Wrinkles on the neck are fortunately not a pathological phenomenon, but are perceived as unaesthetic and may still bother those affected very much. With increasing age, wrinkles spread all over the body, and the neck is just as susceptible as the face. How strong wrinkles appear depends on the predisposition, but also the personal lifestyle.
What are wrinkles on the neck?
The appearance of wrinkles on the neck is due to aging. The skin naturally loses elasticity in the course of our lives, environmental influences, personal diet and consumption of stimulants do the rest. The development of wrinkles on the neck causes aging. As the largest organ of our body, our skin is also a mirror of our health, vitality and, last but not least, our age. Young people usually have tight skin throughout, but as we age, more and more wrinkles appear, which can eventually become real wrinkles. In the course of our lives, the skin naturally loses its elasticity; environmental influences, personal nutrition and the consumption of stimulants do the rest. Genetic disposition also plays a role. Wrinkles are basically a normal phenomenon and cannot be completely avoided. However, every person can do a few things to prevent small wrinkles from becoming deep craters in the skin.
Causes
Wrinkles on the neck are caused by many factors. The neck is at least as susceptible to wrinkles as our face, it is a part of the body where the skin is exposed to great stress throughout our lives. The skin on the neck is basically in constant motion, day and night. In addition, the neck is usually not protected from the sun’s rays, UV rays are considered the main culprit for excessive skin aging. These rays penetrate into deep skin layers and damage the skin there permanently, so that the natural elasticity of the skin is lost. But also the consumption of alcohol and nicotine are responsible for premature skin aging. The consumption of these substances disturbs the blood circulation in the skin, which disrupts cell division. It also results in fewer nutrients reaching the skin. An unhealthy diet with unhealthy things like fats and sugar are also responsible for sagging skin and severe wrinkles, as is inadequate skin care.
Diseases with this symptom
- Weakness of connective tissue
- Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
Diagnosis and course
The diagnosis of wrinkles on the neck is not a real medical diagnosis, because it is not based on a real disease. A diagnostic procedure by a doctor becomes necessary only if the person wants to counteract his wrinkles with cosmetic surgery. Wrinkles in the skin are visible to the naked eye, but there are certain procedures that can be used to measure the individual wrinkle depth. A 3D image analysis using the transmitted light method accurately reflects the depth of wrinkles and can provide a before/after comparison for cosmetic treatments. Apart from a surgical intervention, there are no possibilities to get rid of existing wrinkles. Those who shy away from such a measure will have to resign themselves to their wrinkles. Anti-wrinkle creams promise miracles, but in reality these products have only limited success. The stronger the wrinkles, the less visible effect is achieved by the application of such cosmetic products.
Complications
Wrinkles on the neck are usually just a manifestation of aging. Young people have tight skin, but as they age, wrinkles are seen on the neck. The skin simply loses tone and environmental factors and diet do the rest. Genetics also play a role, so wrinkles are quite normal. There is practically no medical cause, there is no underlying disease. If the wrinkles bother the person very much, only cosmetic surgery will help. But even a surgical procedure carries risks, for example, bacteria can enter the wound and cause an infection. The cosmetic surgeon will always measure the depth of wrinkles before the surgery and show what the surgery can do. But surgery is the only way to get rid of wrinkles. Those who do not want this will probably have to live with their neck wrinkles. Anti-wrinkle creams have very little success, and they cannot make the wrinkles on the neck disappear. The only chance is a so-called neck lift, which, by the way, is not covered by health insurance.During the operation, excess skin is removed and the neck muscle can also be shortened. However, the rejuvenating effect is not permanent, with time new wrinkles appear on the neck again. Various risks can arise during the surgery, bleeding and bruising are not uncommon. Scarring also cannot be ruled out and some patients may experience sensitivity problems.
When should you go to the doctor?
Wrinkles on the neck are not a symptom of disease that can be treated directly, but they can greatly affect psychological well-being. In part, it is predisposition, from when wrinkles on the neck spread and in what expression. Head movements take place constantly over the neck, which at some point leaves traces. Exposure to sunlight is also responsible for wrinkles on the neck. In addition to these factors, there is also the personal lifestyle. Alcohol and nicotine consumption in particular cause skin to age prematurely and wrinkles to appear on the neck. Those for whom creams alone are not enough to reduce wrinkles on the neck often think of so-called cosmetic surgery. So far, there is no other way to get rid of wrinkles on the neck or at least to smooth them out considerably. Surgical elimination of wrinkles on the neck means an operation under general anesthesia with the usual surgical risk. This is not the only reason why people who decide to undergo such an operation should thoroughly inform themselves about recommendable specialized surgeons beforehand. The popular term “lifting” plays down the surgical procedure against wrinkles on the neck. Tip: Before and after pictures of former patients are a good way of assessing the surgeon’s specialist skills. After all, the result of the operation should not be a disappointment. A psychologist or psychotherapist is an alternative to surgical wrinkle treatment. He gives patients the insight that wrinkles on the neck are less serious than assumed. Moreover, wrinkles on the neck are usually part of a normal and healthy aging process.
Treatment and therapy
Developed wrinkles on the neck can not be magicked away again. The only way to get rid of these wrinkles again is a surgical intervention, a cosmetic surgery. This surgical smoothing of the neck is called a neck lift. As a cosmetic surgery procedure, it is completely paid for by the patient. For a neck lift alone, the patient is put into a twilight sleep; in some cases, local anesthesia is sufficient. There are several ways to perform a neck lift. Skin tightening can be performed over the chin or behind the ears, and depending on the procedure, excess skin can be removed, fat can be suctioned, or the neck muscle can be shortened. The effect of these procedures is not permanent, with time wrinkles will reappear. More complex, on the other hand, is the so-called Superficial Musculo Aponeurotic System lift (SMAS lift), in which the superficial connective tissue layer (SMAS) is separated from the underlying layer. After the tissue is tightened, the two layers of skin are reconnected. This procedure produces very natural and, above all, permanent results. A less complex procedure is the so-called minimal access cranial suspension lift (MACS lift). In this procedure, minimally small incisions are made in the skin and tightening threads are inserted to tighten the skin on the neck. This method is also used to tighten the face.
Outlook and prognosis
The skin on the neck has relatively few fat cells and dries out quickly. This makes it prone to wrinkles. If the wrinkles are already present, they will not be able to disappear again in their entirety. Their formation is part of the natural process of life. However, there are some ways to prevent premature aging of the skin. If wrinkles are already present, the skin’s appearance can still be improved. Vitamin– and fat-rich care creams for the face are also effective in the neck area and can make the skin smoother and firmer with daily use. However, pronounced wrinkles cannot be influenced by creams. It is more effective to counteract skin sagging with massages. Neck exercises tighten the skin and strengthen the neck and neck muscles. This also contributes to a smoother appearance. Tapping exercises on the underside of the chin are very effective. They bend a double chin of tighten the middle main area under the chin. In the pressing exercise, the clenched fist is pressed against the chin from below, while the mouth is opened again and again.This strengthens the muscles of the neck and lower mouth area. Stroking with the hands from the chin to the neck and toward the ears stimulates blood circulation and tightens connective tissue. Speech exercises in front of the mirror have a similarly positive effect. To address as many muscles as possible, vowels are pronounced with exaggerated clarity. Peels also help keep the skin of the neck smoother. However, they are much less effective than massages.
Prevention
To prevent deep wrinkles on the neck, there are a few things everyone can do. A healthy and varied diet is just as important as taking good care of the skin on the neck. UV radiation should be avoided, if sunbathing is not dispensable, then only with sufficient sun protection. Alcohol and especially nicotine should be avoided completely.
What you can do yourself
With numerous tricks, wrinkles on the neck can be avoided. Worth mentioning in particular is the parsley milk. For its preparation, affected people need half a liter of milk. This is first heated and then mixed with frozen parsley. The parsley should then steep in the milk for a few minutes. Then, the patient puts a towel into the liquid until it is completely soaked. Next, the towel is wrapped around the neck for about 15 to 20 minutes. Moreover, herbal oils from medicinal plants seem to bring a positive effect. In addition, an extraordinary cleansing of the neck is significant. First, the affected person moistens his neck with warm water. Then the neck is rubbed with the herbal oil. Herbal oils can be purchased in a pharmacy. The neck is gently massaged and then patted. The procedure should be repeated one more time, but this time with cold water. The blood supply to the neck increases and wrinkles on the neck diminish. Alternatively, a lemon cure is excellent for reducing wrinkles on the neck. Affected people beat egg whites until stiff and squeeze the juice of the lemon into the egg whites. The tincture must then stand for a few minutes. Only after that, sufferers can apply the mixture on the neck. The lemon mixture should sit for about 30 minutes.
