Neck Lines

Neck lines, sometimes called necklace lines or tech-neck rings, are the horizontal creases that form across the front of the neck. They develop through a mixture of skin ageing, repeated creasing and progressive platysmal change. The skin of the neck is naturally thinner than facial skin, has fewer sebaceous glands, and receives less cumulative sun protection than the face because SPF application habitually stops at the jawline. As dermal collagen and elastin decline with age, the neck skin loses firmness faster than adjacent areas, and the horizontal lines that form across the neck become etched static creases rather than transient folds. Modern lifestyle factors have accelerated the appearance of neck lines in younger patients. Extended time looking downward at phones and laptops repeatedly creases the neck skin along horizontal axes, a pattern increasingly referred to as tech neck. Poor sleep position, chronic dehydration, and smoking all worsen the dermal quality of the neck. Weight loss, especially the rapid loss seen with GLP-1 medications, reveals neck lines that were previously padded by subcutaneous fat. In older patients, the platysma muscle itself loses tone, producing vertical bands alongside the horizontal lines and a general slackening of the anterior neck. Treatment focuses on improving skin quality and underlying structure rather than individually filling each line. Profhilo is a hyaluronic-acid-based bio-remodeller delivered at defined injection points, designed to improve skin hydration, elasticity and thickness by stimulating fibroblast activity and collagen synthesis. It is particularly well-suited to the neck because it integrates smoothly without the swelling typical of traditional fillers. Polynucleotides, purified DNA fragments usually derived from salmon, trigger dermal remodelling and improve skin quality in a similar way. Both typically require a course of two to three sessions initially, followed by maintenance every six to nine months. Skin-tightening technologies including HIFU and radiofrequency microneedling are added where there is measurable laxity, providing controlled thermal contraction of the dermis and SMAS. Direct filler placement in deep horizontal lines is occasionally performed but carries a real risk of visible or palpable product and poor integration, and is generally reserved for specialists. Patients with pronounced platysmal banding or severe neck laxity may need a surgical opinion rather than injectable treatment.