Why does neck skin age faster than face skin?

Although our skin is unique, it behaves in different ways depending on the region in which it is located. For example, the soles of the feet tend to be coarser, while the soles of the face are more sensitive. However, the skin on the neck is even more delicate and, therefore, it may be the first place where the signs of aging appear. The explanation is related to constant movement and the loss of collagen and elastin.

Understanding why the skin on the neck ages faster than the skin on the face involves, at first, improving our self-perception. It is common to have the false idea that the neck moves little, while the face moves when talking, eating, smiling and kissing. Only, in fact, the neck is in even greater motion.

Doubt? Take a short break from your mobile screen and look at the blue object closest to you. Okay, your neck just moved in such a common movement that sometimes we don’t even notice. Including, at bedtime, he also moves. Like any object, the more we use it, the faster the signs appear.

What factors make the neck age faster than the face?

Regardless of the region, “collagen and elastin (two natural proteins in the body) support our skin to keep it elastic, but also firm. They constitute a support system that allows the skin to move and stretch, but also to return to its natural state”, explains the doctor Jonathan Grant, from Cascade Facial Surgery & Aesthetics, in Canada, in an article.

“As the body ages, it loses collagen and elastin (naturally). As a result, our skin begins to look wrinkled or sagging,” adds the expert. Grant further points out that “the constant (and more accentuated) movement of the neck is a further contributing factor to the loss of collagen and elasticity”. In short, it’s what generates the horizontal lines on the neck and under the chin.

Be careful when looking at your computer or cell phone

In this natural aging process, there are some contributing factors. Among them is the constant habit of lowering your head and looking at a computer screen or cell phone for hours. The condition is known informally as tech neck.

To prevent the formation or deepening of neck lines, the easiest alternative is to elevate electronics towards your eyes so that you no longer need to bend your neck. For notebooks, there are specific supports (or stacks of books) that help with this mission. Indeed, this is advice shared by physiotherapists in the field of ergonomics.

How to keep your neck skin taut, according to an expert

In addition to the loss of natural proteins and movements, Grant highlights the lack of attention to the region. “Skin, face and hair care will likely be first on our minds, but neck care isn’t on everyone’s priority list,” he points out.

That way, if the person already uses a moisturizer on their face, it’s worth passing it on the neck too. It is the same recommendation for the daily use of sunscreen which, preferably, should cover both regions. Not smoking also helps slow the process, according to Grant.

Source: Cascade Face