Why Neck Skin Ages Faster Than Facial Skin and How to Fix It

If you’ve ever glanced in the mirror and thought your neck looked older than your face, your eyes may not be deceiving you. According to Dr. Theodora Mauro, a professor of dermatology at the University of California, San Francisco, the neck ages “faster than almost any place else on the body.”¹

Before you resign yourself to wearing turtlenecks and artfully placed scarves forever, find out what’s causing your neck to age prematurely, how to prevent further damage and easy ways to give it a more youthful appearance.

Neck Aging Factors & At-Home Fixes

While a natural weakening of neck muscles is inevitable and can contribute to neck aging, a person’s neck may look old before its time due to the following lifestyle choices.

Poor Posture—Any posture that causes the skin of your neck to crease can lead to wrinkles and horizontal lines, including the dreaded “tech neck” caused by looking down at a laptop or cellphone for hours.

At-home treatment: Help prevent lines from forming or deepening by positioning your phone or laptop at eye level.

Sun Exposure—People often overlook their neck when applying sunscreen, making it vulnerable to UV waves damaging the cells that produce collagen and elastin, which keep skin looking young.

At-home treatment: Slather on sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher every day, and if you’re outside, reapply it regularly.  

Inadequate Skin Care—For many people, skin care stops at the chin, leaving the neck high-and-dry. 

At-home treatment: Remember to apply serums and moisturizers to your face and your neck. If you’re not using retinoids, start—they can help soften your neck’s fine lines and wrinkles by stimulating collagen production.

Want to explore cosmetic procedures to combat signs of aging on your neck? Our expert aesthetic medicine team is here to help, specializing in advanced strategies such as microneedling and fillers. Book a consult, today.  

1 Seo, H. (2023). Why does my neck look so much older than my face? The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/11/well/live/aging-neck-face-skin.html?