While we tend to focus on the fine lines on our faces, the hard truth is that wrinkles can also affect the skin below our chin. More specifically, we're talking about neck wrinkles. You might be thinking, Great, I'm already worried about wrinkles on my face. Why do I have lines on my neck to worry about too? We get the frustration.
Neck wrinkling is a common occurrence as we age, resulting from several internal factors (like genetics) and external factors (like environmental elements). However, there are a plethora of ways you can address neck lines. Ahead, we asked a board-certified dermatologist and plastic surgeon to break down the causes and treatments of neck lines, including how you can prevent them from forming in the first place.
Meet the Experts
- Jennifer Levine, MD, is a board-certified plastic surgeon in New York City.
- Marisa Garshick, MD, is a board-certified dermatologist practicing in New York City and New Jersey.
What Are Neck Lines?
Simply put, they're the lines or wrinkles that appear on your neck and can show up in two slightly different ways. There are horizontal lines, which look like lines or creases, also called necklace lines, according to board-certified plastic surgeon Jennifer Levine, MD. Then, there are vertical lines; these look like vertical bands, she adds.
What Causes Neck Lines?
"Neck lines can occur due to a combination of intrinsic and environmental factors," explains board-certified dermatologist Marisa Garshick, MD. The former are elements out of your control: genetics and aging, to name a few. The latter are external details that you do have a certain degree of control over. This includes UV exposure and smoking, both of which damage collagen and elastin (proteins responsible for healthy, youthful skin) and contribute to increased wrinkling.
One unique culprit when it comes to neck lines? Frequently looking down at your phone or another screen. "This can cause 'tech neck'—horizontal folds that can be accentuated by this repeated movement," Dr. Garshick says. It's part of why Dr. Levine says she's seeing patients with neck lines as early as their 20s.
Byrdie Tip
Cut 'tech neck' woes by decreasing your daily screen time and adjusting your posture while looking at a phone or computer screen for extended periods. You want to avoid having your anterior neck muscles contracted for long swaths of time (the cause behind those pesky lines). "Holding devices at eye level is helpful to avoid constant bending of the neck," Dr. Levine says.
As far as the vertical banding goes, there's less you can do to prevent that. "As we age, the neck muscle, or platysma, becomes saggy, but the edges of it become more active. This creates the appearance of this vertical banding," Dr. Levine explains.
How to Prevent Neck Lines
You can start by being diligent about your below-the-chin skincare routine. "This is an area that's often neglected, so I always have to remind myself and my patients to extend your skincare routine down to the neck," Dr. Garshick says. First and foremost, that means applying sunscreen regularly to protect the skin from cumulative UV damage and remembering to moisturize your neck, too, she points out.
Using a retinoid can also be helpful as it can help boost collagen production to improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, she says. One important caveat: The skin on your neck is thinner than on the face and, as such, is more susceptible to damage and potential irritation. So use your retinol on your neck only a few times per week unless you can tolerate it more frequently, Dr. Garshick advises.
How to Treat Neck Lines
So, you already have neck lines. Don't stress; there are ways to treat the already present lines while fending off more from forming. (That's right, keep on taking preventative measures while treating your existing neck lines.)
Add Neck Cream to Your Routine
Incorporating a neck cream into your routine is an easy and effective first line of defense. Dr. Garshick suggests looking for a formula with a combination of tried-and-true anti-aging ingredients (like retinoids, peptides, antioxidants, and growth factors), which can address neck lines as well as general texture and tone issues (think: spots, dullness, and crepiness).
She likes the No7 Restore & Renew Face & Neck MultiAction Serum, which helps improve the appearance of fine lines, moisturizes, and firms, thanks to a combo of ingredients including peptides, ceramides, and hyaluronic acid. The IT Cosmetics Confidence In a Neck Cream is another one of her picks. "This neck cream helps to improve the appearance of horizontal neck lines while also firming and smoothing the skin and boosting elasticity," she says.
Try an At-Home Skincare Device
You can also try an at-home skincare device. Dr. Garshick recommends the Solawave 4-in-1 Radiant Renewal Skincare Wand. "This can be a great option for the neck as it combines microcurrent, LED, massage, and therapeutic warmth to help tighten and lift the skin while also being easy to maneuver the different contours of the face and neck," she explains. Her other pick? The NuFace Trinity Facial Toning Device. It delivers a small electrical current to boost collagen production, which may help tighten and improve the look of fine lines and wrinkles, she says.
Botox
When at-home devices aren't cutting it, you can turn to the pros for an in-office treatment. Dr. Levine says injectable neuromodulators (such as Botox) can help with vertical banding. By relaxing the muscle, these injectables minimize the appearance of those bands pulling downward, she explains. Neck Botox treatments, any Botox treatment for that matter, isn't a permanent fix—anywhere from 25 to 35 units every three months to four months is usually needed to keep the wrinkles at bay.
Biostimulatory Fillers
Another injectable option, sometimes confused with dermal fillers, is biostimulatory fillers, such as Radiesse or Sculptra. "These generate a regenerative response, triggering the body to produce more collagen and elastin," Dr. Levine explains.
Ultrasound Energy Treatments
Ultrasound energy treatments are another non-invasive option. Dr. Levine likes Ultherapy, which uses ultrasound energy to lift and tighten both the skin and the muscle, though it will take about three months to see the full results post-treatment.
Another option is Sofwave, which boosts collagen production by generating heat 1.5mm beneath the skin's surface. It doesn't affect the surface of the skin but creates a targeted injury that encourages a boost of collagen production, board-certified dermatologist Blair Murphy-Rose, MD, FAAD, tells Byrdie. This treatment is FDA-approved (always important).
Dermal Filler
Hyaluronic acid fillers can plump and fill neck lines with more staying power than Botox. (Results for a year instead of a few months.) Horizontal neck lines, aka tech neck, can be smoothed out with a thin, flexible filler, dermatologic Mohs surgeon Stacey Tull, MD. tells Byrdie. This is a relatively pain-free way to immediately eliminate any neck lines that are bothering you.
Microneedling With Radiofrequency
The combo of microneedling and radiofrequency treatments is gentle on the skin but can boost collagen production—key to getting rid of (or preventing) those pesky neck lines. This skincare treatment helps with the bounciness of your skin and may be utilized as a supplemental treatment because of that.
Now, this isn't something you can (or should) try at home. This version of microneedling with radiofrequency gets down into the deeper levels of the skin. Something your standard at-home device isn't able to do.
When to See a Professional
The answer is simple: According to Drs. Garshick and Levine, if your neck lines (or the general appearance of your neck) are starting to bother you, make an appointment with a dermatologist. "It's easier to treat and maintain an issue before it becomes worse," Dr. Levine adds.
The Final Takeaway
There's nothing wrong with having neck lines. They are a normal occurrence due to aging, environmental factors, and repeated neck straining. However, there are ways to prevent and treat them if you choose to. Showing your neck some skincare TLC—applying sunscreen, retinoids, moisturizing, and using targeted devices—can help minimize existing wrinkles or keep them at bay altogether. You can also seek professional help, as dermatologists can recommend treatments like Botox or Ultherapy to address your neck concerns.
