Found: A Derm's Top 3 At-Home Tips To Reverse Neck Laxity & Loose Skin

In skin care, the neck is one of the most difficult areas to target. Why? Well, the region receives just as much (if not more) UV exposure as your face yet is oft-overlooked when it comes to sun protection.

Your neck is also super delicate, likely way more sensitive than the skin on your face.

For those reasons, it's commonly one of the first places to experience signs of aging. Think fine lines, sun spots, and loose, sagging skin—otherwise known as neck laxity. "This is a result of natural aging, loss of collagen, [and] loss of elastin," triple-board-certified dermatologist Mamina Turegano, M.D., shares in a TikTok video. 

"In general, you want to use things that can help build collagen and tighten the skin," Turegano notes.

It raises the question: Can a topical cream with supposedly "skin-firming actives" really tighten sagging neck skin? It depends. If you have milder forms of neck laxity, "creams with really good peptides" can help, Turegano explains. Namely hexapeptides, which some claim can produce a mild, Botox-like effect1. 

However, if it's late in the game and your sagging borders on severe, topical creams likely won't make a huge difference.

"You don't have to get too fancy," says Turegano. Just make sure to send your neck and décolletage some love while applying your face lotion. If you'd like to use a targeted neck cream, feel free to browse these high-quality options. 

You can also feel free to use a rich hand cream or body lotion as an impromptu neck cream, if you please. Bonus points if yours contains biotech pre- and postbiotics to improve skin firmness or wrinkle-reducing coenzyme Q10 for antioxidant support. (One of these options will surely catch your eye.) 

Remember when we said the neck area is generally more delicate than the face? Turegano agrees, which is why she approaches potent topicals with caution. 

"I'm a little cautious about recommending things like retinol or vitamin C, but you can use gentler forms of those ingredients, and that can also help build collagen and tighten the skin," she shares. 

Neck laxity is basically another way to describe sagging, crepey skin on the neck. As with crepey skin in general, delaying the onset is much easier than treating it once it arrives.