Iron out the Wrinkles

At Giddie Skin we are all about all things skincare, and that doesn't just mean the skin on your face. It’s time to shed some light on an area not so talked about in the skincare field… the chest and neck. In an ideal world, we’d love to simply throw ourselves in the dryer for 10 minutes and come out wrinkle free, but of course that isn’t the case. Just like the sensitive skin on our faces, this area is often exposed more frequently to damaging UV rays. In general, wrinkles appear in areas on the skin that have lost their structure. There are many things that can cause this such as sun damage, age, genetics, weight change, sleep positions, and sun exposure. When this happens, the collagen, elastin and proteins that keep our skin firm slowly start to lessen. While of course this is a completely natural occurrence, there are things you can be doing to help decrease this or repair it once the damage has been done. In this article we are breaking down all the treatment options and caring for that area!

Neck Creams

If you are looking for a noninvasive method, neck and chest specific creams are a great treatment option to start with! We recommend Revision Nectifirm Advanced, an age-defying neck product harnesses the power of the skin’s own Microbiome with a groundbreaking formula that combats the visible signs of moderate to advanced aging on the neck and décolletage. It also features eight distinctive peptides and Smart Antioxidant Technology for advanced results. A good neck cream will target visible signs of moderate to advanced aging, enhance the skin’s own antioxidant system, reduce the appearance of adipose tissue and rough, crepey skin and smooths the appearance of lines and wrinkles! 

Microbotox Injections 

Microbotox is a newer more advanced botox injection technique used to reduce fine lines and wrinkles with a needle the size of a single strand of hair. The injection is more superficial compared to traditional botox in which the injection is placed in the muscle. This means new treatment areas and more natural results! 

PRP Injections 

Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) treatments are another great option for the chest and neck area! PRP is utilized during microneedling or a post ablative procedure, and uses your own natural growth factors and healing properties to help heal, smooth, tighten and stimulate new growth. This treatment is an excellent option for those wishing to reduce wrinkles or scars and improve skin tone, texture and appearance.

Microneedling 

Microneedling involves pricking the skin with very fine needles, once small wounds are created this allows the skin to begin its natural healing process in the area which stimulates new collagen and elastic production. The result… firmer, younger looking skin!  

Chemical Peels 

Chemical peels are another great option to revive the neck and chest area. Chemical peels are commonly used to improve skin health by removing damaged outer layers to reveal a fresher, more refined complexion. New skin cells emerge naturally and with a glowing appearance. Superficial peels offered at day spas can give the skin a nice glow, but medical grade peels offer longer lasting results. No need for a little twinkle in your wrinkle. Instead, the result… glowing skin and very little down time.

Laser Treatments

And last but definitely not least we have Laser treatments. Eventually these will be one of your best options if the area is not too hyperpigmented. Often times we’ll do a combo laser treatment to this area. Utilizing SRA Skin Rejuvenation targets the hyperpigmentation, and a Sublative treatment is going to target crepey skin by causing a dermal remodeling and tightening effect. Now if you are just wanting to prevent and you’re not quite to the stage of having to treat already existing damage, add this area to your treatment regimen when doing peels and microneedling sessions. 

While there are many treatment options available for already damaged skin in the neck and chest area, we always want to encourage preventative measures as well! We feel this one goes without saying, but sometimes we all need a little reminder, make sure to use sunscreen any time the area is exposed to the sun. Titanium and zinc are great ingredients to look for in an SPF, Revision Intellishade Clear, Vivant Mineral Sunscreen & our Colorescience SPF brushes are great options here. And lastly, Retinol is another great treatment option. Make sure to start off slow with this one alternating the days you use it, and then slowly work up to using it daily. We recommend Vivant Derm A Renew or Obagi Tretinoin 0.5%. While neck and chest wrinkles are a natural part of the aging process, and we always encourage the beauty that comes with age, we also understand that you may be looking for treatment options and we are here to help! Historically chest wrinkles were difficult to get rid of, but thanks to incredible advancements in technology, they are no longer impossible to treat. ;) So here’s to ironing out all of the wrinkles!

Emily Giddings, RN