You know by now to apply sunscreen, moisturizer and all those other products that care for your skin and keep it looking beautiful to your face. But are you going beyond the jaw line? The skin on your neck and chest, aka the décolletage and cleavage, tends not to be as well-protected as the skin on your face as you age. The skin tends to be thinner and less protected, and women tend to wear clothing that may not always offer adequate coverage. So this area shows aging a lot faster than the face - sometimes as early as the late 20s. Hyperpigmentation, or discoloration, age spots and wrinkles are common. So what can you do to reverse the signs of aging on your chest? In your 20s as discoloration begins to show, begin using a product that contains nicotinic acid, which has been proven to lighten age spots and discoloration, according to dermatologists. Keep the area well-moisturized, too. To correct fine vertical lines on the chest, dermatologists recommend collagen-stimulating laser treatments, which encourage the skin to make new collagen and fills in those lines.
Most women need three to six treatments, which cost about $400 each. Any anti-aging wrinkle treatment that you use on your face also will be effective on the décolletage, if the laser treatments are out of your price range. As you age and notice crepe-y skin in this area, glycolic peels are effective in restoring and stimulating collagen production. A licensed esthetician can perform the procedure, or there are more economical over-the-counter options. Regardless of your age, it helps to smooth whatever moisturizers, sunscreens and anti-aging treatments further than your jawline - remember to take care of the skin down below!