Angela has been at Prescription Skin Care for 29 years, so we asked her to share her experience with neck concerns and tips and tricks for managing ageing of the neck.
HELP WHAT CAN I DO FOR MY NECK?
When it comes to the face, patients often take a proactive and preventative approach to managing skin care and ageing. But for some reason when it comes to the neck, often, it is not until the dreaded changes occur that we are asked for advice. It usually starts quite simply with “what can you do for necks” and is promptly followed up with quite strong words like “I hate my neck”. Often the word turkey pops into the conversation but also lizardy, as crepiness is a key complaint. For many it is mainly the overall skin quality, whereas for others it is the deepening horizontal lines referred to as necklace lines or the ropey vertical neck bands that pop out.Suddenly the neck becomes the number 1 priority.
Skin quality significantly influences perception of age and this is certainly the case when it comes to the skin on our neck and décolletage.
Here are a few of my tips and tricks
- Use a specialised neck cream. If you don’t want to invest in a separate product, extend your facial products such as your antioxidant serums and moisturisers down over the neck area.
- Apply your retinoid (vitamin A serum) to your neck a couple of times a week. You may be able to apply it more often, depending on which product you use on your face. The skin on your neck is more sensitive than your face so if you are using a higher strength product on your face or one with AHA’s it may be irritating if used too often. Check with us.
- Apply your sunscreen down your neck. Sun and neglect are the biggest offenders. The sides of the neck catch a lot of sun exposure which is why pigmentation can be common on the sides of the neck. If you use a tinted sunscreen on your face and don’t like getting it on your clothing, have a second untinted, one to use on your neck and decolettage.
- Don’t forget the back of your neck. With short hair or hair tied up, this gets a lot of sun exposure. Extend your products around to the back, in particular your sunscreen.
- Avoid applying perfume to your neck. Many ingredients increase sun sensitivity which can lead to contact dermatitis, hyper pigmentation and of course premature ageing.
- Once or twice a week apply a hydrating mask such as Aspect hydrating mask to your neck and décolletage and sleep with it on. Although it says leave on for 10-20 minutes, you can leave it on. It is a luxurious hydrating mask which is perfect in the winter months and is like a big drink of water for the skin and your neck will look nicely hydrated and plumped the next morning.
- If having injectable treatments for the neck and décolletage, winter is the ideal time as you can wear a scarf or higher neck to cover any initial treatment marks or redness.
- Not sure about what the best treatment is for your neck concerns. Book a consultation with us to discuss. Remember if you an existing patient any consultation is free. If a surgical option would offer the best result for you, and this is something you would consider, we can also discuss this with you and help with a referral to one of the Plastic Surgeons or Nurses upstairs at the NZ Institute of Plastic and Cosmetic Surgery.
- Don’t wait to start looking after your neck!
