Neck wrinkles, neck lines, or “tech neck” (whatever you want to call it) can either look like deeper horizontal lines that wrap around like a choker or smaller, thinner, lighter lines that are more prevalent on the sides. Why do we get lines here, and what can you do about it? Well, some of the reasons you may find lines here are your classics, while others are entirely modern. As for solutions, we have you covered there, too. What to know ahead of time. First up, collagen and elastin breakdown. “As we age, our skin becomes less resilient with less of the collagen and elastic tissue to allow it to rebound to its original shape,” he says. “Besides this being a natural part of aging, it can happen faster with more exposure to sunlight (UV light). The neck can capture a lot of sun exposure, particularly on the sides and lower portion.” Now combine aging skin with daily movements, and things start to settle in. “The second main cause is the movement of the neck,” says Fenton. “We get horizontal lines in the neck due to the bending of the neck to look down. You can also get some of the more fine lines or wrinkles, particularly along the sides of the neck, from turning side-to-side and from sleeping on your side, but these don’t tend to be the deep wrinkles.” “People are noting more of this now that we spend more time looking down at our screens,” says Fenton. “You can get the deep lines that are horizontal and run across the front of the neck from the bending, or flexion, of the neck. Usually people have a limited number of these.” We have a whole guide to tech neck wrinkles themselves, if you’d like to learn more. “If retinoids are too harsh, you can try gentler products such as glycolic acid that will exfoliate the skin to reduce the appearance of wrinkles while also giving some degree of collagen boost.” As for neck-specific products, like those neck-firming creams? Well, we’re not going to tell you to toss yours if you’re already a fan, but most derms agree your face products will do just fine, if not better, as they have more targeted actives. “There are a variety of neck-firming products on the market, but none of them have very strong evidence to show that they work,” says Fenton. The research shows that these collagen peptides are able to support skin elasticity and dermal collagen density1.* How? Well hydrolyzed collagen peptides have been shown to help promote your body’s natural production of collagen2 and other molecules that make up the skin, like elastin and fibrillin.* And while you’re going to have to look down at your phone sometimes, do just be mindful of how much and often. If you can, bring your phone up higher. Finally, “I also always recommend sleeping on your back to minimize wrinkles on your face, neck, and chest,” he says.
