Yes, You Can Fix Your Aging Neck

While gravity always has the upper hand, there’s no denying that scrolling TikTok has resulted in more cases of “tech neck,” the horizontal lines caused by repeatedly looking down at a phone or computer. “While everyone has a genetic predisposition to these lines, they’re now appearing deeper and at a younger age due to modern tech habits,” Idriss explains. And that’s all before taking into account sun damage, especially since SPF on the neck and décolletage is usually an afterthought.

As neck-care needs have changed, so have the solutions. What used to be limited to creams that promised to firm the skin—but were only so effective—now includes ultrasound and radio-frequency devices and new uses for injectables.

Ultherapy is a noninvasive option for lifting skin that uses ultrasound heat and real-time imaging to precisely trigger collagen and elastin production. The new kid on the block is Ultherapy Prime, a faster, more personalized version of the technology. Its larger screen allows doctors to see clearer imaging for a more accurate treatment and even longer results, says Jennifer Levine, a facial plastic surgeon in New York. “Ultherapy Prime is best for those who have loose skin on the neck or jawline but aren’t ready for a surgical facelift,” she explains. While results vary, Levine says taut skin should appear over two to three months, and yearly touch-up sessions will help maintain results.

Dayan’s new go-to minimally invasive treatment for necks is QuantumRF, which creates short bursts of extreme heat (at a boiling temperature of 212 degrees in as quick as 250 milliseconds) to trigger an injury at the superficial fascia (the connective tissue directly under the skin) so that collagen and elastin rebuild. “Other devices like radio-frequency microneedling lack control and could burn the skin or even cause volume loss,” he says. Not only is the recovery time as quick as just one day post-treatment, but the results are more immediate, as the device’s targets are so close to the dermis. Only one treatment is needed for longterm results, Dayan says, and it even stimulates your lymphatic system, which means less swelling post-treatment and the ability to couple it with other technologies, such as Morpheus8 radiofrequency microneedling to further boost collagen production and resurface the skin.

The Sculpt Neck + Décolleté Concentrate

4D Visible Lifting Serum

Peptight™ Tightening Neck Serum Roller

One of the most exciting innovations in neck treatments isn’t brand-new to the scene but rather the new use of a tried-and-true method. Botox, the popular neurotoxin, is on track to receive FDA approval for the lower-face and neck area by the end of the year. While your doctor may have already injected your neck or jawline to rid bands caused by contraction of the platysma muscle (also known as platysma prominence), it technically wasn’t well studied—until now. “When using Botox for platysma prominence in the past, we didn’t have a proper technique,” says New York plastic surgeon Sachin M. Shridharani. “It was all based on our anecdotal experience using Botox off-label.” Once Botox is approved by the FDA, injectors will have best practices for treating the neck, which will mean safer, more precise results.

Even artificial intelligence is being used to address neck woes. EveLab Insight’s Eve V, a skin-analysis technology that creates a 3D scan of one’s face and analyzes it with AI, has been used by brands like Shiseido and Beiersdorf, which use it to assist in product development, as well as stores for brands like Dior and Amorepacific, which can offer consumers bespoke product recommendations. After success with the face, Singapore-based EveLab announced the expansion to neck scans for both brands and doctors to adopt in the coming year.

All these new technologies are not intended to replace topical products. Both Dayan and Idriss recommend incorporating ingredients like retinol (the gold standard in wrinkle reduction), peptides, and growth factors to help boost collagen. Even at-home tools like red-light-therapy collars, which reduce inflammation and stimulate collagen production to diminish the look of fine lines and wrinkles, can help amplify and prolong in-office results.

As delicate as the neck is, don’t be afraid to pile on topical, injectable, and nonsurgical treatments. To transform the neck, more is more. “Neck treatments aren’t single-method solutions,” notes Idriss. “They should be customized to each individual and their needs, utilizing a multimodal approach.”

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