We all know it, we all love it, and we all repeatedly look down to check it—we’re talking about our tech (ie. smartphones, tablets, Apple watches etc). But what about the side effects that accompany repeatedly looking down? You may not feel it, but over time you’ll see it – tech neck. IRL, tech neck symptoms—wrinkles, fine lines, and sagging— become more conspicuous with accumulated screen time and age. So we’re not going on a tech fast, that’s out of the question, but we did some scouting on how to prevent tech neck lines and wrinkles for the future and minimize existing damage. Read on 👇
What is tech neck?
So, what is tech neck? The initial definition that pervaded the health space referred to the pain triggered by the repeated up-and-down head movements (thanks, Instagram notification pings). But now, dermatologists and plastic surgeons use the term to describe the ensuing folds and wrinkles created by all that neck craning. Considering the average person checks their phone 150 times per day, it’s no surprise the skin on the neck forms premature wrinkling and fine lines.
So, tech neck is only caused by positioning our necks down too frequently?
We wish we had better news, but there’s another culprit – blue light. Blue light exists in every screen medium and as of now, it’s pretty unavoidable. Although the sun is the biggest source of photoaging, our smartphones, tablets and TVs are much closer to our faces (and usually for 11+ hours per day) and have, in fact, been shown to cause premature aging as well. Feeling blue takes on a whole new meaning.
Wow. So, is it too late to correct tech neck if I have it?
There’s a bright side: you can absolutely minimize, prevent and/or slow down tech neck symptoms. Follow these high-impact anti-tech neck strategies to avoid tech neck and keep your neck looking and feeling smooth and firm:
- Invest in a blue light screen protector, which filters out that unwanted light (because let’s be real, group chats are just as important as a younger-looking neck). These are available for purchase on most devices.
- Slather on broad-spectrum SPF sunscreen every day, rain or shine. Our skin needs sunscreen even from the mountaintops to the cubicle. For lighter skin tones, sun damage can set in within just 5 min of sun exposure 😳
- Make sure your computer is ergonomically placed at head level, so you’re not hunching or craning over. Get a comp stand if necessary, they make super cute ones now.
- Talk on speaker phone when possible holding the phone away from your face. Any space you can create between blue light and direct contact with your skin is 👌
- Commit to The Lift (no, it’s not a workout—more on this next!).
What is The Lift and how does it correct existing tech neck damage?
Designed to repair and prevent the repercussions of technology driven aging, The Lift corrects and prevents uneven skin tone, texture, sagging, fine lines and wrinkles that form from all that device checking. In just three phases, The Lift sculpts and smooths the look of fine lines while lifting and firming the overall appearance for a more defined jawline. Standout ingredients that make all this possible:
- Sorghum stalk & 3D protein work in tandem to physically veil the skin with an invisible, flexible barrier that allows the neck to bounce back like a rubber band anytime it moves, bends, and folds, effectively defeating those deep wrinkles.
- TriFirm™ triple-blend AHA complex improves the appearance of the neck's contour, evens the tone and texture, and makes skin look uplifted and taut.
- Cocoa butter and sweet almond oil protect and maintain skin’s moisture levels. This is important because dry skin = crepey skin.
- Acmella oleracea is a flowering herb known to slow down wrinkle formation, so much so it’s been given the moniker “natural Botox” by some of its enthusiasts.
- Vitamins A, E, and F help decrease the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Is there anything else I should be doing to prevent tech neck?
Keep track of the time you’re spending on your phone every day (most phones have a “screen time” feature that details where you’re spending your virtual time). The average is about four hours/day—if you’re above that, consider exploring ways you can scale back a bit. It’s hard, and we’re certainly not experts, but awareness is the first step to effecting a change.
You can also supercharge your topical neck treatments, like The Lift, by using them together with the GloPRO®. This microneedling regeneration tool creates microscopic channels in your skin to activate its regeneration response, allowing skincare products to absorb up to 200x more. So, if you want to fast track your way out of tech neck, microneedling is the next step to a visible, wrinkle-free transformation.
Sources
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6280109/