Why Does Neck Skin Sag?

Neck skin and aging

No matter how healthy your face looks, your neckline can tell a different story. That’s because neck skin is thin, delicate, and more vulnerable to sun damage, photosensitization from fragrances, and the wrinkle-deepening motion of looking down at your devices. Unlike skin on the face, neck skin has less collagen. It’s also “stretchier” than skin on your cheeks and loses strength and flexibility with age – kind of like a rubber band. All these factors increase the appearance of neck sagging, lines, creases, uneven skin tone and texture.

How to tighten neck skin without surgery

Neck skin care is often not a specialized part of daily skin care regimens or professional facials. Most people extend products meant for the face down to the neck and chest instead of using products specifically meant for the neck and décolleté. While this is a good start, using products designed for the neck area and adjusting your lifestyle habits can help keep skin looking tight and toned.

1. Use a neck skin tightening serum morning and night. A neck serum is a great way to add specialized neck care to your usual skin care regimen. Neck serums are typically formulated to help visibly tighten and strengthen skin on the neck area. They can be applied before your moisturizer to help lift and firm the appearance of your neck and décolleté.
2. Exercise your neck muscles. The major muscles running down the sides of our necks are not supported by bones the same way they are in the face, so they are naturally less taut and loosen more easily. As neck muscles weaken over time or with less use, neck skin starts to sag. Doing daily neck exercises can help strengthen neck muscles and make your neck look longer, leaner and more contoured.
3. Take more screen breaks. Not all neck lines come from aging. Looking down at your devices may deepen the appearance of neck creases, even in your 20s. By keeping your chin up more often, you can help counter the development of deep neck lines.
4. Avoid using fragrances on your neck. Many perfumes and colognes are photosensitizers, which means they generate free radicals when activated by sunlight. This makes your skin more sensitive to sunlight and leads to an increased appearance of skin aging. If you must use a fragrance, apply it in a less exposed area or switch to a non-photosensitizing fragrance.
5. Protect your neck and décolleté with sunscreen. Sun damage accelerates signs of skin aging, so if you want to keep uneven skin tone, wrinkles and sagging at bay, make it a habit to apply SPF to your neck area daily.
6. Get a professional neck treatment. Ask your professional skin therapist whether they incorporate neck-specific products or techniques into their skin treatments. Doing so can help accelerate visible results.

While the appearance of your neck is somewhat determined by your genetics, you can still achieve your neck’s best appearance with your skin care regimen and lifestyle. Making these six habits part of your day will go a long way toward keeping the skin on your neck taut and toned.