using ingredients like hyaluronic acid, glycerine and squalane are a must. That, and antioxidants, like vitamin C, to help prevent environmental damage from pollution and UV rays.
While sunscreen is an ingredient you should never forget in your routine, you may be surprised to learn perfume is a big no-no. “I know it’s an ingrained habit, but perfume should not be sprayed on the neck either,” Ayodele says. “The alcohols and essential oils can irritate and lead to pronounced areas of discoloration as well as weaken the integrity of the skin [which means] wrinkles.”
Do neck toning and massage techniques help?
“Some people swear by facial yoga to help keep the muscles firm and toned which in turn improves the appearance of the skin,” she says. “In places like Japan, brands like Shiseido incorporate many massage techniques that are all about firming and tightening the skin.” With new tools on the market, like Isamaya Ffrench’s Sculpt 02 Body Tool and NuFace Toning Device, you can integrate toning and tightening techniques across the face, neck and body into your routine.
What should I avoid when caring for my neck?
“People tend to unknowingly be harsh to their neck, pulling and dragging the skin, sometimes scrubbing with a body loofah,” she says. “The skin needs exfoliating, but you can use gentle acids, like lactic acid, to get this done.” She recommends using retinoids paired with sunscreen to preserve the skin quality or peptide-rich creams like Lancome Renergie HPN 300 Peptide Cream, SkinCeuticals Tripeptide-R Neck Repair Cream, and Olay Collagen Peptide Max Moisturizing Cream.
