Skin care reduces wrinkles on neck

By Al Varela

Dear Al: Is there a product that will help me tighten the skin around my neck area? As I get older it seems to sag more, and short of a face lift—I don't know what I can do to tighten that skin. I don't want to be confused with the turkey as Thanksgiving approaches.

The age of a woman can be told by her hands and neck. The best solution is of course prevention. I can’t stress enough the importance of a skin care routine when young. But before you get your feathers ruffled about having a face lift there is some hope. Although there is no such thing as a magic cream, there are some temporary measures that will help tighten that problem area.

First, be aware that the way you sleep is very important—the number of pillows you use can have an adverse effect by pushing your chin into the neck creating creases and loosening the skin in your neck. The thinner the pillow, the better. In the old days, movie stars would wrap baby diapers around the chin area and tie them to the top of their head while they slept. This gave them the assurance that the neck skin would stay tight as they slept and reduce the chance of creasing.

Next, remember to moisturize your skin with a cream that is made especially for the neck area. The cream you use should be hydrating and firming at the same time. Select a moisturizer that penetrates the skin quickly. Heavy creams tend to weigh down the already vulnerable skin. Moisturizers that are light in weight are your best bet.

Also, make sure you use upward strokes from the neck area to your chin and jaw line when applying the moisturizer. You want to go against the pull of gravity. Use the creams twice a day, at morning and at night.

Never apply foundation to the neck area. Always match your foundation to the color of your neck. Besides the unsightly stains it will leave on your clothes, it also adds weight to the skin. A translucent powder for the neck area is also a good substitute for the foundation.

It is also important for those young in age to not overexpose their skin to the sun. The sun is one of the most damaging factors in premature aging of the skin.

So, don’t put your neck on the line. Enjoy your Thanksgiving and remember, keep your chin up.

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