When it comes to skincare, many of us diligently attend to our faces, but we often neglect one crucial area: our necks. The skin on our neck is just as prone to the effects of ageing, sun damage, and environmental stress as the skin on our faces. That’s where neck creams come into play. In this blog, I explore the changes that occur in the skin on the neck with age, why neck creams are important, and what they can do to rejuvenate this often-overlooked area.

Understanding the ageing neck

As we age, our skin naturally undergoes several changes due to a combination of intrinsic and extrinsic factors. The skin on the neck is thinner and more delicate than the skin on the face, making it particularly susceptible to these effects…

Collagen and elastin breakdown

Collagen and elastin are essential proteins that provide structural support and elasticity to the skin. With age, the production of these proteins decreases, leading to sagging and the formation of fine lines and wrinkles.

Loss of moisture

The neck area tends to lose moisture over time, which can result in dry, crepey skin. This dryness contributes to the appearance of “necklace lines” – horizontal lines that form across the neck.

Sun damage

The neck is often exposed to the sun, and over time, UV rays can lead to photoageing, causing pigmentation issues, age spots, and a breakdown of collagen and elastin.

Gravity

Gravity, of course, plays a role in causing the skin on the neck to sag and lose its natural tightness.

Are neck creams important?

For some people, simply running your facial creams down your neck – your retinoids and moisturisers – can be helpful. But whether your neck is going to be able to reap the full effects of their anti-ageing benefits is not guaranteed.

Retinoids are a great ingredient for the neck, but because this area is much less sebaceous than the face, it can be more easily irritated. The neck has a layer of subcutaneous fat, and beneath this is a strong muscle. So, there’s a lot of different structures at play, all of which are affected by the ageing process, and potentially, we can target some of these layers with the right skincare products.

One of the best things you can do for your neck and decolletage is to give it the same amount of UV protection as you do your face. The older you get, the more you will notice that your neck seems to age faster than anywhere else, and your decolletage gives the game away about every single time it saw some sun. So, start using a good sunscreen now – it’s never too late to start.

And when it comes to improving the signs of an ageing neck, these are my favourite products to try…

My favourite neck creams

Revision Nectifirm Advanced

This powerful, anti-ageing neck cream combines a great blend of ingredients with a mild lipolytic which targets the superficial layer of neck fat to help give a tighter, firmer, more lifted appearance. If you’d like to improve wrinkles and crepiness on the neck whilst treating the slight subcutaneous fullness that can make the neck appear looser as we age, this cream can achieve some very impressive results.

SkinBetter Science TechNO Neck Perfecting Cream

This product is designed to boost the levels of nitric oxide (NO) in the skin. Our facial skin tends to preserve nitric oxide very well, even as we age, whereas in our neck, our nitric oxide levels decrease. This means that our blood vessels constrict, and the neck skin gets much less blood supply and therefore is depleted of micronutrients and oxygen, making it subject to accelerated ageing. In clinical studies after eight weeks of twice-daily application of this product, it was proven that 96% of the 36 subjects noted their necks were less crepey and saggy, hydration was increased, and the neck felt firmer and tighter overall. 

What else can you do to help the neck age well?

Sleep position

If you side sleep, you’ll be more prone to forming neck and decolletage lines. There are some great sleep pillows available now, designed to make back sleeping much more comfortable.

Upgrade your pillow

 If you just can’t get comfortable sleeping on your back, you can help prevent those pillowcase-induced wrinkles using a specialty pillow that can minimise facial compression while you sleep. You could also upgrade from cotton to silk or satin: With a silk pillowcase, your skin slides on the pillow. In other words, there is less friction, and your face won’t “crunch” against it as it would on a cotton pillow.

Posture

 Be mindful of your posture throughout the day. Looking down at our screens constantly is a major cause of neck ageing. Instead, keep your screen at eye level. This will keep your neck straight throughout the day, preventing premature lines and wrinkles from forming in the first place.