The Truth About Neck Ageing & What Really Works

Horizontal neck lines and crepey neck skin have always been a harbinger of middle age, but your digi-dependent life may have brought forward their onset “by quite a few years”, says aesthetic physician Dr Sophie Shotter. “Just as repeated facial expressions cause wrinkles on the face, the constant crease-causing downward pressure on the neck as we gaze at our devices can be a significant contributor to horizontal neck bands.”

However, a commitment to keep facing forward won’t guarantee a smooth and tight future either: saggy neck skin is caused by a whole host of factors. For starters, neck skin is significantly thinner than facial skin, which means it has “less of a healing capacity and cell turnover and therefore is more likely to develop wrinkles,” says Shotter.

The neck also has few sebaceous glands so produces very little oil. “Drier skin is more prone to sensitisation than oily skin and tends to have more fine lines and wrinkles,” says Shotter – and this goes for necks as well. Anatomy is another challenge when it comes to necks: with nothing to ‘drape’ neck skin over, like supportive cheek or brow bones, neck skin simply hangs down in a column. Therefore, “it suffers more from the stretching effect of gravity over time, compromising its elasticity and causing sagging,” says Shotter. Lastly, genetics play a part: some of us are simply more prone to developing signs of neck ageing early on.

That said, as with facial skin, consistent skincare from an early age (your twenties, if you read this early enough) will make all the difference. Pamela Marshall, creator of Mortar & Milk skincare and a facialist in many a beauty editor’s little black book, has no-nonsense views on how to look after your neck – and they may not be what you’d expect.

Cleanse You Neck Like You Do Your Face…

“Your face starts at the space between your breasts and ends at the hairline. Cleanser, moisturiser and daytime SPF are essential for this entire area from the day you commit to daily skincare,” says Marshall. “There are no special application or cleansing methods that are going to make a difference. But remember to be kind to your skin: no pulling, tugging or scrubbing.” Use gentle products without alcohol, sulphates or (preferably) fragrance and “always remove cleanser with a flannel to ensure thorough purification – yes, for the neck as well as the face.”

You Don’t Need A Separate Neck Cream…

“Over my career, I’ve played around with dedicated neck creams and often found them to be more than the delicate neck can take, causing redness and irritation,” says Marshall. She prioritises hydration, protection and barrier repair in the shape of antioxidants, ceramides and polyhydroxy acids, believing potent anti-ageing ingredients often do more harm than good in this area. “Unless we never move our neck or look down at our phones, we are always going to have some lines here; no ‘magic’ neck cream is going to stop that. If a client is on tretinoin for their face and supports it well, I may allow them to take it down to their necks, but no more than three times a week or there is bound to be damaging inflammation.”

The Best Age-Defying Neck Cream Is Sunscreen…

Many neck creams claim to help skin recover elasticity but, says Marshall, daily SPF is the best way to protect and preserve elasticity long term and should be applied diligently not just to the front, but the sides and back of the neck as well. Shotter is also a fan of scarves and wide-brimmed hats to keep vulnerable neck skin shielded from destructive UV rays. If you’re after neck skin that feels instantly smoother and more supported, with less-visible lines and discolouration, you can look for optical ‘trick’ ingredients that form a temporary film on skin, such as silicones and acrylate copolymers, and light-reflective particles – some suggestions are below.