Although “tech neck” might sound like a new gadget, it isn’t a necklace-like gizmo for your smartphone. But what is tech neck, exactly? The term refers to the chronic neck pain and wrinkles caused by tilting the head downward to look—you guessed it—at electronic devices. While the face gets most of the attention in the skincare world, your neck also needs tender love and care. Let’s dive into the impact of tech neck and how to combat it.
Why Is the Neck Such a Sensitive Area?
Looking down at a smartphone, laptop, tablet, or computer screen for long periods is one bad habit that places strain on neck muscles, resulting in stiffness and pain. If that wasn’t bad enough, wrinkles are also a tech neck symptom. As delicate as facial skin is, the skin on the neck is thinner and more prone to wrinkling because it has less collagen and fewer sebaceous glands¹.
Bending your neck to look at electronic devices causes folds to form in the skin. Over time, continuing to place pressure on the delicate tissue causes compression wrinkles to appear in the place of the folds. The faint or deep lines are horizontal and located in the front or sides of the neck².
How to Get Rid of Tech Neck
Perfect Your Posture
Minimizing muscle strain will help alleviate tech neck pain. You can do this by positioning electronic screens directly in front of your face. Try to keep your devices at or slightly above eye level so you won’t have to bend your neck to look down. This will also alleviate the pressure that causes tech neck wrinkles to develop.
Think about your posture when you’re sitting down—especially when you’re working at a desk. Do you have enough back support to sit up straight, or do you find yourself slouching or leaning?
Be Smart About Your Sleep Position
How you sleep can cause compression wrinkles, too. When you sleep on multiple pillows, your neck remains bent at an angle that causes the skin to fold. To prevent this problem (and avoid an achy neck in the morning), sleep on one thin pillow instead.
Create a Dedicated Skincare Routine
To improve your appearance, incorporate neck care into your current skincare ritual. Undaria seaweed is the standout ingredient in many of OSEA’s products. It is a rich source of antioxidants, minerals, vitamins, and additional nutrients that minimize the look of tech wrinkles.
Massage the new Undaria Collagen™ Body Lotion into your dry skin or right after taking a shower. The milky formula contains vegan collagen and is clinically proven to visibly firm skin in just four hours³. The fragrance-free version of this lotion is also dermatologist-approved and safe for sensitive skin.
In addition to the nutrient-packed seaweed, the Undaria Algae™ Body Butter contains moisturizing shea butter, oat kernel extract, and saccharide isomerate. Rub the body butter into dry or damp skin for up to 72 hours of hydration, which can curb the dryness that makes tech wrinkles appear more prominent.
Your options to combat tech neck don’t end there. The white lupin in the Undaria Algae™ Body Oil firms the look of skin, while the mix of rice bran, acai, babassu, and passion fruit oils hydrate the tissue. The Alaria Esculenta seaweed in the Anti-Aging Body Balm also makes neck skin appear firmer. The passion fruit seed oil makes it possible for the skin to hold more water and the coconut oil’s fatty acids lock in moisture.
And there you have it! Tech neck is a futuristic-sounding problem with some back-to-basics solutions. A few simple adjustments to your posture and focusing your favorite OSEA products on your neck will have you looking and feeling your best in time for your next video call.
Citations
1. The Best Skin Care Ingredients for Your Neck. Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved on June 5, 2023, from https://health.clevelandclinic.org/the-best-skin-care-ingredients-for-your-neck/
2. Schneider, J. How to Combat Tech Neck Wrinkles: 5 Must-Have Tips From Derms. MBG Lifestyle. Retrieved on June 5, 2023, from https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/5-ways-to-combat-tech-neck-wrinkles-backed-by-derms
3. Based on a third-party clinical study conducted on 33 women ages 24-61 after one use.