NECKS
From radiofrequency to face yoga, we look at seven ways to improve the appearance of your neck and decolletage.
GETTING OLDER has lots of benefits– more wisdom (one hopes!), life experience and a chance to reinvent yourself midlife. And while the passage of time will naturally change how we look, there are ways we can delay this process through a combination of looking after ourselves from the inside out, as well as external products and procedures we can access to help keep our skin looking good.
One of the areas that ages fastest is the neck – along with the hands – so it’s surprising that in the past, skincare companies only really focused on our faces. However, this has now changed, and the number of searches for, and interest in, chin- and jaw-focused “tweakments” has risen rapidly, no doubt in part because of a boom in Zoom meetings and constantly looking down at our phones – we spend an average of 4.8 hours a day on our mobiles and even more on laptops. Not only does looking down do us no favours in the saggy chin department, the blue light adds to the issue of ageing.
‘Ageing slows down the production of collagen, an essential structural protein that gives skin its foundation, elasticity and firmness,’ says plastic surgeon Dr Paul Banwell (paulebanwell.com). ‘Collagen loss with age is a major cause of ageing the neck, and results in sagging skin and wrinkles.’
TO REDUCE FINE LINES ON THE NECK: TRY PROFHILO
However, there is a lot we can do to combat tech neck and unwanted sagging skin…
To treat sun damage...
It’s not only injectables and procedures that can help. If you’re not keen on the sound of them, or your budget won’t stretch to such procedures, try retinal – the big sister to retinol. ‘Even though there are many natural factors that contribute to ageing in the neck area, for many women it’s an area that isn’t given much attention,’ says cosmetic doctor and co-founder of E.S.K Skincare, Dr Ginni Mansberg. While many of us have heard of retinol (a form of vitamin A), retinal is now coming to the fore. ‘Retinal night cream, a topical vitamin A, helps build new collagen,’ says Dr Mansberg.
In studies, it has been shown to block the enzymes that cause collagen degradation. It also helps you grow new, tiny blood vessels in the deeper skin layers to help nourish your complexion and create thicker skin, while it also reduces fine lines and sallowness. ‘Another good thing about retinal is it’s as effective as retinoic acid, which is the prescription form of vitamin A, but is still very well tolerated, i.e. it doesn’t lead to dryness or itchy, red inflamed skin, as can happen with retinoic acid and retinols,’ adds Dr Mansberg.
