Anti-aging efforts are all-too-often placed on the face, neglecting other parts of the body that are also extremely susceptible to crinkles and wrinkles. Whether you have dark spots on your chest or loose skin around your neck, here are some tips on minimizing the visible effects of aging on your upper body.
Dark Spots
Dark spots are primarily caused by sun exposure, and these usually appear later on in life. While there are many creams that may be able to help lighten these dark spots over time, another option is asking your doctor for an intense pulsed light treatment, also known as broadband light. This light not only targets unwanted pigment and breaks it down, but also helps to boost collagen production within the body, which, in turn, will add some firmness back to your skin.
Neck and Chest Wrinkles
The skin on the neck is quite delicate, but this area is rarely given the same level of care as the face, which is why neck wrinkles are so common. The chest is another area that also experiences a high amount of sun exposure, making it susceptible to wrinkles and fine lines. Photodynamic therapy is a relatively new take on a technology that has been around for a while, as it was previously used to target skin cancer. This treatment consists of a lotion that is applied to the skin, but is only absorbed by cells that have experienced damage, therefore causing wrinkles. After the lotion has been applied, a laser light activates it, resulting in reduced wrinkles, as well as patches of discoloration, in just three sessions. When it comes to chest wrinkles in particular, research has shown that sleeping on your side can often contribute to this, so simply adjusting your sleeping position may have a much bigger impact than you would have imagined.
Turkey Neck
The dreaded turkey neck is created by loose skin running from the chin to clavicle, as well as a protrusion of the playsma muscle, , and treatment options for this vary on just how loose the skin here is. For a non-invasive procedure, have a look into Ultherapy, which makes use of ultrasound to injure the tissue surrounding muscles. This then sets off a healing response within the body, which triggers the production of collagen, and therefore tightens and lifts the skin over time. As effective as this may be, it is important to note that this method is only really recommended if the loose skin around your neck is quite mild, and more invasive treatments may be required for cases of a higher severity.
In addition to the mentioned options for each of these issues, there are also plenty of topical treatments that you can apply yourself at home. However, keep in mind that you really do need to be extremely diligent about sunscreen use if you are trying to tackle these aging concerns, as protecting your skin from the sun will help to boost results, while preventing further damage and exacerbated problems.
