Giving the decolletage the respect it deserves
The area between my neck and my chest looks much older than my facial skin, possibly because I never bothered putting moisturiser on it. Is there a way to make it look younger?
The skin of the upper chest area, or decolletage as it is known more attractively in French, is one of the first areas to be damaged by time because the skin is both thin and has few oil glands. The fat layer is also thin in that area, so wrinkles and lines are easily noticed. Unfortunately, many women do not realise that the upper chest area needs as much tender, loving care as the face does with the result that the decolletage is often overlooked.
This is why so many women in their 40’s boast smooth and youthful facial skin but a wrinkled and dull upper chest, thus giving away their real age. The good news is that it’s not too late to improve the appearance of your decolletage by including the skin in that area in your skincare regime.
Sunscreen is not only for the face – every inch of the skin exposed to UV rays needs to be protected equally. Wearing sunscreen on a daily basis can slow down the ageing process of the skin, and prevent current skin concerns from worsening.
To improve the condition of your decolletage, put moisturiser or anti-ageing cream on it regularly and treat it in the same way as you look after your face.
For more visible results, the only US FDA-approved non-invasive procedure specifically indicated for improving lines and wrinkles on the decolletage is the Ulthera technology, which received the US FDA clearance earlier this year.
Ulthera works by “heating up” the muscular layer or the SMAS layer under the skin using very precise and focused ultrasound energy. The heat stimulates results in immediate collagen contraction and initiates natural collagen synthesis without damaging the skin’s surface. The procedure is the only US FDA-cleared treatment for a non-invasive neck, eyebrow and under-chin lift, and a fourth FDA indication to treat the decolletage area was recently added to the list.
The great thing about the treatment is that it only requires one session to see visible results. There is no down time and the treatment takes about 30 minutes. Results are immediately seen and continue to improve as months go by.
In recent research conducted on 125 women, 86 per cent of the patients saw noticeable improvement on the upper chest area after 90 days, and 89 per cent noticed it after 180 days. The skin becomes tighter and more youthful. Lines and wrinkles are also less visible.
While Ulthera does not require post-treatment care, it is still important to look after your skin on a daily basis. Sunscreen and moisturiser might not help you turn back the clock, but they can slow down the ageing process and the damage done by UV rays and pollution.
