The skin on the neck and decollete is much more fragile than that of the face for 4 main reasons:
It is thinner
It is loosely connected to the structures underneath it
It doesn't have as much underlying fatty layer to cushion it
It has less sebaceous glands to lubricate the skin
So what ages us?
We are aged by intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Although we cannot do much about the intrinsic factors (genetics and hormones), we can definitely have a positive effect on many of the extrinsic factors!
Weight changes have a direct effect on skin structure due to the expansion of the skin and its elasticity during weight gain and subsequent loose skin during weight loss.
Sleeping on your side (which I do!!) will cause your skin to sag to this side, resulting in deep wrinkle formation, especially in more lax skin, as older skin tends to be.
Lack of exercise means that loose skin will not be tightened up via the building of muscle mass, especially if you are trying to lose weight. A slow weight loss of about 1-2 pounds a week, plus exercise, will enable your skin to adjust and for you to maintain muscle mass which will have a positive impact on skin ageing.
Gravity - as we age the skin has less collagen and elastin and therefore is effected by gravity.
UV Radiation - the sun is the absolute worse cause of skin ageing, as well as putting us at high risk of skin cancers. (Did you know that the UK has higher rates of skin cancer than Australia). You must put on a SPF30+ every day, even if you are just in your house, because the UV rays will get through the windows and will age you. Make sure you double cleanse every night though, because SPF is made to stay ON the skin, so you will need to double cleanse to make sure it is off! You don't want to be sleeping in your day's SPF!
Environmental pollution can really age the skin, leaving it looking dull and faded. Use of a good cleanser very day with acids in it, or acid wipes will keep the skin cells turning over and remove all of the ageing pollutants.
Smoking - just stop! Enough said!
Repeated motions like looking down at your phone or sitting with your arms crossed will compound the gravity effects and cause these areas to wrinkle and sag.
Dehydration will effect skin turgor - the more dehydrated we are, the looser the skin will be - drink lots of water and make sure you are using a good serum daily the hyaluronic acid in it to help re-hydrate our skin cells. As we age, our body makes less hyaluronic acid so we need to replace this (one of our NMF's - natural moisturising factors)
Using a good daily morning routine of CLEANSE, RE-HYDRATE with a good TONER, apply a SERUM (preferably with HA in it), MOISTURIZE and then add your SPF30+ before your make-up will help protect these delicate areas, as well as following the advice given above. At night we recommend a double CLEANSE, TONE, ACTIVE (such as a Vitamin Mask) or a good NIGHT CREAM.
In-clinic treatments will also help with #positiveproageing of these areas. At DermalEssence, we recommend our N.E.C.K. protocol, using pHformula skin resurfacing acids and home care prescriptions.
