We’re here to tell you that your chest deserves a skin care moment, too, well before the first fold settles in. Below, derms explain what causes chest wrinkles and how to rid those fine lines. Additionally, sleep wrinkles tend to crop up in this area. If you’re a side or stomach sleeper, chances are your skin is smashed and folded for eight or some hours each night—over time, those grooves may not bounce back as quickly. “Chest skin [is] dragged along with breast tissue, much like a garment that is placed for long periods in a badly folded configuration,” board-certified dermatologist Loretta Ciraldo, M.D., FAAD, tells mbg. Let’s say you pat on a hyaluronic acid or vitamin C serum during your routine—after tapping it onto your face, press it into your décolletage as well. It’s a simple, no-fuss addition to your skin care routine, and it helps reduce any aging disparities between the face and chest. Collagen supplements can even help support your skin’s hydration levels (as you may know, dry, dehydrated skin tends to wrinkle faster): One double-blind, randomized placebo-controlled clinical trial found that participants’ moisture levels in the skin were seven times higher2 than those who did not take the supplements.* Although, Idriss recommends patch-testing first before smearing an AHA across your chest (“The skin on the chest is slightly more sensitive to chemical exfoliants, so approach with caution,” she says), and perhaps stick to a twice-a-week regimen at most. If you’re super, super-sensitive on the chest area, she recommends trying PHAs—these have a larger molecular structure, so they don’t penetrate the skin as much, which can make them more tolerable. Again, just make sure to proceed with caution here. Both Idriss and Ciraldo suggest using a retinoid more sparingly than you would on your face. “A good rule of thumb is to use the product with half the frequency on the chest as is recommended for the face,” Ciraldo adds. And if you typically dilute the retinoid with moisturizer before smearing on your face? You might want to follow the same ritual for your chest—we repeat, the skin is quite thin. As for Ciraldo’s verdict, she suggests avoiding drying alcohols (which can exacerbate the appearance of wrinkles), as well as products that increase photosensitivity. Again, AHAs are lovely, but if you don’t adhere to tip No. 2 and apply sunscreen, all that exfoliation can backfire—acids can increase the risk of burns and UV damage, which exaggerate wrinkles down the line.
