When you hear the word “wrinkles,” most people think of the wrinkles on their faces. Our faces do tend to wrinkle first due to the 20 facial muscles pulling on our facial skin as we make thousands of facial expressions every day.
At the first sign of forehead wrinkles or loose skin, many people begin to take extra precautions to age gracefully and to keep their face looking as healthy as possible. And while your face may be your primary concern, other areas of your skin can show signs of aging as well.
The skin on our chest, backs of our hands, and neck area may appear to age more quickly than other areas of our bodies. That is because these areas tend to have thin skin, less adipose (fat) tissue, and more sun exposure over our lifetimes.
In this article, we will explore the types of neck lines you may see and the options for treatment for neck wrinkles. But…
The truth is, neck lines are totally normal!
Our bodies are made with extra skin in some highly mobile areas, including our necks, in order to stretch and accommodate movement.
Types of Wrinkles on Neck
When you look in the mirror, you may notice two types of neck lines – vertical neck lines and horizontal neck wrinkles.
Vertical Neck Lines
Vertical neck lines come from the platysma muscle under our skin. Similar to the muscles of the face, the platysma muscle of the neck attaches directly to the skin and subcutaneous tissues. The platysma muscle works with other muscles of the face to create facial expressions. The platysma also assists the muscles of mastication in chewing. Vertical neck lines, also known as platysmal neck bands, can become more prominent as we age due to overuse of the platysma muscle and loss of collagen and elastin in the overlying skin. Vertical neck lines may also be more noticeable after significant weight loss or in people who have endured extreme stress which causes tension in the neck muscles.
Horizontal Neck Lines
There are a few different factors that contribute to horizontal necklines including environmental damage, repeated movements, and genetics. Similar to forehead wrinkles caused by repeated facial expressions, the horizontal lines on our necks are often caused by repetitive motions and prolonged positions. Referred to as text neck or tech neck, we often crease our necks as we look down at our phones – sometimes for multiple hours per day! Just like the skin on our face, the health of the skin on our neck will determine how pronounced the neck lines become. Over time, our skin loses collagen and elastin, two connective tissue fibers that are responsible for our skin’s flexibility and plump, supple texture. With less collagen and elastin, our skin doesn’t “bounce back” after being stretched and may hold the creases in the skin resulting in horizontal neck wrinkles.
Common Neck Treatments
Remember, neck lines are normal. However, there are treatment options to minimize the appearance of neck wrinkles. Many people explore cosmetic surgery as a solution. The most popular surgeries for improving neck wrinkles include:
- Dermal Fillers: Ideal for non-surgical volume restoration and smoothing out neck lines.
- Botox: Botulinum Toxin Injections relax neck muscles, diminishing the appearance of wrinkles.
- Neck Lift (Nefertiti Lift): Surgical procedures performed by plastic surgeons, offering more permanent solutions.
Despite these choices, it's worth noting that natural neck rejuvenation treatments often provide the safest and most sustainable approach to maintaining neck skin health. You may not need a plastic surgeon to treat your neck wrinkles, you can try some of these prevention steps and non-invasive at-home treatments.
Everyday Steps to Avoid Neck Lines:
The best way to avoid neck wrinkles is prevention, stopping fine lines before they start. If you are just starting to see lines on your neck, now is the time to take action against neck wrinkles with these simple steps.
Treat your neck as part of your face
Since the skin of your neck is similar to the skin of your face, you should care for your neck and face in similar ways. Any moisturizers, serums, and broad-spectrum sunscreen that you apply to your face, you should consider using on your neck as well to protect the neck skin from signs of premature aging.
Pay attention to your posture
Prolonged posture and repeated movements, specifically looking down at your phone, largely contribute to tech neck wrinkles. Try these three tips to prevent neck wrinkles:
- Hold your phone at eye level
- Take breaks from using your device
- Stretch your neck and shoulders
Top Tips to Tighten Neck Skin
Neck skin does best with a simple routine you can stick with: hydrate, add a targeted mask, ease tension, and, if you enjoy it, add gua sha. No product tightens loose skin overnight, so think of these steps as supporting smoother-looking, better-hydrated skin. As with any new routine, give it 30 days or more before judging the results.
1. Start With Hydration: Neck Cream and Serum
The easiest way to care for your neck is to extend the routine you already use on your face. Look for moisturizers and serums with hyaluronic acid, which helps skin hold water so it looks plumper, and vitamin C, an antioxidant. Hyaluronic acid, often listed as sodium hyaluronate, is in our Chin-Up Mask, our Neck Mask, and our Rose Water Hydrator.
Our Aloe & Oat Gel Moisturizer for Face & Neck is made for exactly this. It has an aloe base with oat oil (a source of ceramides), naturally occurring vitamins C and E, plant antioxidants, and peptides. Use it morning and night, and apply it to your neck every time you apply it to your face.
For a simple layering order:
- Cleanse with pH Balancing Face Wash.
- Apply Apple Stem Cell Serum to your face and neck.
- Mist with Rose Water Hydrator or your favorite facial toner.
- Apply your moisturizer while your skin is still damp.
Finish every morning with a broad-spectrum sunscreen on your face, neck, and chest. UV exposure is a major cause of premature photoaging and crepey neck skin.
2. Add A Peptide Mask: Frownies Chin-Up
If you want to step up your routine, the Chin-Up Peptide Neck and Chin Mask is made for the jawline and neck. It's a serum-soaked mask with ear loops that holds the mask snug against your skin. The serum contains three peptides (Oligopeptide-1, Copper Tripeptide-1, and Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1) along with hyaluronic acid and glycerin.
Peptides are short chains of amino acids. They're widely used in skincare for firmer-looking skin, and studies suggest copper tripeptide-1 may help with elasticity and firmness with consistent use. Think of Chin-Up as support for firmer-feeling, smoother-looking skin.
How to use it:
- Unfold the mask and hook the loops around your ears. Choose the loop length that keeps the mask snug against your skin.
- Smooth the mask under your chin and around your neck.
- Wear it for 15 to 30 minutes.
- Use the leftover serum in the pouch on your face and chest.
- If you wear it on consecutive days, you can reuse the mask once or twice. Store it in an airtight container between uses.
3. Try a Hydrating Neck Mask: Apple Serum Neck Mask
For a deeply moisturizing treat, the Neck Mask with Apple Stem Cell Serum is a clear hydro-gel patch that fits around the front of your neck. It's soaked in a serum made with apple stem cell extract from a rare Swiss apple and snow mushroom extract, along with aloe, glycerin, and hyaluronic acid. It's designed to hydrate and refresh the neck, helping skin look smooth and supple.
How to use it:
- Cleanse your face and neck, then lay the mask over your neck and smooth out any creases.
- Relax for 15 to 30 minutes. It's not adhesive, so it's best worn while you read or unwind.
- When you're done, place it back on its tray, spritz it with Rose Water Hydrator, slide the tray into its sleeve, and store it in the refrigerator.
- Each mask can be reused 3 to 4 times.
Which mask should you choose? Chin-Up focuses on the jawline and chin with peptides, while the Apple Serum Neck Mask focuses on hydrating the front of the neck. Many people alternate between them over the week.
4. Neck Exercises for Wrinkles: Ease Tension and Improve Posture
Stretches won't erase lines, but they can ease the muscle tension and posture habits that contribute to them. These two take a minute each. Move gently, stop if you feel pain, dizziness, or tingling, and check with your provider first if you have a neck or spine condition.
Kiss the Sky
Overuse of the platysma, the muscle at the front of the neck, may contribute to vertical neck lines, and stress can keep it tense. This stretch helps release that tension.
- Using your fingertips with medium pressure, anchor the skin at your collarbones.
- Extend your neck and look up toward the ceiling. You'll feel a strong pull across the front of your neck.
- For a deeper stretch, "kiss the sky" and release repeatedly.
- You can also anchor the skin with both hands on one collarbone and rotate your chin up in the opposite direction.
Chin Tucks
Chin tucks help correct the forward-head position that comes from looking down at a phone. Better posture won't erase existing lines, but reducing long stretches of looking down is a sensible way to ease the repeated creasing behind tech neck lines.
- Place one hand on the back of your head and gently press your head into your hand.
- Imagine sliding your earlobes back in line with your shoulders.
- Do this in front of a mirror so you're not tightening the front of your neck and activating the platysma, which creates vertical neck lines.
5. Gua Sha for the Neck
Gua sha is a traditional massage technique that uses a smooth stone to glide across the skin. It's a relaxing ritual, helps move lymph, and depuffs the face.
What early research does suggest is more modest. In an 8-week randomized trial published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology in 2025, women who used a gua sha tool on the face for 10 minutes, five days a week, showed reduced tension in the jaw muscle and small reductions in jawline surface distance on 3D scans.
How to use the Frownies Rose Quartz Gua Sha Stone on your neck:
- Start with clean skin and apply a facial oil or serum so the stone glides.
- Hold the stone at a low angle, between 15 and 45 degrees, and use light pressure.
- Begin at the base of your neck and stroke upward toward your jaw. Then glide along your jawline toward your ears.
- Avoid pressing directly on your throat.
- Spend 5 to 10 minutes, a few times a week, and wash the stone with mild soap and warm water afterward.
A note on facial cupping: Facial cupping uses small suction cups on the skin. It's a popular practice, but research on cupping for wrinkles is limited, and suction can leave temporary redness or marks. If you're curious, go gently and consider asking a licensed professional first.
Start Building a Routine for Neck Skincare
Neck lines are a normal part of life, and there are many gentle, non-invasive ways to care for the skin there. You don't have to do everything. Pick a few steps you'll actually keep doing, and consistency will do more than any single product.
| When | Routine |
|---|---|
| Every morning | Apple Stem Cell Serum, Rose Water Hydrator, and Aloe & Oat Moisturizer on your face and neck, then sunscreen on your face, neck, and chest |
| Every evening | Cleanse, Apple Stem Cell Serum, Rose Water Hydrator, then moisturizer |
| 2 to 3 times a week | Chin-Up Peptide Mask or Apple Serum Neck Mask for 15 to 30 minutes |
| Daily | Kiss the Sky and chin tucks, and hold your phone at eye level |
| A few times a week | Gua sha for 5 to 10 minutes |
By combining good skincare, gentle habits, and a little patience, you can support smoother-looking, well-hydrated neck skin while celebrating the beauty of aging gracefully. Neck wrinkles are a normal part of life, and they don't need to define your beauty journey.