Medical expert of the article
New publications
Flabby skin on the neck
Last reviewed: 05.07.2025

All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
Many people forget about their neck, caring only about their face. After all, loose skin on the neck can be easily hidden behind a scarf or a high collar of a sweater, but in the summer you will definitely want to wear a sundress or an open dress, but an unpleasant appearance will not allow you to do this.
Reasons
The causes of loose skin on the neck can be different, but the most popular of them are:
- Age-related changes in the body. Usually, women's skin loses its elasticity after 35 years. In addition, the amount of collagen gradually decreases after menopause and this cannot but affect the skin.
- Diseases inside the body, failures in the endocrine and digestive systems. Often, stomach diseases and poor nutrition have a negative effect on the appearance of the neck.
- If you spend a lot of time in a room with dry air, this will also negatively affect the condition of your skin.
- Loose skin on the neck often appears in those people who overuse tanning or like to apply self-tanning creams.
- Stress, fatigue, depression, irritation and nervous breakdowns also negatively affect the condition of the neck.
- A sudden change in weight can cause the skin to stretch, causing it to lose its elasticity.
- If you do not use cosmetics correctly, this can also affect the condition of the skin of your neck.
[ 1 ]
What to do if the skin on your neck is loose?
If you don't want to have loose skin on your neck, you should follow a few important rules. First of all, set yourself up for a healthy lifestyle, regularly take care of your skin, maintain its nutritional and water balance, do some physical exercises so that your neck always stays in good shape.
Probably, many of us notice that we have not the best or specifically harmful habits. They need to be carefully monitored, because they often become the cause of the first wrinkles (at 25-30 years). What should not be done?
- You should not sleep on high pillows or read while lying down, as this leads to the appearance of horizontal folds.
- Try to maintain correct posture at all times: your shoulders should be straight and your head level.
- Proper nutrition plays a very important role. Be sure to include vegetables, fruits, grains and food rich in minerals and vitamins in your daily diet.
- Try to exercise every day.
- To prevent loose skin on your neck from appearing prematurely, you should give up smoking and drinking alcohol.
- It is very important to drink up to 2 liters of water per day (not counting various juices, teas, coffee).
How to get rid of loose skin on the neck?
If you want to get rid of loose skin on your neck, you need to not only use various creams and expensive masks, but also do special physical exercises. But you need to do such exercises every day four to six times, gradually increasing the load. Of course, on the first day, you should not strain your body too much, do all the exercises calmly and moderately.
- Perform slow circular turns of the head in a sitting or standing position. Then tilt the head and hold it in this position for up to 10 seconds.
- Tilt your head slowly to one side and then to the other (four to six times), and then do the same thing, only more sharply (ten times).
- Place your palms on the back of your head and interlock your fingers. Lower your head forward, and then quickly throw it back. It is important to overcome the resistance of your hands.
- Sit up straight and tilt your head back. Look at the ceiling and make chewing movements.
- Raise your chin up, cover your lower lip with your upper lip, and try to smile. You need to stay in this position for up to ten seconds, then repeat.
How to tighten loose skin on the neck?
If you want to know how to tighten loose skin on your neck, then you should learn about the various masks and creams that various cosmetic manufacturers offer today. In order to properly care for your skin, you need to carry out various procedures. It needs to be cleansed, moisturized and softened. Nourishing masks, special wraps, massages, and various compresses are perfect for this. But you should very carefully monitor the procedures. Do not rub or scrape the skin of your neck too much. Remember that the thyroid gland is located here, so you need to be extremely careful.
Vitamins
The most important vitamins that help fight sagging skin are vitamin E and vitamin P. That is why proper nutrition plays such an important role here. It is necessary not only to try to add products in which these vitamins can be found to your daily diet, but also to try to take special courses (of course, after consulting a doctor).
Vitamin E can be found in the following products: any vegetable oils (sunflower, olive, soybean, peanut), sunflower seeds, nuts, apple seeds, milk, liver, wheat germ, egg yolk (small amount), spinach, sea buckthorn, bran, broccoli, various grains.
Vitamin P can be found in the following products: orange, lemon, rose hips, cherries, apricots, grapefruit, lettuce, buckwheat, chokeberry, black currant.
Treatments for loose skin on the neck
There are various procedures for loose neck skin that help to deal with this unpleasant problem and look young and beautiful again. Among the most popular today are:
- Mesotherapy – also called microcurrent therapy. It is based on injections into tissues in areas that are too flabbiness. The procedure uses a variety of drugs that are prescribed by a doctor for each individual case. Usually, these are microelements, vitamins, amino acids and antioxidants. They help moisturize the skin, activate collagen synthesis, and provide a tightening effect. As a result, you get tightened and elastic skin.
- Contour plastic surgery – this procedure uses subcutaneous and intradermal injections. For injections, preparations with absorbable gel and hyaluronic acid are used. Due to this, collagen production in the dermis is enhanced, which also restores the water balance. The skin quickly smooths out and becomes velvety in appearance.
- Biorevitalization – this procedure is often used together with contour plastic surgery. It is suitable for thin and overdried skin. Two types of preparations are used for it: IAL-system ACP and IAL-system. They are based on hyaluronic acid and are administered alternately. Thanks to biorevitalization, the skin acquires a toned, beautiful and elastic appearance.
- RF therapy – this procedure is often recommended for those with very sagging skin on the neck. It also helps to remove flabbiness and improve the appearance. During the procedure, the main effect is on the tissues (dermis and subcutaneous layer) using radio wave radiation. Wave impulses act on the skin in such a way that they denature protein compounds in the dermis and stop the stretching of collagen fibers.
Physiotherapy treatment
Physiotherapy treatment for loose skin on the neck includes the following procedures:
- DOT therapy is the full name of the procedure "Dermal Optical Thermolysis". It is also known as fractional photothermolysis. This procedure is considered one of the most promising in cosmetology in the fight against flabbiness of the skin. This process is based on the use of laser beams that spread to the affected areas of the skin. Microtraumas appear on these areas, which trigger natural processes of skin regeneration.
- Photorejuvenation – is based on the action of light waves from a broad-frequency range. They help stimulate the production of collagen. After the procedure, processes occur in the skin that help replace collagen fibers, remove old cells, improve intracellular metabolism, and reduce sagging skin on the neck. The main principle of photorejuvenation is the stimulation of the body's natural systems.
- A facelift with Aptos threads is a non-surgical procedure that helps to tighten the skin. Also after it you will notice that the skin on your neck has become more elastic, younger, less flabby. Thanks to Aptos threads you can not only eliminate flabby skin on the neck, but also get rid of the "double chin". The procedure is based on the introduction of special threads into the skin, after which they are fixed there.
Folk remedies
Folk remedies for loose skin on the neck are often more effective than buying expensive drugs. After all, you make all the drugs yourself from natural and safe products. The most popular remedies for loose skin on the neck today are:
- Make a special lotion for daily use. To do this, take a raw egg white and beat it until foam forms. Add 1 tablespoon of glycerin, lemon juice, a solution of burnt alum (2%), any cologne and a little castor oil. For oily skin, you only need 1 teaspoon of castor oil. Wipe the skin on your neck with this lotion twice a day. Store the product in the refrigerator.
- A popular lotion for preventing loose skin in winter is a product based on cucumber and rose hips. These ingredients must be crushed and filled with alcohol or vodka (for 100 grams of the mixture - a glass of liquid). This lotion is infused for two to three weeks in a dark place. Use twice a day.
- Dissolve a small amount of sea salt in hot water. Soak a towel in the resulting decoction and apply to the skin of the neck for three minutes. Then wipe the neck with a second towel soaked in cold water with lemon juice. Apply a nourishing cream.
[ 2 ]
Masks for sagging skin on the neck
- Lemon mask – peel the fruit and cut it into small thin circles. If necessary, remove the seeds and mix to make a paste. Apply a fairly thick cream to the skin of the neck first, and then a small layer of cotton wool. The lemon mask should be applied to this layer. Keep the mask for 20 minutes, and then rinse with warm water and wipe with a cosmetic disk, first moistened with water and lemon juice. Apply any nourishing cream.
- Banana mask – cut the fruit into small rings and mash into a paste. Moisturize the skin with cream and apply the mask. Wash off after 20 minutes.
- Cucumber mask – grate a cucumber, apply the resulting gruel to the skin of the neck. After 15-20 minutes, rinse with warm water and apply any nourishing cream.
- Potato mask – boil one potato and mash it. Add the yolk of one egg, a teaspoon of honey, glycerin, vegetable oil (preferably olive oil). Carefully apply to the skin, cover with nylon. Wrap it with a terry towel and leave for 30 minutes.
Herbal treatment
The most popular folk remedies based on medicinal herbs for improving flabby skin of the neck are various compresses. To use them, you need two towels. The first is soaked in a herbal decoction, and the second in cool water. The towel soaked in the prepared decoction is usually kept on the skin for up to 10 minutes, and then replaced with the second for 1-2 minutes. The most popular decoctions for compresses are:
- A compress with chamomile and milk will help if your skin has stretched and lost its elasticity. Pour milk over a handful of chamomile flowers and bring to a boil. Boil a little more, leaving on low heat. Soak a fairly thick napkin in the resulting decoction and apply to the skin of the neck. Wrap it in cling film and a towel. Leave for 15 minutes. After that, wipe with a clean towel and apply any nourishing cream.
- Suitable herbs for the decoction are tonic herbs - sage or rosemary. They will help improve collagen production and reduce sagging skin.
- An excellent remedy for a compress is a hot decoction based on mint or linden.
Surgical treatment
Surgical treatment of loose skin on the neck is carried out with the help of a facelift. The following procedures are considered the most effective here:
- Ulthera System – the use of an ultrasound device that affects the deepest layers of the structure (dermis and subcutaneous fat). This system is compared to plastic surgery, but does not require long-term recovery. The Ulthera System device uses pinpoint ultrasound pulses that immediately reach the deep layer of the skin. Due to heating, elastin and collagen fibers begin to contract, from which the tissue framework is formed. This device is the only effective procedure that helps to completely get rid of the "double chin".
- Lipofilling is a surgical procedure that helps improve the elasticity of the skin on the neck, remove its flabbiness, and create a more attractive and youthful appearance. To perform such an operation, it is necessary to first conduct special studies. The patient takes a blood test, urine test, and an electrocardiogram. The main feature of this procedure is its complete safety. Usually, fat tissue is taken from the abdomen, hips, or waist for transplantation. After that, it undergoes special processing. Punctures are made in the skin in the right places. It is through them that the fat tissue is then injected. After the operation, bruises on the skin and slight swelling will remain for 2-3 weeks. You will see the result immediately. Sometimes, to achieve the maximum result, it is necessary to perform two or three lipofilling procedures.
Prevention
There are several popular and quite effective methods and procedures for preventing loose skin on the neck. They help to moisturize the skin, increase the production of elastin and collagen, and tighten the tissues in the affected area. Among them, it is worth highlighting:
- Cosmetic procedures for neck care. They use homemade masks, lotions, compresses, as well as preparations from well-known manufacturers.
- Massages.
- Various physical procedures (microcurrent lifting, radiofrequency lifting, ultrasound lifting).
- Procedures based on lymphatic drainage that help remove toxins, harmful substances, increase the outflow of lymphatic fluid through the vessels, moisturize the skin and relieve swelling.
- Injection techniques – biorevitalization, mesotherapy, thread lifting, bioreparation, botulinum therapy.
Forecast
If you forget about your bad habits, start eating right, leading a healthy lifestyle, doing specially designed physical exercises, and carrying out prevention with the help of various physiotherapeutic procedures, you will be able to easily improve the appearance of the skin on your neck, remove its flabbiness, and increase the production of natural collagen in a fairly short period of time. But it is worth understanding that to maintain the result you will have to continue to exercise, do masks and compresses, massages, and other procedures.