HOW TO DE-AGE YOUR ‘TECH-NECK’ IF YOU’RE OVER 50
In this regular series, Ageless Beauty, The Telegraph’s beauty experts Annabel Jones and Lisa Armstrong tackle the conundrums they’ve been searching for answers to, and share their favourite tips and tricks. This week, they discuss the best ways of to help de-age your neck. Ask them your questions below...
Do I think you can rescue a sagging neckline once your collagen has all but diminished? I’m afraid not – unless you have a surgical procedure. And still, as a woman in her early 50s who isn’t yet considering a nip and tuck, I view my neck like a neglected pension pot close to retirement – I’m throwing everything at it all at once.
I can feel a slight waddle; my neck skin is thinning and as much as I endeavour to accept its failings, there’s something about the neck that gets you. When you catch its sloping angle in the mirror it’s a stark reminder of the passing of time. Norah Ephron wrote a whole book about it. The struggle is real.
Lately I’ve become more conscious of my posture. Whenever I find myself chin-down scrolling on my phone I make a mental note to sit up straight and hold my device at arms length. Or more likely, I’ll put it down. This won’t help my skin cells but it ought to slow the onset of a double chin, otherwise known as tech neck.
My skincare routine has increasingly become neck and jaw focussed. I use a Gua Sha tool when I’m cleansing (or oiling) which, contrary to assumption, should be done in downwards strokes to drain the lymph (go upwards on the face). Then once a week I use the Ziip Halo microcurrent toning device, £379.99. As devices go it is easy to navigate and is the only one that works on muscle tightening (microcurrents) and skin cell rejuvenation (nanocurrents) concurrently.
I’m surprisingly religious about applying a neck cream. I’m currently using Skinbetter Science Techno Neck Perfecting Cream, £144, on the recommendation of several aesthetic doctors. I recognise it’s expensive but I’m prepared to see it out until the last drop, at which point I’ll reevaluate.
I’m not entirely sure you need a separate neck cream to affect change, although it is true that the skin on the neck is of a different calibre to the face, therefore I suspect there’s some merit in using something specifically formulated for its deficiencies. Apparently neck skin is thinner and more delicate making it more prone to wrinkles, dryness and sagging.
The principal ingredient to look out for here are peptides. These are the building blocks of protein which gives skin tissue its structure, hence why beauty companies are throwing their dollars into peptide technology.
Two peptide serums I trust include Allies of Skin Multi Peptides & Growth Factors Advanced Lifting Serum, £176, and Meder’s Myo-Fix, £99. Though if you’re on a budget (who isn’t at the moment?) then L’Oreal Paris Revitalist Laser Tripeptide Serum, £31.99, is worth a punt, as is Prai Beauty’s Throat & Decolletage Serum, £32.99. A fraction more pricey but worth the extra, Boots No7’s Future Renew Serum, £47.95, has mountains of scientific evidence behind it.
I wouldn’t go much cheaper if you expect results, unless you’re after nothing more than a decent face and neck moisturiser, in which case I recommend CeraVe’s intensive Moisturising Lotion which is very good and sits comfortably under £20.
If you aren’t neurotic about your neck then I salute you. Although perhaps you’ll consider covering it daily with SPF50. I mindlessly excluded mine from UV protection for decades and (sigh) it’s my biggest beauty regret.
I admit it, I’ve been fretting about my neck. Not in the Nora Ephron wrinkles and sag sense (ok, maybe a bit/lot of that). But a few months ago, it began aching, intrusively.
Occasionally it has been Voltarol-worthy. I should have done something about it years ago. Every masseur/facialist I’ve ever encountered has juddered to a halt when they reached my neck. “My Gaaad, it’s like rock/stone/wood/concrete .
I assumed everyone who sits at a computer or has a smart phone has a traumatised neck. I let things slide.
Vanity brought me to my senses. To be precise, a photograph of myself in semi profile. I looked like a chicken, my neck’s so far forward.
We all know bad posture is a chief culprit when it comes to making us look and feel older. But those tense neck muscles may also be contributing to the pesky marionette lines that make one look so miserable.
I don’t fancy surgery. Besides, a friend in her early 70s who has an un-touched neck that’s cross hatched with lines is still one of the most beautiful, elegant women I know. Good posture, among other things.
I’m hydrating with oils rich in Vitamins E and A, and SPF-ing like there’s no tomorrow. I’ve even tried a neck cream, which smells divine, but won’t do what I need, which is to strengthen my upper back and remind me to pull my head back. I’m paying extra attention in my Pilates classes to protect my neck and wearing reading glasses whenever I’m at my computer, so I don’t strain forward to see the screen properly.
I spend five to ten minutes in front of the tv gently massaging the large muscles (trapezius and SCM since you ask) at the side of my neck with my hands.Some people like to use fascia balls . You don’t need a fancy oil for this – good old almond or jojoba will do.
I’m also enjoying trialling Keren Bartov’s The Wand, a light weight hand held tool that combines Radio Frequency (RF) technology, infrared and red light therapy in the optimal ranges to deliver targeted heat deep into the skin’s layers, purportedly stimulating collagen production and boosting blood circulation.
It’s easy to use, good for applying gentle pressure where you need it, and has attracted a lot of celebrity support, but it’s a steep £1,650. More affordably, Currentbody’s light mask specifically designed for necks is £359.99.
Other steps I’ve taken: sleeping on a memory foam U-shaped pillow which supports my neck and ensures crease-free cheeks if I turn on my side, and seeing an osteopath specifically about my neck tension. He’s also giving me acupressure and showing me correct ways to exercise without straining my neck.
The dull ache has gone. Meanwhile, I think the marionettes are softening. Is it the pillow, better posture, hydration, massage, osteopathy? All of it, probably. But drawing my neck back, tucking in my chin slightly and that old fashioned method of feeling a string coming out the top of your head and lifting you to the ceiling is a game changer.
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2025-04-24T15:03:49Z
