The visible effects of the aging process can manifest in unexpected ways. As our skin ages, some of the first signs we notice are crepiness, sagging, and wrinkling in the neck. This prompts the question: why is my neck aging so fast?
01
Why the neck appears to age faster
The skin on our neck is special. Three main properties accelerate the visible signs of aging in neck skin.
-
Skin Elasticity: The dermis of neck skin, the layer responsible for the skin's structural strength, is much thinner than the skin across your body. In the dermis of the neck skin, much lower levels of collagen, a protein that creates a structural framework in the skin, give the skin more freedom to move. This skin also has higher levels of elastin, making the neck skin highly elastic. For this reason, it becomes more prone to the development of wrinkles as the already low levels of collagen deplete with age
.1,2
-
Moisture:
Neck skin is also especially susceptible to dryness as it has fewer sebaceous glands and pores, making neck skin drier than most other areas of the body. Dryer skin not only displays the effects of aging skin through wrinkles, sagging, cracking, and uneven skin texture but can also lead to premature aging of the skin.3
-
Sun Exposure:
Our necks are highly exposed to the elements and, if neglected, can experience premature skin aging; in fact, sun damage contributes to up to 90% of the visible effects of skin aging.4 UV exposure can actually damage DNA and proteins within our cells, making them enter a state referred to assenescence. On the cellular level, senescent cells should be cleared away by the immune system. The immune system becomes less efficient with age, and senescent cells are left to linger. These zombie cells secrete harmful factors, including matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) that degrade collagen proteins within the skin, resulting in crepey skin over time.
02
What are the signs of neck aging?
Knowing what signs of aging to look out for can help us take early action to preserve our skin. Our skin can be afflicted by various cosmetic and sometimes serious age-related skin conditions that need to be watched out for:
-
Wrinkles, Fine Lines, and Neck Bands:
These marks on the skin are often a sign of a weakening of the skin related to age. Neck wrinkles are often the first to be noticed on the body and can sometimes be a result of dry skin.5
-
Sagging Skin:
Sagging skin shows that your skin has lost its strength and elasticity. Age-related damage to cells causes elastin to decline over time, reducing the elasticity of the skin and leading to skin sagging. 5
- Texture changes: Aging can cause the skin to become more transparent and dryer, and experience a loss in melanin and collagen, affecting the texture and overall appearance of the skin. Especially for women, post-menopause skin aging can cause significant changes in overall skin composition.
03
Are neck lines normal?
Because the neck is so susceptible to the effects of gravity and sun exposure, fine lines, sagging skin, and necklace lines are a normal part of aging. However, it's essential to understand that embracing proper skincare routines can help minimize the visibility of neck wrinkles and maintain overall skin health.
04
Neck care tips
Implementing a comprehensive skincare routine that includes the neck is essential to maintaining its elasticity and combat the signs of aging. In order to firm neck skin and address concerns like how to get rid of neck lines, it is key to optimize your skincare routine to protect your neck skin from harm and give it the resources to repair damaged skin.
05
Preventative Skincare
reventative skincare revolves around preventing environmental damage associated with skin aging. While there are many sources of damage to protect from, here are two of the most important:
#1 Limit Unprotected UV Exposure
Frequent unprotected UV exposure damages cells and leads to premature aging. Adequate sun protection applied throughout the day, even on cloudy days, is the best way to protect your skin. Remember that sun damage is cumulative, so minimizing sun exposure by wearing sunscreen consistently adds up over time. Try to avoid UV exposure during peak UV hours by covering up or staying indoors. Always avoid intense artificial sources of UV radiation like tanning beds.One of the best ways to avoid sun damage is to use an SPF; OS-01 FACE SPF and OS-01 BODY SPF (coming soon!) are great options for any skin type. They combine powerful prevention and effective repair of UV-induced aging in one breakthrough formula. Read up on how to prevent and repair sun-damaged skin today!
#2 Rethink Smoking
Smoking cigarettes or conuming other nicotine products can harm your skin. This is because nicotine narrows the tiny capillaries that supply nutrients to the skin. When your skin lacks these nutrients, the skin struggles to produce structural proteins like collagen. These integral proteins not only promote overall skin health but are what make your skin look young. Smoking can cause up to a 20% decrease in collagen synthesis, leading to the early development of or worsening of wrinkles in the skin, including the neck area.
06
Restorative Skincare
There are several different ways to keep the skin on your neck looking and feeling healthy. Here are some skincare techniques you can employ to achieve radiant skin.
#1 Eat well
Cells on the outer surface of our skin are constantly dying and being replenished with younger cells. However, age causes the rate of this cellular turnover to decrease. Even when we are young, this turnover process requires a lot of resources. Our diet is one of our strongest ways we can support skin health, as it is the literal building blocks for new cells.
-
Healthy Lipids for a Healthy Skin Barrier: Unsaturated fats are used by the body's cells to ensure a healthy lipid balance and maintain the skin barrier. You can protect your overall skin health by maintaining a diet high in omega-3 fatty acids, polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. A healthy skin barrier
aids in moisture retention, helping keep the skin free of wrinkles.7 Fatty fish, vegetable oils, nuts, seeds, avocados, tofu, and dark chocolate are all good sources of these unsaturated fats.
-
Proteins that Promote Collagen Production: The constantly renewing skin requires a consistent supply of proteins to rebuild collagen and elastin
. The body cannot synthesize many proteins needed to make collagen and elastin; they must be consumed. Some great sources of these proteins are foods like fish, meat, dairy, fruit, and legumes.8
-
Protecting our Skin with Antioxidants: Free radicals
within our body cause harm to skin cells and break down collagen.9Antioxidants can neutralize these free radicals, preventing damage associated with premature skin aging. Consuming antioxidants in your diet can prevent this damage from accumulating with age, reducing the prevalence of wrinkles.
#2 ExfoliateΒ
Exfoliation removes dead skin cells, giving room for healthier cells to grow. Exfoliation of the neck can stimulate collagen and elastin production within the dermis. The physical process of removing dead cells encourages blood flow to the skin giving your cells the resources to create key proteins.10 Exfoliate with moderation on the neck skin, especially because of how thin our neck skin already is. Over-exfoliation can lead to irritation and a compromised skin barrier. Exfoliate no more than three to four times per week or every other day.
#3 Moisturize
Our skin barrier relies on natural fats and oils, called sebum, that are produced by the skin and protect us from damaging environmental factors like pollutants and pathogens. Neck skin is dry to begin with, so the additional decline of sebum with age puts the neck at an innate disadvantage. Dry skin is typically associated with a weakened skin barrier and less water retention.3 To combat these low levels of natural oils in the neck, consider incorporating a daily moisturizer into your daily face care routine!
Better yet, seek out products with ingredients that are scientifically proven to boost collagen in the skin, like OS-01 FACE. This daily topical supplement can be especially useful for the skin on the neck, which naturally has less collagen and water retention capabilities. Additionally, OS-01 FACE is clinically validated to improve the skinβs barrier function. OneSkinβs OS-01 FACE SPF has also been shown to reduce UV-induced senescence and collagen degradation.
The OS-01 EYE (serum/cream) contains the highest concentration of the OS-01 peptide and has been shown to more than double the levels of collagen.* If you are looking for a more potent remedy for neck wrinkles, then OS-01 EYE may be for you!
Disclaimers
* Shown in lab studies on human skin cells and/or samples
Key Takeaways:
- The neck skin ages faster due to its thinner dermis, lower collagen levels, higher elastin content, and reduced moisture retention caused by fewer sebaceous glands and pores.
- Common signs of neck aging include wrinkles, fine lines, neck bands, sagging skin, and changes in texture, such as increased transparency, dryness, and loss of melanin and collagen.
- Factors contributing to neck aging include decreased collagen, dryness, and exposure to the sun. Sun damage, in particular, accounts for 80% of the visible effects of skin aging.
- Protecting the neck from environmental damage involves limiting unprotected UV exposure through sunscreen application (like OS-01 FACE SPF and OS-01 BODY SPF), avoiding smoking, and taking preventive measures against sun damage.
- To maintain healthy neck skin, focus on a diet rich in unsaturated fats, proteins, and antioxidants. Additionally, practices like exfoliation, moderation in exfoliating, and daily moisturization can contribute to radiant and youthful-looking skin.
References
