Many people focus on their face when it comes to anti-aging, and skin care in general. But the neck needs attention, too. It will be one of the first places to reveal your true age if you’re not careful. A youthful face won’t do you much good if your neck gives away your age or makes you look even older. Read on to learn some dermatologist-backed tips on how to keep your neck looking young and even undo some damage.
Take a Collagen Supplement
Try a collagen supplement that contains hyaluronic acid (HA), which is a compound that will help the skin absorb more water and look more plump at once. This will help the skin on your neck and everywhere else, while you’re at it! The more collagen you have to support your skin cells, the more taut your skin is going to look over time, which is what a youthful beck is all about.
Exercise
New research from McMaster University in Canada shows that exercise can actually help reverse aging. Researchers studied samples of skin from individuals who were formerly sedentary before and after three months of exercise twice a week that was moderate intensity. This new exercise routine took years off the participants’ appearances. The post-exercise samples showed the dermis to be more thick and elastic — both are characteristics of skin samples that are much younger.
Eat Omegas
At night, that is. Omega 3 and 6 fatty acids are a necessary tool in the body’s collagen production. It’s best to get them in the evening. “While you catch up on sleep, your body is hard at work reconstructing cell membranes so your skin, including the always-exposed skin at your neck, can recover from any chemical or physical damage,” says Beatriz Molina, a dermatologist and founder of the Medikas skin clinic in the UK. If you eat them after 6 p.m., they are not likely to be broken down into fuel for other functions of the body by the time you go to sleep; therefore, your body will use them for skin repair.
Wear Sunscreen
You read this all of the time — and for a good reason. UVA and UVB radiation from the sun is the greatest contributor to damage from free radicals. This damage is irreversible and speeds up aging. It’s especially prevalent on the neck because it’s a part of the body that’s almost always exposed to the sun. Slather on a sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher that lists titanium and zinc among its ingredients.
Wear Vitamin C
Slather it on—don’t just eat and drink it. When the antioxidant vitamin C is paired with an SPF moisturizer, studies show it effectively doubles the sunblock’s protective rating and promotes the renewal of skin cells. Researchers think this is because vitamin C increases the body’s natural defense against free radicals that are UVA-induced. Begin your daily neck regimen with a serum that has L-ascorbic acid (a type of vitamin C), which is absorbed easily by the skin and stimulates the production of collagen for a more elastic, firm, younger looking neck.