TIPS ON NECK CARE

Your neck ages too – beyond the face anti-aging solutions

When most of us think about aging, the face usually comes first to mind. However, the forces that age the face – sun, gravity, and collagen loss – also affect the neck in much the same way. As a result, we need to give the skin on our neck just as much attention and care.

How is the neck different from the face?

While the skin on the neck shares similar skin physiology with the face, it also has certain unique characteristics. The skin on our neck has far fewer oil (sebaceous) glands than the face – only 100 glands/cm2 versus our face’s 400 to 900 glands/cm2. Sebum is important to maintaining skin elasticity and health as it contains high levels of vitamin E and squalene. With fewer oil glands, the skin on our neck has a lower content of these nutrients.

The skin on our neck is also more sensitive and prone to redness or itching, and its skin folds can potentially trap irritants such as fragrances. This means we have to be more careful with the cosmetics to which we expose neck skin as certain ingredients may be unsuitable.

Finally, the skin on the neck is thinner than on the face so it is much more susceptible to aging.

Aging of the neck

Sun exposure is the first cause of intrinsic aging in the skin on our neck. Known as photoaging, this causes the loss of elastin, collagen and hyaluronic acid in the skin. Reduced collagen in the skin causes fine lines, thinness, fragility and textural change. The loss of hyaluronic acid contributes to fine lines and decreased skin plumpness. Together, this all leads to visible sagging, discoloration and thinning around the neck.

Gravity also pulls the skin down over time. This adds to the horizontal wrinkles in our neck.

Treatment options

Daily use of sunscreen is aways a necessity for combating the neck’s chronic exposure to UV rays.

Energy-based devices such as intense pulse light (IPL) and fractional lasers, and chemical peels are also good alternatives to improving skin health and reducing wrinkles in this area.

However, the best way to care for the neck is to use a daily moisturizer with key regenerative ingredients.

What ingredients should I look out for in my neck cream?

An effective neck cream contains key ingredients that can address hydration, improve texture and elasticity, and reduce wrinkles for a firmer appearance.

Niacinamide

Niacinamide is a type of vitamin B that fights skin aging by decreasing water loss. It is particularly ideal for skin on the neck as it increases the activity of the enzyme that synthesises skin lipids – such as free fatty acids, cholesterol and ceramides. This vitamin can reduce fine lines and wrinkles and bring about improved skin elasticity.

Botanical extracts

While “botanical”continues to be a buzzword in the skincare industry, it is important to distinguish between the overpopularized botanicals and truly effective extracts that possess antioxidant and anti-aging abilities.

Ginkgo biloba plant extracts counter skin aging by boosting levels of collagen synthesis. Its antioxidant properties are useful for skin on the neck that suffers from chronic sun exposure. Ginkgo extracts also inhibit lipoperoxidation, the process by which lipids are degraded. This property can help counter the lower lipid count in neck skin.

Grape seed extracts also possess strong anti-oxidant abilities that fight against free radicals caused by environmental factors such as UV rays or pollution. Grape seed extract also stabilises collagen and elastin, improving the elasticity and flexibility of neck skin.

Peptides

Peptides are important to skin health as they help regulate cell activity, reduce inflammation and promote protein synthesis. In particular, oligopeptides (‘oligo’ = few) can stimulate the growth of fibroblasts, cells that produce collagen and other fibers. By communicating with signals in skin cells called cytokines and chemokines to produce more collagen, oligopeptides tighten the skin and slow aging.

Radiance Fluide™ Hydrating Emulsion

Dermatologist-formulated Radiance Fluide™ Hydrating Emulsion has everything the skin on your neck needs to maintain its health and combat aging. The oligopeptides used are identical in chemical structure to the skin’s epidermal growth factor. By mimicking this structure, these oligopeptides help to tighten, lift and reduce the thinning of the skin on our neck. Grape seed oil is also present as a potent antioxidant to improve skin elasticity, and niacinamide provides brightening and lipid-boosting effects.

Include this in your  multi-step skin routine, and you will see visibly smoother, younger-looking skin with diligent application.

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