Can You Actually ‘Tighten’ Neck Skin? Maybe: Try These Tips To Combat Sagging

You may have heard the saying once or twice: Skin care shouldn’t stop at your jawline. 

Meaning, don’t forget about your neck and décolletage during your routine! Just as you might seek out formulas to target fine lines and sagging skin on the face, you’ll want to slather those same ingredients down your neck as well. That’s not to say you have to go out and buy a fancy neck-firming cream—in fact, most derms agree your face products will do just fine. 

In terms of choice ingredients, retinoids are beloved for stimulating cell turnover and collagen production (which is what keeps your skin firm and taut). However, you must be careful because the neck skin is often more sensitive than other parts of the face,” says board-certified dermatologist Jeremy Fenton, M.D., of Schweiger Dermatology Group in NYC and Long Beach, New York. You may want to try layering your retinoid between a veil of moisturizer (commonly dubbed the “retinoid sandwich”) if you find it too harsh for the sensitive skin. 

Exfoliators—think AHAs and BHAs—are also top notch for addressing skin texture, and some, like glycolic acid, can stimulate collagen production as well. Although, “For wrinkled and sagging skin, exfoliators can play a role, but it is important to be realistic and be mindful that exfoliators will make a nominal change,” notes Kim.

Sloughing away dead skin from time to time is an important part of a healthy skin regimen (and it can offer some visually gratifying benefits), but if you’re dealing with sagging skin already, an exfoliator most likely will not be make-or-break.