Decollete Home Treatments for Age Spots and Crepey Skin
Posted by Jennifer Tilney | CEO Platinum Skin Care on Nov 14, 2018
The décolleté is the area from the neck down to the upper chest (top of bosoms). This area can really show your age quickly. Speckles, spots and crepey skin can be very prominent, and this is really bothersome for many people.
This area gets targeted because:
- It has very thin skin.
- Has less follicles and heals slowly.
- Lack of moisture.
- Doesn't get as much protection as the face.
The skin on the neck is actually thinner than the face, which is only about 0.12mm thick as it is. The upper chest skin is just the tiniest bit thicker, yet still not as thick. Considering the fact that the body's skin is about 0.60mm, this is very thin! The only skin that is thinner still, is the eye area at about 0.06mm.
Treat more conservatively and, more often
Thinner skin needs greater care - and products that are a bit milder. That doesn't mean that you can't do a great peel on your décolleté, but you'll definitely want to start with something mild and work your way up slowly. Even after several months, you would not want to apply anything higher than a 20% TCA maximum. Some doctors will go a bit higher, but we aim for safety at home. This could be done one time per month maximum.
A great acid for drier, more sensitive skin would be a lactic 50%. A mild peel like this could be done 1-2x per month on the décolleté . Lactic is hygroscopic. Meaning that it has the ability to pull moisture deep into the skin to keep it hydrated. This is obviously very important since the thin skin here is naturally drier. That is also why you will find a good deal of lactic acid in our 25% Triple Treat Body Lotion.
When performing a peel on the body, expect a longer healing time than on the face. With less pores, the healing is slowed and flaking is more minimal. This is why we recommend only 1 or 2 peels per month. Your body needs a longer time to complete the process.
Most people feel very dry and "sand papery" about a week or so after a peel, but don't see "flakes" like on the face - though everyone is different and you may see some. To help speed this process up you can apply a daily exfoliant such as Retinol Luminosity or an acid serum or lotion. These are the same types of products you should be using daily to prepare your skin already.
If you want to peel your décolleté, you have to prepare your skin first.
Begin your treatments with the proper daily product usage. Products like retinol and L ascorbic acid along with copper peptides will help to get your decollete prepared and healthy.
Retinol will help to begin the discoloration removal process in the skin while smoothing and stimulating collagen production. It will also help to get your skin in a regenerative mode. This will help when you perform a peel so the skin will heal more quickly. Apply this every evening.
Vitamin C helps to brighten and lighten the skin's tone. It will also help with collagen and elastin production - which is going to be at the top of your list if you sleep on your side as well. Apply Vitamin C every morning.
**Bonus Tip** Vertical lines between the breasts anyone? Start sleeping on your back if you can ... and those silicone patches are great for keeping the lines away. Yes, they are temporary but if you keep it up you can help reduce the damages.
Copper peptides are made for tissue regeneration. This is helpful not only for collagen deep in the skin, but for tightening the skin and replacing damaged tissues with new ones. Apply copper 1-2x per day to help. Add some emu oil on top for penetration and hydration.
There are other great singular ingredients that you should think about as well. Epidermal Growth Factor is a great product to put on thinning skin. It will help to grow your epidermis! Emu oil is also excellent for thickening the skin and would be a perfect companion on the neck and chest.
Anything that helps to stimulate collagen like Syn-TC, or elastin production like Citrustem would be a perfect addition to any décolleté treatment plan. And if you have pigmentation - which is most likely a yes - than a topical daily melanin inhibitor such as Fade Bright with alpha arbutin and resveratrol would be extremely helpful.
Remember, if you can put it on your face, you can put it on your neck and chest as well. Aging isn't just limited to the face. Sometimes we spend so much time on our faces that our necks, chests and hands are the ones that give away our age!
Stay beautiful!
Jen
If you would like to see how a peel is performed, watch this video.