The skin on the neck can be thinner and more sensitive than the skin on the face, making it more prone to signs of aging and sun damage. Some key ingredients can be effective to protect the thin skin on the neck, per Cleveland Clinic.
Related: The Neck’s Best Thing
Dermatologist Shilpi Khetarpal, M.D., recommends the same skin care products for the neck, face and chest because the skin ages in similar ways due to its chronic sun exposure.
Topical antioxidants include ingredients like vitamin C, vitamin E and ferulic acid to reduce the oxidative stress on the skin, according to Khetarpal.
Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher daily and apply it after other skin care products. Effective ingredients include zinc oxide and titanium dioxide.
Khetarpal recommends daily use of sunscreen whether indoors or outdoors as ultraviolet and blue lights from screens also affect the skin.
Retinoids should be applied at nighttime every other day. It should be used at a lower strength to avoid dryness and irritation. Khetarpal suggests using a moisturizer with hyaluronic acid every morning and night to combat dryness from the retinoids.
Products with stem cells, peptides and growth factors are also beneficial for older patients but are typically only available at medical facilities.
The key to protecting the neck is prevention. Khetarpal suggests ingredients that protect against the sun and pollution. And it’s never too late to start, even if signs of stress are already forming.
