Nobody wants wrinkles, right? That's why we spend tons of money on moisturizers that will keep our skin looking fresh. It turns out that constantly looking down at our smart phones might be giving us those pesky lines on our necks. Elle spoke to New York City dermatologist Dr. Jeanette Graf about the harmful aspects of our smartphone addictions. "The horizontal creases on the neck have a lot to do with positioning," Graf told the women's mag. "The more movement, the more you're going to reinforce the way those lines are falling. If you're going to always be on your phone, it's best to bring it eye level, rather than looking downward."
Obviously wrinkles are inevitable as we get older, but most people aim to postpone their appearance as much as possible. Graf revealed to Elle that patients are coming to her an increasingly young ages complaining of wrinkles. They're resorting to treatments such as micro-needling and botox. Another New York City based dermatologist, Dr. Amy Weschler, also spoke to the magazine about the growing wrinkle epidemic in millennials. "People are looking at their necks more," she revealed. "They see pictures of themselves, and are like, 'Oh my God. What are those wrinkles? I've never seen those before.' I think the uptick is due to a side effect of too many selfies."
If you're worried about selfie and texting induced wrinkles, there are ways you can fight them. Tossing your smartphone out the window is pretty unrealistic, so Graf recommends "gently exfoliating your neck and décolletage once a week, followed by a moisturizing algae mask and a retinol serum finished off with a targeted cream made specifically for the neck." It looks like it's time to reevaluate our skin care routines!