London - There is nothing that betrays a woman’s age more quickly than a crêpey, sagging neck. This delicate area develops wrinkles faster than the face, yet is often left out of beauty regimes.
“The neck is the most difficult part of the body to deal with,” says Rajiv Grover, president of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons. “Treatments tend to be less effective here, which is why you often see celebrities whose faces look younger thanks to surgery, but whose necks show their real age.”
But there are steps you can take to minimise the damage. We show you how to give your turkey neck a lift...
PERFECT YOUR POSTURE
Try to sleep with your neck “long” and stretched out.
“Anything that tips your chin towards your chest will add horizontal lines to your neck,” says leading posture expert Dominic Cheetham. “Sleeping on your back is the best way to minimise wrinkles in your face and neck.”
“If you prefer to sleep on your side, it is vital to support your neck, specifically the gap between your shoulder and head.”
If you sleep with two pillows, ditch the second one to minimise the angle between the face and neck. Silk pillowcases also help to minimise wrinkles as they don’t drag on your skin as you sleep.
Sitting with “computer neck” is also a bad posture habit, adds Cheetham.
“Hunching over your desk or laptop all day with rounded shoulders will make your neck look older. Instead, try to sit with a straight back, relax your shoulders and hold your head high.”
SCRUB WITH PORRIDGE
“The problem with ageing necks is you cannot use harsh treatments, as the skin is delicate and scars very badly,” says cosmetic doctor Dr Veronique Simon.
“The skin is thinner, and it doesn’t help that it is constantly exposed to the elements.”
Make your own gentle exfoliant by mixing finely ground porridge oats into a paste with yoghurt and gently rubbing into your neck before rinsing. Use once or twice a week to encourage cell turnover.
STRETCH YOUR NECK
Devotees of facial exercises swear that pulling a series of bizarre-looking expressions keeps them looking younger - and they have an unlikely supporter in cosmetic surgeon Rajiv Grover.
“It’s hardly a scientific view,” he says, “but among all the patients I have seen in 15 years, the ones who do facial exercises tend to look younger than those who don’t.”
Facial yoga expert Danielle Collins teaches an exercise called “the giraffe” to make a sagging neck more taut.
Place your finger-tips on the top of your neck and lightly stroke the skin down as you tilt your head back. Bring your head back down and repeat twice more. Then jut your lower lip out as far as possible, place your fingers on your collarbone and point your chin upwards, pulling the corners of your mouth down. Hold for four deep breaths.
Repeat daily to see results after three weeks.
SLAP ON CREAM
There are fewer oil glands in the neck than face, so the thin skin gets dry and wrinkles easily. There are also fewer melanocytes - the cells that make the pigment that protects it from sun damage.
Giving this area just as much love and attention as your face is the most basic way of keeping ageing at bay. Cleanse and tone your neck morning and night, and massage cream in using upwards motions to boost circulation.
You can get away with using a far richer, greasier cream here as it won’t clog pores or look oily.
And, of course, don’t forget to use a high SPF suncreen, come rain or shine.
THE SURGICAL OPTION
“There isn’t a good operation for just lifting the neck,” says Rajiv Grover. “For the best result, you need to do a neck lift and lower face together, and sculpt the fat in the neck and tighten the muscles.” Such an extreme treatment will set you back around £7 000.
CLEVER MAKE-UP
You might be tempted to apply make-up to your neck, but go easy as it staints collars!
Try make-up primers which will help disguise wrinkles and contains soft-focus particles to make the skin’s surface look healthier.
If you are confident with a contouring brush, use bronzer just below the angle of your chin (where the shadow falls), to give an impression of a strong jawline, and try adding a shimmery highlighting cream down your throat to make it look slimmer.
TRY AN ON-TREND TRICK
Resort to the classic disguise, and cover it up (why do you think roll-neck jumpers are so popular among women of a certain age?).
Clearly, it’s harder to wear a polo-neck in the evenings, but that’s where this season’s statement jewellery comes in: think elaborate chokers that not only hide a crepey neck but encourage you to hold your head up high. - Daily Mail