As people age, they often experience sagging skin, wrinkles, and fine lines in the neck area, known as a “turkey neck”, which is an indication of weakening neck muscles and skin loss, leaving them with looser skin and unappealing droopiness.
However, experts in dermatology, medicine, and skincare have provided advice on the best treatments and product ingredients for a smoother, more youthful look, offering hope for those seeking a solution for their droopy neck area.
Here are three tips by Dr Ariel Ostad, a triple board-certified facial cosmetic surgeon and dermatologist, and Dr Lori Aliksanian, MD, to help individuals address common skin concerns and achieve a more confident and radiant self.
Hydrating neck creams
Ostad says that, in our mid-to-late 20s and early 30s, “we start to lose about one per cent of collagen per year, making the skin lose its firmness.”
“Loss of collagen and elastin leads to sagging skin and horizontal creases on the skin,” he noted, adding that a great way to treat an ageing neck is to frequently apply a hydrating neck cream.
“The best ingredient for a neck cream is one that has high concentrations of active ingredients including hyaluronic acid and retinols,” he says.
Using a “medical grade anti-ageing cream for the neck” helps improve fine lines and wrinkles on the neck.
Additionally, he suggests looking for products with “growth factors, vitamin C, vitamin E, ferulic acid, and retinoic acid” to help smooth wrinkles in the neck area.
Laser treatments
Non-surgical treatments for the neck “should target the skin quality and loss of volume,” Aliksanian says.
For patients over 35 with skin laxity (looseness of muscle), she recommends “a deep ultrasound tightening treatment followed by an injectable adipose (fat) matrix that will help smooth the area and restore lost volume.”
These treatments can be done together and can “take about an hour with results that last two or more years.”
Serums and SPF protection
Aliksanian suggests that daily topical skincare can yield the best results.
“We have incredible results when patients use a daily peptide serum containing exosomes plus a nightly retinol cream to gradually repair the skin,” she shares.
She also tells her patients that the “most important step is to apply a quality SPF protection daily to prevent further UV skin ageing to the area.”
