Don't Forget Your Neck, Chest, Hands, Arms, Elbows, Knees...

When it comes to skin care, most women tend to focus on their faces, forgetting about the other parts of their bodies. I wish I had a dime for every question I get about an antiwrinkle cream or blemish product, but I am rarely asked about how to take care of other parts of the body. This is either because the parts of the body other than the face are relatively easy to hide, except in summer or in warm climates of course, or merely easier to ignore. It may also be a problem of time. Who really has the time to tend to every part of their body twice a day? Many women barely have time to take off their makeup and clean their face every night!

Unfortunately, some of the most telltale signs of aging are often evident from the neck down. This is especially true if you haven’t been as diligent about protecting your body from sun exposure as you have your face. Your hands, forearms, and chest (décolletage) can look older than need be if the proper steps aren’t taken. I’ve been noticing this on myself. For me, those areas are not faring as well as my face. Sun damage (brown spots, creping, and loss of elasticity) is becoming more and more evident on those areas, while these signs of aging are minimal on my face, where I’ve been religious about wearing a sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher for many years.

The following is a daily Do Not Forget List for those often-forgotten parts of your body. This doesn’t necessarily mean you need to run out and buy new products, but if you find your current lineup of skin-care items is not suitable (or cost-effective to use) from the neck down, there are some excellent, affordable body-care products to consider.

Neck and Chest (décolletage): The bottom line is that whatever you are applying to your face, you should also be applying to your neck and chest. Don’t forget daily application of the following: sunscreen (SPF 15 or greater with UVA-protecting ingredients), a moisturizer loaded with antioxidants (such as my Slip Into Silk Body Lotion), and an exfoliant to slowly peel away sun-damaged layers of skin. For severe sun damage in this area, speak to your dermatologist about using a prescription tretinoin product (such as Renova) or having a series of more intensive AHA or BHA peels.

Hands and Arms: Apply sunscreen (SPF 15 or greater with UVA-protecting ingredients) every day and be sure to reapply it every time you wash your hands. Hands get hammered from unprotected sun exposure. The crepey skin and brown discolorations that start showing up on the back of your hands and arms between the ages of 35 and 40 are all about sun damage. Hands and arms can also benefit from a moisturizer loaded with antioxidants and a salicylic acid–based exfoliant (such as my Weightless Body Treatment with 2% BHA).

Knees, Heels, and Elbows: The skin over these areas tends to be thick, rough, and is often callused. A topical exfoliant containing 1% or 2% BHA (salicylic acid) can be very helpful when used daily. Knees, heels, and elbows will also benefit from application of an extremely emollient moisturizer (such as my Beautiful Body Butter) or plain Vaseline.

Lips: An irritant-free emollient lip balm (such as my Lip & Body Treatment Balm) worn nightly can prevent chapped lips all winter long. During the day, a lipstick with sunscreen (SPF 15 or greater with UVA-protecting ingredients) or an extremely opaque, thickly applied lipstick can prevent sun damage and reduce the chances of wrinkles showing up around your mouth.