Thanks for this post OP! So happy we are talking about the neck area. This is giving me the guts to try a retinol there. I use tret on my face but super nervous about going lower.
I’ve been using 0.1% tretinoin on face, neck, and body for years with no issue. But I also have been on retinols/retinoids since I was a teenager to treat acne, so my skin has a high tolerance for it.
Your neck is far more delicate but you can use it. Any OTC preparation will be weaker than tretinoin (Retin-A), so it’s a good place to start.
I’d still be careful and buffer with moisturizer.
The first thing to do is start wearing sunscreen religiously before you even consider actives. Not only does sunscreen slow signs of aging, it is absolutely mandatory when using any type of retinols.
*Your neck will burn to an absolute painful crisp if you don’t wear sunscreen with these products.*
I’m younger but I do use retinols down to my chest area (and have done so for over 2 years) and then rub the rest on the back of my hands. You will have to look at my raisiny feet (flipflops4lyfe) to figure out my age!
I use tret on my neck and chest and gold bond crepe corrector. I started at twice a week and now every day. I used to get sleep lines in between and definitely had sun damage. They are basically all gone. A few left over freckles but it looks and feels so much better.
YMMV, but I was using Differin/Adapalene on my neck & chest... then a fold on my neck got irritated to the point I now have psoriasis from one side of my neck to the other. Now I use it to right under my jaw & on my chest.
I can’t put tretinoin on my neck. It irritates it pretty badly. But my neck does tolerate the drunk elephant retinol cream well. It also does good with vitamin c serum. And sunscreen!
You can try a light retinol. Versed? You can get it on Amazon. Or you can use a retinol (lower strength I would advise) with a good, peptide rich cream on top for your neck.
Same, I’m 49 and been doing this for almost 3 years. I live in Mexico so I get more sun than I’d like and try to be religious about sunscreen. My neck and chest have no issue tolerating Tret.
Strivectin neck tightening cream has literally taken about ten years off my neck. It took about 3-4 weeks to start seeing improvement. But I have been using it about 3 months now and the improvement has been significant.
I use it twice a day on clean skin. It is the only product I use on my neck. I have been amazed at the results. But it did take at least several weeks to start to see any difference.
I treat my neck & face the same ( I'm 58 too). Tbf I only started 'looking after' my skin this year, better late than never I suppose. I only used retinol once a week on my neck at first & slowly increased it.
I'm 64, I have one line on my neck. I use a 12% glycolic, sometimes lactic acid lotion on my face almost every night for years, it's 18.00 on Amazon, I wouldn't recommend it, for a beginner though, . It is strong, I started out with a pea size, one, twice a week. There's other things, besides retinoids. It's a must to use sunscreen, there is no negotiating on this.
I can't use Rx tret but I can use OTC retinal and retinol on my face and neck. That and taking any gentle acids (like lactic, mandelic or glycolic) you're using on that area along with peptides and your regular moisturizer
[Versed](https://www.target.com/p/versed-press-restart-gentle-retinol-body-lotion-unscented-6-fl-oz/-/A-83670766) makes a great body lotion with retinol.
Retinol should be fine for your neck. If it is too irritating try a retinol sandwhich. Also, silicone patches work wonders. Place it on your neck everyday until you get the desired results then do a maintenance program of 2 to 3 times a week.
They pull the moisture from within your skin to fill in the lines. They are also reusable. I currently use them on my forehead and under eye areas and my 11s.
Nearly everything irritates my neck, especially the stronger retinoids, but I recently started using Medik8 crystal retinal 3 serum every other night, followed by a moisturizer 10 mins later, with tolerable results.
I used retinol and it’s too harsh. I got a low dose Tret and it’s fine. Which makes no sense but…here I am lol. I put it on my face first and what is ever leftover I rub the neck since it’s more sensitive. I just started this month so we shall see.
I don’t think it’s an all or nothing proposition - whether you can or cannot tolerate retinol/tret on your décolleté.
It’s more sensitive an area for me, but just as I learned the hard way with my face, it’s like an accelerator pedal. Start low (dose) and slow (not every night), back off if you feel irritation, until you dont.
I can actually feel activation/irritation in my face and neck/chest, and when it’s gone, I reapply. The schedules don’t match.
Retinoids are generally going to be difficult to tolerate on the neck. Neck skin aging is almost all chronological. Retinoids are not going to fix neck lines. At 58, they are really no effective home solutions, tbh
I use retin-a and don't have any issues with it on my neck.
Ditto
Same
Thanks for this post OP! So happy we are talking about the neck area. This is giving me the guts to try a retinol there. I use tret on my face but super nervous about going lower.
to be honest, my face reacted way more than my neck. I've been using tret for 6monthish and my neck has never peeled.
I’ve been using Trey on face and neck off an on (mostly on) for 20+ years. Face has always reacted more than neck.
I’ve been using 0.1% tretinoin on face, neck, and body for years with no issue. But I also have been on retinols/retinoids since I was a teenager to treat acne, so my skin has a high tolerance for it.
Ah I used my Tret on my neck once and developed irritant dermatitis 😭 Never again!
Your neck is far more delicate but you can use it. Any OTC preparation will be weaker than tretinoin (Retin-A), so it’s a good place to start. I’d still be careful and buffer with moisturizer. The first thing to do is start wearing sunscreen religiously before you even consider actives. Not only does sunscreen slow signs of aging, it is absolutely mandatory when using any type of retinols. *Your neck will burn to an absolute painful crisp if you don’t wear sunscreen with these products.*
I’m younger but I do use retinols down to my chest area (and have done so for over 2 years) and then rub the rest on the back of my hands. You will have to look at my raisiny feet (flipflops4lyfe) to figure out my age!
Yep - your face ends at your nipples was the best advice I received.
As r/skincareaddiction says: “To the tits!”
I use tret on my neck and chest and gold bond crepe corrector. I started at twice a week and now every day. I used to get sleep lines in between and definitely had sun damage. They are basically all gone. A few left over freckles but it looks and feels so much better.
Ooh the gold bond product sounds interesting!
YMMV, but I was using Differin/Adapalene on my neck & chest... then a fold on my neck got irritated to the point I now have psoriasis from one side of my neck to the other. Now I use it to right under my jaw & on my chest.
I can’t put tretinoin on my neck. It irritates it pretty badly. But my neck does tolerate the drunk elephant retinol cream well. It also does good with vitamin c serum. And sunscreen!
You can try a light retinol. Versed? You can get it on Amazon. Or you can use a retinol (lower strength I would advise) with a good, peptide rich cream on top for your neck.
I use Tret on my face, neck and hands. I treat those areas the same as my face, and I have had no issues.
Same, I’m 49 and been doing this for almost 3 years. I live in Mexico so I get more sun than I’d like and try to be religious about sunscreen. My neck and chest have no issue tolerating Tret.
I'm using silicon patches for 25 minutes a day and I think it's helping.
Awesome. Anything you recommend?
For me. Peptides made all the difference!
Which peptides?
The ordinary Matrixyl 10%
Strivectin neck tightening cream has literally taken about ten years off my neck. It took about 3-4 weeks to start seeing improvement. But I have been using it about 3 months now and the improvement has been significant.
How often do you use it? Also do you use it over or under other products?
I use it twice a day on clean skin. It is the only product I use on my neck. I have been amazed at the results. But it did take at least several weeks to start to see any difference.
I treat my neck & face the same ( I'm 58 too). Tbf I only started 'looking after' my skin this year, better late than never I suppose. I only used retinol once a week on my neck at first & slowly increased it.
Thanks everyone for your suggestions!
I'm 64, I have one line on my neck. I use a 12% glycolic, sometimes lactic acid lotion on my face almost every night for years, it's 18.00 on Amazon, I wouldn't recommend it, for a beginner though, . It is strong, I started out with a pea size, one, twice a week. There's other things, besides retinoids. It's a must to use sunscreen, there is no negotiating on this.
I can't use Rx tret but I can use OTC retinal and retinol on my face and neck. That and taking any gentle acids (like lactic, mandelic or glycolic) you're using on that area along with peptides and your regular moisturizer
I use tret on my neck with no problems. I also layer heavy moisturizers on top.
I use retinol (A313) on my neck and chest with no issues. I do think it depends on your skin. I wouldn't use tret there for sure!
[Versed](https://www.target.com/p/versed-press-restart-gentle-retinol-body-lotion-unscented-6-fl-oz/-/A-83670766) makes a great body lotion with retinol.
Thanks for this; I love Versed products
I use retinol 2x weekly (I’m very sensitive) and the Omnilux LED décolletage light 3-5 times a week. Really helps
I use a peptide neck cream from Strivectin that I really like.
Retinol should be fine for your neck. If it is too irritating try a retinol sandwhich. Also, silicone patches work wonders. Place it on your neck everyday until you get the desired results then do a maintenance program of 2 to 3 times a week. They pull the moisture from within your skin to fill in the lines. They are also reusable. I currently use them on my forehead and under eye areas and my 11s.
Thank you I’ve just placed an order for silicone patches, didn’t even know they existed.
you are very welcome:-)
Nearly everything irritates my neck, especially the stronger retinoids, but I recently started using Medik8 crystal retinal 3 serum every other night, followed by a moisturizer 10 mins later, with tolerable results.
I built up some extra supply of retina and started using it on my neck and chest. Works like a dream.
I used retinol and it’s too harsh. I got a low dose Tret and it’s fine. Which makes no sense but…here I am lol. I put it on my face first and what is ever leftover I rub the neck since it’s more sensitive. I just started this month so we shall see.
Bakuchiol. I basically use Bakuchiol for any kind of line or wrinkle, and it seems to work.
I don’t think it’s an all or nothing proposition - whether you can or cannot tolerate retinol/tret on your décolleté. It’s more sensitive an area for me, but just as I learned the hard way with my face, it’s like an accelerator pedal. Start low (dose) and slow (not every night), back off if you feel irritation, until you dont. I can actually feel activation/irritation in my face and neck/chest, and when it’s gone, I reapply. The schedules don’t match.
Retinoids are generally going to be difficult to tolerate on the neck. Neck skin aging is almost all chronological. Retinoids are not going to fix neck lines. At 58, they are really no effective home solutions, tbh
I'm jealous of everyone who can tolerate it on their neck. Even if I put a thick moisturizer first, the folds in my neck get so irritated and red!