While most of us are meticulous about taking care of our faces, the chest doesn't always enjoy the same level of care and attention. It's an easy area to forget, but also an unfortunate one, given that the skin on your neck and décolletage can age up to 20 times faster than the skin on your face.
The main reason for this is that the chest area is one of the most UV-exposed body parts, and if you're not wearing SPF every day, you may start to notice a smattering of pigmentation and a mottled appearance. Then, as elasticity begins to reduce over time, the texture of skin on your chest can start to feel thin and crepey.
The big question is, can skincare fade pigmentation in this area and smooth out chest crinkles? As an often overlooked area, where regular skincare habits are found wanting, topical products can certainly help to improve uneven skin tone and texture - as can powerful in-clinic treatments. Here are the best ways to treasure your chest.
What skincare ingredients can reverse a pigmented or crepey chest?
"The décolletage often ages earlier and more noticeably than the face because the skin here is thinner, contains fewer oil glands and is exposed daily to UV damage," explains Dr Priya Verma, multi-award-winning Aesthetic Doctor. "Over time, collagen and elastin decline, leading to crepey overlying skin, fine lines and laxity."
Shifting the top layers of mottled skin with regular exfoliation and skin-sloughing ingredients like Azelaic acid and tranexamic acid can help to break up hyperpigmentation. "For daily maintenance, I recommend retinoids, peptides, along with a broad-spectrum SPF," explains Dr Verma. "Sun protection is arguably the most important step in preventing neck and chest ageing. Ingredients like hyaluronic acid, ceramides and niacinamide help support the barrier, soften crepiness and improve hydration."
RRP: £22
The skin across the décolletage is delicate, so choose a liquid or chemical exfoliant over scratchy scrubs. These pads are infused with niacinamide and vitamin C derivatives to gently exfoliate, revealing a brighter, more even-looking chest.
RRP: £70
For all-round anti-ageing, retinoids are unparalleled - they boost elastin and collagen, and speed up the skin’s natural exfoliation to improve tone and texture. If you’re new to retinoids, start with an entry-level product like Retinoid 1, gradually working up to the power-packed Retinoid 3, as your skin acclimatises.
RRP: £30
These reusable, medical-grade silicone patches work by keeping skin taut, forming an occlusive layer to lock in moisture and physically flattening out wrinkles and crêpey texture. Wear the patch to bed each night for smoother-looking skin by morning. Want to know more? Our Beauty Ed's review of the Wrinkles Schminkles Patches has everything you need.
RRP: £1999
This clinical-grade laser regenerates skin at a cellular level to accelerate collagen and elastin production, and break up unwanted pigmentation, delivering results on chest wrinkles and sun damage in as little as 12-weeks.
RRP: £12
Loading the neck and décolletage with moisture is one way to improve skin texture, if only temporarily. This cooling mask helps to plump out wrinkles and smooth the look of crêpey skin. Lie back for five to ten minutes to reveal skin that appears plumper, firmer and more lifted.
RRP: £42.95
Powered by peptide technology, this serum helps to repair visible signs of damage, so that skin becomes smoother and less crêpey, with a more sculpted look.
How to refresh your chest in the clinic
"Topical products can make a meaningful difference to skin texture, but they cannot replicate the lifting effect of in-clinic procedures," admits Dr Verma. One of the most effective ways to clear unwanted pigmentation on your décolleté is with a non-ablative laser treatment. This will break down the pigment in the deeper layers of your skin, all while keeping the top layer intact. That means minimal downtime (just a few days of redness), and it has the welcome side effect of boosting collagen production.
Dr Verma recommends LaseMD used in tandem with polynucleotides. "Both the laser and injectable allow for skin strengthening through collagen production, but also help with pigmentation and UV damage by mopping up excess pigment in the skin," she explains.
If you have a lot of superficial pigmentation, as well as deep melasma, aesthetic doctor Dr Brendan Khong combines the Aerolase Neo Elite laser with the Aerolase Era Elite, to target the top layer of skin, too. There's much more downtime with this option, though, ranging from five to 14 days. All options are suitable for all skin tones.
- LaseMD Ultra at ART Clinic, prices start at £450 per session. Four sessions are recommended, spaced four weeks apart.
- Polynucleotides (neck and dec) at ART Clinic, prices start at £400 per session. Three to four sessions are recommended, performed alongside the LaseMD treatment.
- Aerolase Reverse (Neo and Era lasers) with Dr Brendan Khong, prices start at £2,300 for face, neck and décolleté. One session per year is recommended.
