There are peculiar features of appearance that are inherent almost from birth. These also include the so-called rings of Venus on the neck. They can manifest themselves as early as adolescence, and with age become even more noticeable. Is it possible to avoid their appearance and what to do if they have already become invariable companions of your neck? Geniusbeauty.com decided to find answers to all these questions.
What are the rings of Venus
The rings of Venus are transverse skin folds on the neck, which can appear even at a young age. The appearance of such wrinkles is associated with a structural feature of the muscle (platysma), which is located in the neck. It does not attach to bone tissue and therefore quickly loses elasticity. As a matter of fact, this is the reason why the neck often reveals the woman’s true age.
Reasons for the appearance of Venus rings
The reason for the appearance of Venus rings lies not only in natural aging. If they are noticeable at a young age, most likely, the whole point is in the genetic features of the cervical spine structure, due to which the so-called “congenital stoop” arises.
In addition, features of the skin structure, which also have a hereditary nature, can increase the risks of the appearance of transverse wrinkles on the neck. At risk are women with low density dermis and thin skin.
Of great importance is taking care of this area. Even if a woman monitors the condition of her face carefully, the neck and décolleté area may be left unattended.
Photoaging aggravates the situation. We apply SPF products only on the face, forgetting to protect the neck and décolleté area, on which the sun rays also fall. UV rays destroy collagen and elastin, provoking the formation of creases.
Bad habits also contribute to the appearance of the rings of Venus: smoking, alcohol, and poor nutrition.
From the non-obvious: if you regularly drop your head while reading a book, looking at the phone screen or computer keyboard, and at the same time your skin is dry and thinned, the rings of Venus will be more likely to appear.
What to do if the rings of Venus have already appeared
To begin with, we should make it clear that no face-lift exercises, massages, masks and patches will help to remove skin folds on the neck, if they have become obvious. These are all preventive measures. Cosmetology techniques (apparatus procedures and injections) are not omnipotent as well… If the rings of Venus have already appeared, you cannot completely erase them, but you can make them practically invisible. A set of procedures is used for this.
Peeling
Both chemical and hardware (laser) peelings are effective. The effect of the former is much more difficult to predict, and they have more side effects. It is no coincidence that cosmetologists prefer to work with skin folds on the neck using laser techniques. The essence of their action is in inducing controlled traumas to the skin, which trigger the regeneration process – the formation of new collagen and elastin fibers. The doctor himself can adjust the parameters of the device to the particular skin type of a particular woman. Therefore, the effect of laser resurfacing is more predictable. Depending on the woman’s age, the degree of the problem, and the initial condition of the skin, the right type of laser exposure is selected for her. To correct the rings of Venus, you need 1-2 procedures. Laser resurfacing is recommended to be repeated once a year.
It is important to mention that if the skin of the neck is severely depleted and dehydrated, laser resurfacing is unlikely to be done right away. For the formation of new skin cells, proper building material is needed, so if the skin has no resources, they need to be replenished. They do this with the help of mesotherapy or plasma therapy procedures.
Injection techniques
They are conducted in a course of 3-4 procedures. For the neck area, drugs with medium density hyaluronic acid are used, as well as preparations based on calcium hydroxyappatites. They are introduced directly into the ring on the neck, as a result of which it is leveled with the surface of the skin. The effect lasts for 8-14 months.
Botulinum therapy
This procedure can be recommended if a woman has pronounced hypertonicity of any muscles of the lower third of the face and neck. They make the rings of Venus more visible. A similar correction is carried out every 6-8 months.
Venus rings prevention
The general advice can be given as follows: repeat all the face procedures that you do in the cosmetologist’s office or at home for the neck and décolleté. In this case, the rings of Venus will be less noticeable, even if they have already appeared.
What home care procedures might be appropriate in this case? Cleansing, peeling, applying creams, serums, masks, or using patches. It is not necessary to buy any special products specifically for the skin of the neck, except when you use medical cosmetics to treat problem skin. Everything that suits the face can be safely used in the neck and décolleté areas. Be sure to apply SPF products, if this area gets exposed to UV rays. While in the open sun in the equatorial zone, cover your neck with scarves or a wide-brimmed hat.
Watch the position of the neck while working. Arrange your workplace so that the neck maintains a straight position. In case of a sedentary job, it is good if you have the opportunity to regularly visit massages.
Finally, let us say a few words about the fashion trend – face fitness. From a preventive point of view, this kind of gymnastics should be treated with caution. No woman will be able to see which of her muscles are exposed to hypertonicity and need relaxation, and which are so relaxed that they need to be toned. Mindless exercise can only exacerbate the situation in this area. Therefore, if you want to effectively practice face fitness, consult with a cosmetologist who has mastered this technique before you get started. He will study the features of your anatomy and select the appropriate exercises individually.
The neck may look worse than the face and chest due to the anatomical location, and also because many people forget to look after it. This area is susceptible to the same atrophic and degenerative changes as the rest of the body.
The aging of epidermis, impaired barrier function and violated cell communication also happen to the skin of the neck. It also ages prematurely because the blood flow in the cervical area is often impaired due to osteochondrosis, protrusions, impaired movement, poor posture, gait, changes in the skeleton, and pinching of the upper shoulder girdle. This is a common problem of residents of megacities. If the blood flow in the cervical spine is violated, you need to consult a vertebrologist. The doctor will look at the condition of the spine and, based on the examination, recommend yoga, as well as going to a kinesitherapist or an osteopath.
Premature aging of the neck can be controlled by injections. The most effective of them are mesotherapy, biorevitalization and microcurrent therapy, which improve microcirculation.
But the most important thing to prevent the appearance of the rings of Venus is daily beauty habits, which consist in proper care. While washing your face, do not forget about the neck. It must also be tinted and moisturized with facial products. There are special creams for the neck with a stronger concentration of components. In this area, it is necessary to improve skin turgor and regenerate it with hyaluronic acid and genistein, which improve the condition of collagen and elastin, as well as with African kigelia, which regulates the differentiation of fibroblasts. These are epigenetic ingredients that are necessary for home use.
