How To Combat Tech Neck Wrinkles: 5 Must-Have Tips, From Derms

When you dive into the types of wrinkles, the conversation can turn technical pretty quickly. Read: elastotic wrinkles, atrophic wrinkles, gravitational wrinkles, and so on. We'll go ahead and assume you don't rattle off this science jargon in your everyday life, which is why many facial wrinkles also come with more familiar, everyday monikers (smile lines, the "elevens," crow's feet, etc.). 

Tech neck wrinkles look like horizontal lines that wrap around the neck like a choker. They can be faint or deep, depending on how much they've settled in, but you can point them out by their horizontal orientation. Neck wrinkles, in general, can also manifest as lighter lines that are more prevalent on the sides—but tech neck wrinkles tend to concentrate toward the front. 

"Horizontal neck lines form like all other wrinkles on the face," says board-certified dermatologist Ife J. Rodney, M.D., founder of Eternal Dermatology. "Over time, our skin's elasticity weakens. We lose collagen, elastin, and other hydrating, plumping skin factors. This loss allows the skin to slightly sag and fold over constricted muscles, causing horizontal lines." It's a natural process that happens as you age, but factors like sun exposure, smoking, and other environmental aggressors can speed up the process. 

However, tech neck wrinkles are also a type of compression wrinkle—or when your skin endures pressure from a certain position. The most common compression wrinkles are sleep lines (also called pillow lines), which happen when you squish your face into your pillow while you sleep. 

Tech neck follows a similar fashion, although instead of smashing your face into a pillow, you're keeping your neck bent to look down at screens. When this happens over several hours a day, those folds can start to stick around, especially when your natural collagen levels begin to decline.

First and foremost: Be mindful of how often you look down at screens. "For neck wrinkles specifically, you would want to avoid looking down for long periods of time by using good posture and positioning screens directly in front of your face," says Fenton. Try to use your phone at eye-level if you can, and perhaps adopt an ergonomic approach while working at your desk (if you tend to slump forward). The right desk chair and seat position can make a world of difference. 

Any derm would agree: Sun protection is the cornerstone of smart skin care. "The best [method] for all types of wrinkles is to wear sunscreen every single day," says Fenton. (In fact, 80% of the signs of skin aging1 are due to UV exposure.)

Antioxidants can also help buffer the skin against photoaging by both absorbing UV rays and helping neutralize UV-induced oxidative stress2.* You can check out antioxidants for every skin concern here, but if you're trying to address fine lines, vitamin C, CoQ10, astaxanthin, and polyphenols are your best bet. 

Targeted topicals can help stimulate your natural collagen production, which is why Rodney suggests exfoliating the neck area at least once every two weeks (perhaps more if you can tolerate it). Glycolic acid is a popular choice for skin aging, as the topical has been shown to stimulate a 27% increase in epidermal thickness3. 

"Retinols and prescription-strength retinoids can help rebuild and maintain collagen as well," says Fenton. "However, you must be careful because the neck skin is often more sensitive than other parts of the face." You might have to work your way up to a regular retinol cadence or opt for retinaldehyde if prescription-strength topicals prove too harsh for the delicate neck skin. 

But a skin care routine is not complete without locking in necessary moisture. "Keeping the skin well moisturized will help [ease] the appearance of any lines, so I would recommend using a moisturizer on a regular basis," says Fenton. Bonus: Proper skin hydration is imperative for delaying crepey skin (or when your skin resembles a thin sheet of crepe paper), which also tends to crop up in the neck area.