Firm Your Neck with These Creative Ways

In this article:

• Troubles in Paradise: Neck Wrinkles, Turkey Neck & Decollete Wrinkles
• Common Neck Firming Treatments
• Five Unique, Creative Ways to Firm Neck
• Our Takeaways

We have previously discussed the best natural ways to tighten skin and the common causes of loose skin, but today we are going to focus on one problem area – the neck. Skin firming is an automatic response when we spot loose, saggy skin on our bodies. While the neck, or decollete, is an area that we often neglect as we concentrate solely on the appearance of our face, in the end, it can be a dead giveaway of our true age if not properly taken care of. 

Decollete skin is much more fragile than the skin on the rest of our body, similar to under-eye skin. In fact, the skin on our neck is three times thinner and lacks the ability to regenerate fast when damaged. There is not enough natural oil present to nourish the neck due to lack of oil glands, and as a result, decollete skin is prone to wrinkles, dehydration, and other maladies without care.  

Because neck firming is usually not much of a concern when we are young, but the need will intensify as we hit the age of 40. Surgeries, non-invasive treatments, neck firming creams…the options out there are many. To help you be less overwhelmed by the choices on firming neck, allow us to interest you in some unusual methods of neck firming that you might as well give them a try!

Troubles in Paradise: Neck Lines, Turkey Neck & Decollete Wrinkles 

 Neck Lines 

Neck lines often refer to the horizontal, paralleled lines appearing across the neck. Usually, a consequence of aging, neck lines are also dynamic wrinkles caused by repeated muscle contractions such as when we lower our heads - checking our phones a hundred times a day, or watching Netflix in bed for hours as our neck is being crunched. 

Turkey Neck 

Nobody wants a neck that reminds others of a turkey, an animal with many perks but beauty might not be its forte. With aging, neck skin begins to lose elasticity and therefore, sag. Along with neck lines, wrinkles, the saggy skin on the neck will appear bunched up, just like the droopy neck on a turkey. Aging and gravity play a big part in the formation of turkey neck. Without enough elastin and collagen to sustain the firmness, skin will gradually lose its battle against gravity and its ability to bounce back will decrease over time.  

Decollete Wrinkles 

Decollete or décolletage is a fancy French word for the neck and shoulder area. As an area often overlooked in many people’s skincare routine, decollete can form wrinkles easily, thus revealing your true age without your acknowledgment. Because decollete skin is very fragile for having fewer oil glands and naturally thinner in texture, aging, sun exposure, frequent muscle movements, and even a bad sleeping position could lead to wrinkles and fine lines. However, since one of the reasons why decollete is prone to wrinkles is because we tend to solely focus on our face, the secret to taking care of your decollete area can be as easy as paying more attention.

Common Neck Firming Treatments 

When it comes to skin firming, surgical options, and some less invasive clinical treatments are often the solutions we think of first. Neck firming creams are also widely recommended by dermatologists yet few of them could deliver the result as good as a neck lift. The current popular options are: 

Neck Lift 

Just like a facelift, a neck lift is the surgery that trims off excess skin (droopy, saggy skin), sculpts the fats and muscles underneath in order to achieve a much tighter, firmer neck appearance. As the most known and effective neck firming surgery, a successful neck lift delivers instant results. However, just like all cosmetic surgeries, high rewards come with high risks. Common minimal side effects after neck lift surgery include swelling, bleeding, and pain. In some cases, permanent damage to facial nerves, infections, and hair loss (due to incision site) can also occur. Bear in mind, as effective as neck lift can be, it is still temporary. Skin will continue aging, sagging because of natural progression, so going under the knife frequently might not be a permanent solution. 

Laser 

"After the age of 30, we slow down our production of collagen and elastin—the two proteins that help our skin stay firm, plump, and toned," NYC-based dermatologist Dr. Marnie Nussbaum explains. "What non-surgical skin tightening with lasers does is target energy in the layers of the skin to stimulate that collagen and elastin production, which will gradually improve the texture and tone.”

Radio-frequency, ultrasound, and microneedling are three major laser treatments for skin firming. Radio-frequency uses heat to stimulate collagen production in the skin, and it usually needs a few treatments to achieve the firming result. Ultrasound procedures involve using the ultrasound technology to analyze the deep layers of skin while the heat tightens the skin from deeper underneath. Not the same as the microneedling device we can get on the market which creates minor tears to boost skin regeneration, laser microneedling procedure is actually stamping the needles into the skin then treat, tighten the skin with radio-frequency. 

Injectables and Fillers 

Injectables for neck firming are probably more popular than neck lift due to the fact that less surgery is involved. The most common, effective way is to inject certain toxins into the neck skin to paralyze the muscles, thereby reducing the appearance of neck wrinkles and fine lines, diminishing turkey neck. "It relaxes the muscles of the neck that pull down the jawline, thereby improving the jawline," says dermatologist Julia Carroll.

Injectables of course come with a list of concerns. It is possible to experience numbness, pain, paralyzed muscles after the injection. But in extreme cases, it could trigger seizures and heart attacks. Costly, injectables also need to be done frequently to maintain the firming appeal. 

Cryotherapy 

Cryotherapy has been favored by athletes and the fitness community for years. Sitting or standing in a pod that freezes your body temporarily at minus 120 Celsius degrees, clinically studies have shown that this procedure helps athletes to recover faster by boosting the metabolism of the body in the extreme cold.  

Cryotherapy for skin firming is a new thing on the rise. “During the procedure, liquid nitrogen is sprayed on the face skin to cool the skin surface and temperature, which causes immediate vasoconstriction (or tightening) of the vessels,” says Tsippora Shainhouse, a dermatologist in Beverly Hills. “This tightening is your skin’s natural reaction to maintaining body heat, which also makes your face look less red, puffy, and inflamed. It can also help encourage collagen regrowth and cell repair.”

OTC Neck Firming Creams 

If you search for neck firming treatments online, you would be flooded by neck firming cream recommendations. It seems like that every dermatologist has quite a few OTC neck firming creams up their sleeve. These topical creams are formulated especially for the delicate decollete skin with anti-aging benefits as well as special properties to firm and smooth the skin. 

We recommend trying our new Neck Firming Cream which contains Retinol, Vitamin A & E, Hyaluronic acid and Shea Butter to deeply nourish and protect the neck skin; There is also the option of It Cosmetics Confidence in a Neck Cream, containing an abundance of goodies such as seaweed extract, collagen, hyaluronic acid, and shea butter; and No.7 Restore & Renew Face & Neck Multi-Action Serum - a powerhouse of antioxidants, amino acids, and ceramics to repair and replenish the fragile skin on the neck. 

4 Creative Ways to Firm Your Neck

Vitamin C, Egg White & Honey DIY Neck Firming Mask 

Besides being a powerful antioxidant that can effectively neutralize free radicals, Vitamin C also enhances the skin’s collagen production. Egg white has a high concentration of protein which helps improve the elasticity of the skin by boosting cell regeneration. Honey benefits the skin with its rich antioxidant content and anti-inflammatory property, it also speeds up skin cell’s metabolism. Combine these three ingredients together you will have the most effective at-home neck firming mask, you can also use it for your face too! 

Ingredient: 1 egg white, 1 tablespoon of honey, 3 drops of Oia Vitamin C serum (10% Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Retinol and Hyaluronic Acid) 

Steps: Beat one egg white, mix in one tablespoon of honey, and a few drops of Oia Vitamin C serum until everything is well-combined. Apply the mixture to the neck area, rinse off after twenty minutes to half an hour. 

Gua Sha 

The ancient Chinese healing technique involves a specially designed massage device that is often used to scrape the skin to boost blood circulation. Gua Sha can be performed on any part of the body and the experienced technician will use a combination of different types of strokes to stimulate microcirculation of the soft tissue, thus increasing blood flow. 

“Using a jade gua sha tool at home essentially gives your face a mini workout ― you are stimulating blood circulation, which increases the amount of oxygen and nutrients to the skin, which can improve skin health,” says Dr. Nyla Raja, a UK-based aesthetician. “However, do not expect a gua sha to solve all of your skincare needs. With all skincare routines, there needs to be consistency but also different elements.” 

Silicone Anti-Wrinkle Pads & Face Lift Mask 

Another popular, non-invasive neck firming method is to wear silicone anti-wrinkle pads overnight. Silicone in skincare is known for its occlusive property, in another word, the ability to produce a thin film that is water and air resistant to protect the skin underneath. 

Oia’s Anti-Wrinkle Patches for Neck & Chest is made of premium silicone. Designed to mold your skin perfectly, these neck and chest patches will stay on comfortably overnight or whenever, wherever you like. 90% of consumers saw drastic results in their skin after one session, while 95% of long term users said they prefer Oia to cosmetic procedures. 

Oia’s Derma Face Lifting Mask is infused with safe and effective ingredients that help to visibly lift, firm, and tighten your jawline and chin and reduce sagging jowls. Lifting your face and jowl and at the same time hydrating, nourishing, and strengthening the skin and muscles, these masks are fun to wear, gentle on the skin, and provide instant, visible results. 

Take a Posture Class

We might develop neck wrinkles because of our terrible posture, and that’s extremely likely considering all the time we spend looking down on our phone when we are walking, eating, and in bed. Many neck wrinkles are results from the skin being compressed - it could be a stiff position at work or a sleeping position that folds the skin on the neck. 

Frequent neck exercises can make a big difference. Simple movements such as stretching and yawning only take a few seconds but are much needed especially if you have a cushy 9-to-5 desk job. Train your posture at a yoga class, with a physiotherapist, or even go see a specialist can prevent muscle tension, dynamic wrinkles and give you a better, stronger form to reduce the appearance of neck wrinkles. 

Our Takeaways  

There is nothing much we can do to stop aging, but we can slow down and reduce those signs of aging. The skin on the neck and decollete area is more fragile and thinner, which means we need to go the extra length and put in extra care for it to stay healthy. If you think your skincare routine is not living up to your expectation, try some alternative ways. 

Surgical, clinical answers to neck firming are often seen as the gold standards in restoring the youthful appearance. While it is true, these surgeries, procedures, and injectables come with a high price tag on top of being risky. Though most surgeries have been proven quite safe to undergo, the seriousness of side effects can vary from person to person. 

If you are still in the prime age of beautiful, healthy skin, prevention is everything. Ask any dermatologist, they would tell you that early prevention is much more effective than a facelift later on if you want to stop the hands of time. Eat a great diet, wear sunscreen daily, lead an active lifestyle, hydrate, and stick to an effective skincare routine, you are halfway there to maintain the youthful look forever. But when your neck does start to sag, try some non-invasive, unique ways to firm the neck first if your usual skincare routine fails to deliver.