A common problem I see for women in their 40’s and 50’s is the appearance of reddish veins mixed with brown pigment on the sides of the neck below the ears; a condition called poikiloderma.
What causes this to appear?
For years, many skin care experts thought this irregular discoloration on the sides of the neck was the direct result of the sun interacting with perfume worn on the sides of the neck. I don’t believe this theory is true.
Here are my thoughts on why women can get this troubling condition: …
–Hormones. Women experience a drop in three hormones: progestin, estrogen and a follicle-stimulating hormone during their menopausal years. The loss of estrogen has the most significant effect on the skin and irregular pigmentation will start to appear.
-Sun damage. The neck is an area that gets tremendous sun exposure and people rarely apply sunscreen there. If you look at women in her 50’s and 60’s, you’ll see the skin directly under her chin is usually pale, smooth and without brown spots while the sides of the neck can be severely rough and discolored. This is because the chin provides natural shading for that area whereas the sides of the neck area always exposed—especially while driving and riding in a car.
–Blow drying your hair. When you blow dry your hair on the sides, the blow dryer is usually pointing at the neck depending on which side you are working on. For me after blow drying my hair, the sides of my neck are bright red—exactly in the area where this later-in-life pigmentation will occur. So my theory is that years of heat to the skin might increase melanin activity and the heat also damages the blood vessels on the neck and eventually they stay dilated resulting in a reddish tone on the neck.
There is no data confirming my blow dryer theory but it sure seems to make sense to me, so I’m going to stick with it. When blow drying your hair, lift your blow dryer up hair so that it is pointing down and not angling towards the sides of your neck.
What can you do if you have this condition? Many doctors have laser treatments that claim to help, so schedule a consultation with a doctor.
Also, you MUST always wear sunscreen on your neck and the sides of your neck, avoid heat from your blow dryer and use capillary-strengthening, skin lightening Vitamin C on the neck every single day.
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Celebrity Esthetician & Skincare Expert
As an esthetician trained in cosmetic chemistry, Renée Rouleau has spent 30 years researching skin, educating her audience, and building an award-winning line of products. Her hands-on experience as an esthetician and trusted skin care expert has created a real-world solution — products that are formulated for nine different types of skin so your face will get exactly what it needs to look and feel its best. Trusted by celebrities, editors, bloggers, and skincare obsessives around the globe, her vast real-world knowledge and constant research are why Marie Claire calls her “the most passionate skin practitioner we know.”
