When you think about skincare and having a skincare routine, what area of the body comes to mind first? My guess is the face...this isn't surprising, the face is prone to premature sun damage and aging, and is often our number one concern.
My interest in the aging of the décolleté came early to me in my 20's when I remember my boyfriend at the time telling me he would look at a woman's neck to guess her age before her face, since makeup could cover up a lot.
I don't believe that the only reason we should be concerned with skincare is to slow down the appearance of aging, but I don't deny that it does play a serious part in many peoples motivation to take better care of their skin. I also believe that how we feel and how we look often correspond with each other; and if we can look and feel better longer by tweaking our lifestyle to take better care of our skin, then why not?
Since the number one cause of premature aging is sun exposure, which is also highly linked to skin damage and skin cancers, having good skincare practices through sun protection also serves many health benefits in addition to looking younger; such as having healthier skin throughout our lives, and decreasing the likelihood of skin cancer; or even preventing its return.
While it is important to be conscious and take care of and protect all areas of our body, our décolleté (neck and chest area) is one of our thinnest areas of our skin that is often subject to longer sun exposure than many other areas of our bodies. There is increasing public awareness and education concerning this area with many skincare professionals urging people to treat this area with the same care as they do their face. This means washing it daily, applying good quality products, and providing daily sun protection.
While the face is more widely known as being delicate, the skin on the chest and neck is actually thinner in some areas. It also produces less oil than the face does, making it more prone to drying out and damage. The neck also has much movement and gravity working against it, further leading to breakdown of collagen and elastin, leading to early signs of aging. Much like the face, this area is often open and exposed to sun rays, especially during warmer months when people are more likely to be in swim suits, or wearing open shirts and lower cut tops.
To take care of the long term health of your décolleté it is important that you follow a good skincare routine, and make sure to apply daily moisturizers. There are also a variety of skincare treatments that can be done to help prevent premature aging, and also repair damage already done. Finally, sun protection is paramount. This can be in the form of a good SPF, or covering with UPF clothing. We are partial to The Solara Crop Top, but also see and believe in the use of multiple methods and products over one's lifetime to achieve their optimal skin health goals.