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Tuesday, November 10, 2015

The Forgotten Places: The Neck

Even though you (hopefully) are taking good care of the skin on your face, you may be neglecting your neck, something I consider a Forgotten Place. So if you aren’t already, you’ll want to start including your neck area in everything you do. That means The Basics 1-2-3 plus exfoliation and sunscreen. A clay mask isn’t necessary unless you have a lot of breakout on your neck.

Keep in mind that when you’re driving, your neck can (and does) receive a lot of sun exposure. The visors in most cars don’t have any kind of extension to shield the driver’s side (or passenger’s) from the sun. Tinted window glass may help prevent some UVB sunlight from penetrating, but not UVA; there isn’t a whole lot you can do except try to avoid long periods of exposure.

If you’re driving long distances, try wrapping a scarf around your neck to protect it from getting too much sun. Consider keeping a light cloth or towel in your car to drape over your shoulder and arm closest to the window. This can help keep your skin from burning while driving for extended periods of time.

When I know I’ll be in my car for a long drive, I’ll bring along a long-sleeved, white, cotton crew neck top. I don’t always put the top on, sometimes I just slip one sleeve over my left (sunny side while driving) arm. This really does help to keep that skin protected from the sun. At least more so than if I didn’t drape anything over that area.

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