Skin Deep: How to properly care for your neck and décolletage.

Many of us pay a lot more attention to the skin on our face than we do to the skin on our décolletage. However, neglecting your décolletage can result in sun damage, premature wrinkling, and other
skin issues. We asked Dr Kate Jameson, founder and medical director of Youth Lab, Australia’s leading medical aesthetics clinic specialising in non-surgical aesthetics and skin rejuvenation, an inside
to the best new professional treatments and the best at-home options. Some simple tips can help repair and restore the skin of your neck and decolletage as well as treatments to bring them back to life.

“We invest so much time, money and energy into looking after our skin. We invest in expensive products, treatments, makeup and masks but often the skin of our neck and decolletage is left neglected,” says Dr Kate. “Once the changes associated with ageing start to affect the delectate skin of the neck and decolletage they can be harder to treat and once the damage is done it is very difficult to repair.”

“It is understandable to feel a bit sceptical about products designed for the skin of the neck and
decolletage, but these areas of the body are often exposed to more UV than the face and have years of
environmental damage from cumulative exposure to the sun and pollutants in the air, “ she says. “These
changes can present themselves as wrinkles, skin laxity, textural changes and discolouration. This skin
is much more delicate and thinner than that of the face also meaning it will prematurely lose elasticity,
accelerating these changes.”

Read on for Dr Kate’s best results-driven treatments and professional products to help you achieve your
skincare goals…

Daily Habits

Avoiding the sun as you would with your face is the most important preventative treatment to maintain healthy and beautiful skin for your neck and decolletage. Wear a hat, cover the areas with protective clothing, spend more time in the shade and apply sunscreen to these areas every single day. Sunscreen with a high SPF is essential and is the most important thing you can apply to the skin to delay the signs of ageing and prevent permanent damage.

Start with simple skincare. It does not need to be an extensive 7 step routine morning and night. Start with a hydrating moisturizer under your sunscreen in the morning and one at night time. Investing in one specially formulated for the neck is a plus.

Once you have started a simple routine adding some active ingredients such as vitamin C, antioxidants, peptides and retinol at night (much like your face) will help to stimulate collagen, increase cell turnover, exfoliate and give smoother and healthier skin. Luckily there are some amazing products containing all of the best neck loving ingredients so you can invest in a single product and reap the benefits.

A favourite is PCA skin-perfecting neck and dec and Skinceuticals Tripeptide neck repair, which targets visible neck ageing in a retinol cream formulated with peptides and works to improve the appearance of wrinkles, crepiness and uneven skin tone.

Sagging Skin

As we age, our skin gradually loses its firm and youthful appearance. The natural ageing process combined with sun exposure, environmental stressors, weight changes and poor skincare results in a reduction in the quality, strength and elasticity of the collagen within our skin. Crepiness to the neck
and sagging skin is often the first sign of ageing.

Skin sagging is best treated early to encourage new collagen formation. Luckily it can be improved with the use of non-invasive, energy-based technologies. These treatments work to promote new, healthy collagen which results in skin tightening and wrinkle reduction.

A firm favourite is the Lutrionic Genius Radiofrequency Microneedling Treatment. This treatment combines the thermal energy of Radiofrequency and the benefits of micro-needling (which are well known). The Genius delivers the Radiofrequency energy directly through the specialized microneedles, the treatment is more effective and delivers superior outcomes than either treatment alone.

The Genius provides an immediate tightening due to thermal exposure resulting in a contraction of existing collagen and elastin fibres. Longterm, cells are stimulated which work to produce new collagen, elastin and other components within the skin. This can occur for up to 6 months after the initial treatment.

Think of RF micro-needling as the collagen stimulator like no other, we all lose 1% of collagen every year so make 2022 your year to claim it back!

Texture

There is nothing worse than the feeling or irregular and rough skin texture. A common concern for the neck and decolletage area is the sensation of the skin being rough to touch, with the formation of lumps and bumps, crepiness and deep lines.

A condition called Poikiloderma of Civette is common in women especially and is caused by chronic sun damage resulting in irregular skin tone and texture, discolouration and pigmentation.

Textural changes from loss of elastin and collagen often need to be treated early and laser is often the best option for those wanting to have a full rejuvenation. Not only can a laser treatment, such as
the Halo fractionated laser, treat textural irregularities, but it can also target all other concerns such as wrinkles, pigmentation, deep sun damage and redness. Add in its phenomenal long term stimulation of the skin’s collagen and elastin and you have a winner.

The results from Halo are evident within a few weeks with more refined skin and the undeniable “halo glow” where the skin appears smoother, polished and looks airbrushed. In the following months, you then see an improvement from the slow collagen production. Most people are happy following a single treatment but for significantly sun-damaged such as the neck and decolletage a course of treatments may be needed.

Discolouration

Discolouration of the skin of the neck and decolletage can appear as darkened areas of hyperpigmentation and sunspots, as well as excessive redness and visible blood vessels. Both redness, pigmentation and blotchy skin colour are due to UV exposure and sun damage.

Unfortunately, there is only so much skincare can do once skin damage is present. As with many skin conditions that are triggered by UV and sun exposure, the main focus of treatment is to prevent damage and repair damage by strict sun avoidance.

Sometimes treatments may be needed to remove stubborn pigmentation and reduce blood vessel formation. The Sciton BBL treatment uses intense pulsed light to target discolouration in the skin. The BBL directs pulsed light energy which is converted to heat energy when it reaches the top layers of skin, gently heating the tissue. This heat energy is then absorbed by certain targets such as fine broken blood vessels which cause redness and melanin which causes pigmentation and brown spots.

The light then damages the target, eliminating it from the skin and restoring the skin to its natural healthy condition. As a result, the skin appears more refined, with even colour and texture giving a more youthful appearance.

A course of treatments is generally recommended and the BBL is the perfect maintenance treatment to have each year to ensure the skin remains even and smooth for years to come.

Fine Lines

Fine lines and wrinkles are not isolated to the face. Creases and wrinkles can form on the neck in the
form of horizontal neck bands from the constant movement of the neck and creases are common on the
decolletage often a result of sleep position. Lines and wrinkles are also exacerbated by dehydrated skin.
Sleep creases and deeper wrinkles can all be prevented with highquality skincare, sun protection and
collagen-stimulating treatments but the best treatment for these lines is injectable procedures such as dermal fillers and skin boosters.

Skin boosters are similar to dermal fillers in that they contain hyaluronic acid, the skin’s natural moisturiser. Hyaluronic acid maintains hydration of the skin by binding closely with water and supporting vital collagen and elastin. Skin boosters can be injected into the skin, and directly into fine lines to add deep hydration, add firmness and fill stubborn lines.

Skin boosters can be thought of as internal hydration in that they replace the hyaluronic acid in the
skin. So rather than placing topical moisturisers and creams hoping for absorption, skin boosters moisturise from the inside which also has the advantage of delivering immediate results for those after instant gratification.

For more, visit youthlab.com.au