Tech Neck: What Is It And How To Treat It

How to treat and prevent neck wrinkles

If you’re like most people, you probably spend countless hours a day staring at your smartphone, tablet, and laptop. Over time, this can cause horizontal lines to form across your neck, resulting in what’s known as “tech neck.” Luckily, there are several things you can do to help prevent premature aging of your neck skin and minimize the appearance of horizontal lines.

Why do tech neck wrinkles form?

Constantly looking down at our devices causes premature development of horizontal lines across the neck, which is caused by the position of our faces as we look down at technology. Neck skin is thinner than the skin located on the face and is more prone to fine lines, wrinkles, and sagging. Because of this, the repetitive motion of looking down causes static 45 degree wrinkles over time. Other causes of necklines include sun exposure, smoking, and genetics.

Lifestyle remedies that reduce and prevent necklines

Many at-home lifestyle changes and skincare products can help to reduce and prevent tech neck, including:

Vitamin C serum. Vitamin C is an antioxidant with potent properties that are great for the skin. It can help protect against free radical damage caused by UV rays and other environmental stressors.
SPF. Regularly using sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher can help prevent premature fine lines and wrinkles.
Moisturizer. Most people remember to moisturize their faces but forget about their necks. But moisturizing your neck regularly can help protect your skin and prevent premature signs of aging.

You can also help minimize tech neck by being mindful of your posture. Switch up your seating so that you don’t end up spending hours a day looking down. You want to ensure you’re sitting correctly in a chair with good posture to minimize strain on your neck.

Which aesthetic treatments help with tech neck?

While certain skincare products and lifestyle remedies can help minimize and prevent tech neck, a couple of non-and minimally-invasive aesthetic treatments can help reduce the appearance of horizontal lines and tighten the neck area — Potenza RF Microneedling and Thermage.

Potenza RF Microneedling is a minimally invasive treatment that combines the benefits of traditional cold microneedling and radiofrequency technology to increase collagen and elastin production, which helps reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles on the neck area. Initial results can be seen after four to six weeks. Still, RF Microneedling’s more noticeable effects appear over three to six months as your skin goes through three phases of collagen remodeling. For best results, it’s recommended that you repeat RF Microneedling treatments every four to six weeks for three to six treatments, followed by routine maintenance treatments.

If you’re looking to firm up loose skin on your neck that contributes to horizontal lines, Thermage is a noninvasive treatment that uses radiofrequency energy to stimulate the production of new collagen deep within the skin. After just one treatment, you’ll see smoother, tighter skin. While you may see some results immediately, they appear gradually in the two to six months following your treatment. Best of all, you’ll only need one Thermage treatment to achieve results (though maintenance treatments every couple of years are recommended).

Want to learn more about RF Microneedling and Thermage?

Want to learn more about how RF Microneedling and Thermage can help reduce the appearance of tech neck and more? Reach out to LaserAway, the nation’s leading aesthetic dermatological provider, where all treatments are performed by registered nurses, nurse practitioners, and physician associates, so you know you’re in good hands!

References

“New Technologies in Skin Tightening,” Facial Plastics, October 11, 2021.
“Prospective, Preclinical Comparison of the Performance Between Radiofrequency Microneedling and Microneedling Alone,” Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, September 6, 2019.
“What Causes Neck Lines and How to Get Rid of Them” Healthline, n.d.