Vertical and horizontal neck wrinkles: Are the treatments different?

For horizontal neck wrinkles that are already clear and deep like tree rings, dermal filler (such as HA filler) treatment is the first-line and most effective method to physically fill the sunken space. A small amount of soft-particle filler is precisely injected along the wrinkle lines to lift the folded valley beneath the wrinkle flat.

If the problem is shallow horizontal wrinkles rather than distinct furrows, or thinning skin texture, an approach that strengthens and tightens the collagen structure within the skin is needed.

• Collagen booster: Skin Boosters such as Re2O®, GOURI, and RADIESSE® that strongly induce collagen production or replenish structural materials are used. They are thinly layered on the neck skin to rebuild the softened skin fabric to be thicker and firmer.
• Skin-tightening devices: For overall skin sagging and fine wrinkles, energy devices such as microneedle RF, Thermage® FLX, Alltite, and Soprano Titanium are used in combination. They apply heat to the dermal layer to tighten the loose neck skin overall.

Vertical band-shaped wrinkles that stand taut are caused by excessively contracted muscles, not skin, so botulinum toxin (botulinum toxin type A) treatment is the first-line solution. Gently relaxing the tense platysma muscle noticeably alleviates the vertical bands and creates a smooth neckline. Effects appear within a few days after treatment, and repeat treatments every few months are needed for maintenance.

Looking at your smartphone at eye level is the first step in preventing neck wrinkles. The longer you spend looking down at the screen, the more the skin in the same area repeatedly folds, causing horizontal wrinkles to set in early. Therefore, it is important to raise the screen and stretch your neck from time to time.

Applying sunscreen and moisturizer to the neck is also basic. This is because the neck skin is thin and has fewer sebaceous glands, so it dries out faster than the face and is directly affected by photoaging. Avoiding excessively high pillows and reducing the habit of sleeping curled on your side can also help.

It is difficult for existing wrinkles to fade with habit correction alone, but lifestyle management must be combined to maintain treatment effects longer. If you are curious about what type of neck wrinkles you have, we recommend consulting a dermatologist to first identify the cause.