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While most of us regularly and religiously apply sunscreen to our faces, many of us forget the skin on the neck and chest. That’s unfortunate, as the décolletage is just as susceptible to sun damage. “The neck and chest are heavily exposed to UV light, but are often neglected in skin care, so sagging is particularly visible here,” explains Dr. Welf Prager, a specialist in general and aesthetic dermatology based in Berlin. “The breakdown of collagen causes the skin to sag—this starts as early as puberty. This breakdown is accelerated primarily by the influence of UV light.”
But it’s not just the sun that does damage to the skin of the décolletage. The neck and chest are subject to stress from constant head movement and bad posture, which can contribute to the formation of neck wrinkles and crinkly chest skin.
Luckily, there are a number of things we can do to protect and treat our skin. The first rule? Start as early as possible. Here, a few tips to help you do just that.
Increasing demand for neck and chest skin treatments
If you’ve noticed saggy, wrinkly or otherwise sun-damaged skin on your neck and chest, you’re not alone. Prager says there’s been an increased demand for treatments that tighten the décolletage. Luckily, he notes, “there are also more and more procedures for collagen regeneration, which are also backed up by scientific studies.”
He says the increased awareness of the area likely comes down—you guessed it—the influence of social media. “People are becoming more and more aware of the neck and chest thanks to the media,” he says. “So, naturally this increases demand.”
We’ve also become more aware that a “youthful” appearance isn’t just about the face. “It’s also about the neck, chest, and hands,” Prager explains, citing certain well-known celebrities as an example of this phenomenon. “You can see their age on their hands,” he notes.
Skin treatments for the neck and chest
While there are plenty of treatments available to treat the neck and chest, Prager stresses that anyone who is seeking instant results should be aware that this area of the body takes more time. “I always tell my patients: if you want to have something done on your décolletage, you should expect two to three times as much effort as on your face,” he says, noting that some topical treatments will boost the skin in the short term, but truly building collagen often takes longer.
Regardless, taking good care now is the first important step towards maintaining healthy skin. One easy tip for preventing wrinkles on the chest and neck? “Avoid nicotine and use UV protection—that s the be-all and end-all,” Prager says, noting sun damage ultimately accounts for around 90 percent of skin aging.. “UV radiation is actually the biggest killer of collagen.”
To hydrate, nourish, and rejuvenate the skin at home, Prager recommends using neck creams that contain antioxidants, hyaluronic acid, and retinol.
Neck and chest skin rejuvenation
Prevention is the best medicine—but what if your skin is already showing signs of damage? According to Prager, a visit to your trusted skin professional is a great next step. He recommends rebuilding collagen and tightening the skin using a combo of injectables and tech: “The dermal filler Radiesse stimulates the body’s own collagen production, while the micro-focused ultrasound treatment Ultherapy stimulates the formation of new collagen,” he says, noting the two treatments complement each other well. “Patients with older or particularly thin skin can be treated with volume-giving hyaluronic acid, as is the case with the face.”
Other methods for building collagen include microneedling with radio frequency at the tip. Prager also suggests looking into daylight photodynamic therapy (PDT) which is a gentle but effective treatment for sun damage.
The best treatments for neck and chest skin
With so many options to choose from, it can be hard to know which one may be best for you. “There are actually no restrictions,” Prager assures. “Skin treatments with active ingredients that are applied to the skin work from the outside, while treatments like Ultherapy work from the inside. Since the body’s own hyaluronic acid decreases by one percent every year after puberty, but studies have shown that three treatments of skin boosters result in thicker skin, more elasticity, and skin that is 10 years younger,” he explains.
With that in mind, it is important to follow the sequence of treatments recommended by your practitioner. “Ultherapy does not harm a previously-applied filler,” Prager explains. “But Microneedling, on the other hand, is much ‘hotter’ and might damage a filler. The older the skin is, the more sense a combination of Ultherapy and filler makes.”
Ultrasound therapy for the neck and chest
According to Prager, there’s a reason ultrasound treatments like Ultherapy are particularly suitable for the neck and chest: “They offer real-time visualization, which allows the precise, individual treatment of different areas,” he says, emphasizing that this allows practitioners to virtually see under the skin.
Secondly, the skin on the neck, chest, and above the bust area contain hardly any fat pads making it extra sensitive. “This is where the skin slackens quickly, as its elasticity decreases with age. Ultherapy is an effective biostimulation method for the regeneration of the body’s own collagen. This leads to firmer skin and an improvement in skin quality,” he emphasizes.
One treatment of Ultherapy on the decollatage takes around 30 to 45 minutes and works by generating ultrasound waves that penetrate below the skin’s surface to create heat spots of around 140 to 158 degrees Fahrenheit. “These heat points destroy the collagen tissue and stimulate the formation of new collagen,” Prager explains. “The effect of Ultherapy builds up over six to nine months and lasts for two to four years. Many patients come back after just under two years to be treated again.”
Does sleeping on your side cause wrinkles?
We often hear that sleeping on your side can be detrimental to your skin—especially on your neck and chest. Is that true? “If you sleep on your side, you can see more wrinkles near your cleavage, as the breasts are pulled to the side by gravity and compressed,” explains Prager. But, he says, you don’t necessarily have to change your sleeping position if you want to avoid this: “You can try wearing a sports bra at night or ordering a special bra on the internet.”
LED masks for neck and chest wrinkles
Another tool that is currently enjoying popularity on social media are LED masks, and there are even models that are specifically designed for use on the neck and chest.
Red light promotes collagen production and thus helps to reduce signs of aging by making the skin firmer, tighter, and more radiant. Depending on the model, the mask should be used three to five times a week for around ten minutes to achieve optimal results. However, it’s important to note that while some studies suggest that LED lights are effective for treating sun damage, home models vary in quality. “There aren’t yet large studies demonstrating that these lights are more effective than existing treatments,” Harvard Health has noted.
