Millennials Are Fretting About Neck Wrinkles (And For Good Reason)

The early and routine use of sunscreen, retinol, and Botox have made forehead wrinkles almost a thing of the past. In actuality, from a spa owner, I’ve been seeing more and more people coming in with concerns about neck wrinkles. Neck wrinkles aren’t a new concern from clients by any means, but they’re very quickly becoming a big concern among millennials.

Maybe it’s the contrast of our bouncy, sun-protected facial skin that draws our attention to our neck, or maybe technology is doing more than revealed. The term “tech neck” is frequently used to describe the somewhat early appearance of horizontal lines on the neck—forged over nights of looking down at your phone and scrolling through Facebook, turned Instagram, turned TikTok.

Have you noticed the stark contrast between the texture and laxity of your neck compared to your face? Since I’m a spa owner I have the luxury of nagging my friends about what they need to do to once again feel more in control of the fine lines on their neck. Today, I’ll share with you pearls of wisdom on how to prevent and treat horizontal neck wrinkles.

(As a quick preview, collagen is key.)

1. Bring Your Sunscreen Down to Your Neck

Yes, the answer is always sun protection. After genetics, sun exposure is the biggest factor when it comes to the development of fine lines and wrinkles. Sun exposure breaks down collagen, among other things, and loss of collagen leads to wrinkles. The neck (and ears) tend to be in no-man’s land when it comes to sunscreen application – often not included with facial or body application. So, as a rule of thumb, bring your facial sunscreen down to your neck.

This goes beyond the scope of this article, but you should go ahead and bring it down to your chest, too.

2. Check Your Posture

How much time do you spend with your head aimed down at a computer or phone and your anterior neck muscles in contraction? As our skin’s collagen content naturally decreases in our late twenties, the lines we make in this position slowly become fixed and deeper. This position cannot be completely eliminated from your routine, but you can make an effort to improve your posture while on your phone and/or decrease your screen time.

3. Boost your SPF With a Vitamin C Serum

Sunscreen helps to protect the skin from ultraviolet damage, but no sunscreen is 100 percent effective. Vitamin C is an antioxidant that helps to neutralize the damaging sun rays that squeeze through your SPF protection.

4. Boost Collagen Production With a Micro Needling and Radiofrequency Combo

Micro needling with radiofrequency is quickly becoming a favorite of aestheticians for its ability to stimulate collagen production without damage to the overlying skin. This makes it relatively safe in all skin tones. Since collagen production naturally slows in our mid-to-late 20s, this is an excellent preventative treatment to keep the skin collagen factory open and busy.

Of note–micro needling with radiofrequency is not the same as plain micro needling with an at home or in office pen device. Although traditional micro needling will stimulate some collagen production, the results are mild compared to the effects of micro needling with radiofrequency. With the latter, radiofrequency energy is delivered to the deeper levels of the skin stimulating increased collagen production and skin tightening.

5. Don’t Forget to Apply Retinol to Your Neck

There’s a reason your face looks better than your neck. Retinol has been clinically proven to stimulate collagen production, and with routine use, retinol can slow the presentation of fine lines and wrinkles. Neck skin is even more delicate and sensitive than facial skin, so you should start retinol just one to two times a week and slowly increase frequency as tolerated.

6. Botox May Help

Since the neck is a larger muscle than the facial muscles, this procedure is likely pricey for preventative measures, however, Botox can be helpful in decreasing the appearance of early horizontal neck wrinkles.

7. And Sure, You Can Drink Collagen

There is still a scientific question of if dietary collagen supplements can improve skin quality, however, there is little downside to trying it out for yourself. Although we typically talk about collagen in the context of skin, it is present in every organ of your body. Even if it does not improve your skin texture, it will likely still provide some benefit – particularly to your gastrointestinal system.  

This must be said–sun protection is more important than retinol and retinol is more important than vitamin C. You can do everything on this list, but keep this hierarchy in mind. 

And when all else fails and you need some TLC for your neck, face, or whole body, call Botanica Day Spa and we’ll do all the work for you. Book an appointment today!