Dry Skin on Neck - Causes and Treatments

Of all the skin issues I’ve battled with in the past, perhaps the most frustrating was the extremely dry skin on my neck. In this post, I’ll discuss what causes dry skin on the neck and how to get rid of it, even when it seems it just won’t go away.

Dry skin on the neck is caused by the same factors that lead to dry skin anywhere else on your body, for example, not drinking enough water, not moisturizing properly, or environmental changes. To get rid of the dry skin on your neck, you must hydrate properly, both internal and external.

Read on to see how you can get rid of the frustrating, dry skin on your neck, including a tip at the end that benefited me after years of struggling.

Types of Dry Skin

There are two different types of dry skin, and the difference between those two is one is lacking in water, and one is lacking in oil. There should be a very good balance between oil and water on your skin. The reason for many skin issues, such as dry skin or acne breakouts, can be blamed on an imbalance of oil to water ratio in our skin. If you have super oily skin, you can also have dry skin at certain times, and that is mostly because of dehydration.

Whether you’re dehydrated or have dry skin, the most common symptom you’ll notice is your skin is a little bit more red and sensitive. You have really taut and tight skin, feeling a lot of like fine lines and wrinkles, and sometimes just dry, flaky skin. Those are the most common symptoms.

If you have super dry skin, the symptoms are obviously enhanced and more exaggerated. You might have deeper wrinkles, and you might even have really fine and thin skin. Sometimes you can see capillaries and little veins and blood vessels on the surface of your skin. Even after applying a ton of moisturizer and other products, your skin still feels dry.

Those with an oily skin type can also get dehydrated skin. This is very common, especially after exfoliating the skin.

What Causes Dry Skin on Neck

Dry skin on the neck can be caused by any of the following:

The Wrong Food and Lifestyle
The Wrong Skin Care Routine and Products
Environmental Changes
Aging
Skin Disease

1. The Wrong Food and Lifestyle

If you have a diet that consists of very little fat and oil, you’ll also notice that your skin will be less oily and drier. Also, if you’re not drinking enough water, then your skin will be dehydrated. Smoking and drinking alcohol will also cause your skin to dry out, not to mention the damage it causes to your body.

2. The Wrong Skin Care Routine and Products

The other main cause for dry skin is inappropriate skin care, and that also includes using incorrect skin care products. Whether you have oily or dry skin, if you’re not using the right skin care products for your skin type, you won’t get their full benefits and results. For instance, when you have dry skin, you have to make sure that you are moisturizing at all times. See our recommended moisturizers post for the best moisturizers for different skin types.

Failing to exfoliate can cause a blockage where the natural oils don’t come out of the skin. This also blocks any new product you apply from getting penetrated into the skin. At the same time, if you have super oily skin and you’re stripping the oils constantly and using a lot of products, this is dehydrating your skin.

3. Environmental Changes

The third main cause of dry skin is environmental and seasonal changes. This happens every time we change seasons. Your skin, of course, needs to adjust to the change in the climate. In summer, you’re exposed to the sun a lot, and if you’re not wearing sun protection, your skin will need a lot of external moisturizers just to make sure it is balanced and coping with that change.

4. Aging

The fourth main cause of dry skin is aging. This is just the process of life, and everyone has to, of course, go through it. As you may or may not have noticed, as you age, your body produces less fat, and this can especially show in the face. The features tend to be more sunken because there’s a lack of oils in the skin. There’s not enough collagen and not enough fat and oil to keep it bouncy and smooth.

5. Skin Diseases Such as Dermatitis, Eczema, and Psoriasis

If you have a skin disease such as dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, etc., you will notice it in more than just your neck. The solution to these issues can come from healing your gut over a long time of consistently following a proper diet and lifestyle. And I shouldn’t say it will be healed; rather, you will be able to manage these diseases.

But if the dry skin is only on your neck, it may not be that you have one of these diseases. If the dry skin turns to red or irritated patches, it is best to see a doctor. A doctor may prescribe a steroid cream, which is only to be used temporarily and starting with a mild percentage.

Ensure you are following all the other best practice tips in this post before reaching for a steroid cream, as that should be a last resort and temporary treatment only.

How to Get Rid of Dry Skin on Neck That Just Won’t Go Away

To get rid of the dry skin, follow these tips:

Hydrate Internally: Drink more water and eat water-based foods.
Hydrate Externally: Moisturize
Protect the Skin
De-Stress with Enough Sleep, Relaxation, and Exercise
Change Your Pillow Slip More Often

1. Hydrate Internally: Drink more water and eat water-based foods.

The first way to get rid of dry skin is to stay well-hydrated internally, which means drinking a ton of water. This also means eating high-water foods that include minerals and nutrients; for example, watermelon and coconut (which also gives you electrolytes), as well as eating wood ear mushroom and goji berries are great for hydrating the body.

Drink more water, especially mineral water. Mineral water will help your body absorb the water better. Add lemon or honey to your water because both of them will hydrate your skin both internally and also helps you absorb the water and fish toxins out of your body.

Eat more fruit and vegetables, especially ones that contain vitamin A, C, and E. To learn more about how vitamins can prevent dry skin, check out the post I wrote on vitamins for dry skin repair.

Use a humidifier in a dry climate, especially if you’re in an environment that’s constantly under the air-conditioning or the heater. Just make sure you drink a lot of water. Also, maybe have a glass or bowl of water next to you, so the room has higher humidity.

2. Hydrate Externally: Moisturize

To get rid of the dry skin, you also need to hydrate externally, which means to use a moisturizer. Using the correct products for your skin type is very important. If you don’t know what to use, just stick to the five basic things, which are cleansing, exfoliating, toning, moisturizing, and sunscreen protection.

Using a moisturizer is critical to lock in the moisture on your skin and keep it hydrated through the day and night. Once in a while, try and put a mask on. Try and do exercises for your body to regulate the production of oils.

Always moisturize after you tone your skin, as well as use a spray to help hydrate your skin throughout the day so whether it’s a spritzer of just water or if you actually have a moisturizing spray.

It’s very important is to massage your face every day with clean hands, of course, and that will help to stimulate the blood circulation in the skin. This also allows your skin to absorb the products better, but also, by increasing the blood circulation, you’re allowing your skin to produce better oil.

3. Protect the Skin

Also, remember to seek prevention versus cures. This includes making sure that you protect your skin from the sun – from the harsh rays of the environment. So make sure you put sunscreen on every day.

To protect the skin, you just need a lot more care, a lot more TLC. So you might even need to use argan oil or rosehip oil to moisturize on top of whatever you’re using if you want to increase that moisture level. As well, maybe instead of doing a mask once a week, maybe do it every two or three days.

4. De-Stress with Enough Sleep, Relaxation, and Exercise

You also need to de-stress because, as I mentioned before, stress will cause a ton of weird things to happen to your body. So make sure you try to relax and stress less. You can also exercise regularly because when you exercise, not only are you pumping blood to all of your body, you’re also increasing that blood circulation, endorphin production, as well as making sure you are a happier person as well.

Sleeping is so important because when you don’t sleep properly and when you don’t sleep in the golden hours of 11:00 to 2:00, it will cause issues. If you have dry skin, your skin will become even drier. If you have oily skin, it can become more oily.

So make sure to hydrate, have a healthy diet, exercise, avoid stress, and get enough sleep. Also, don’t use products that are too harsh for your skin. Don’t over-exfoliate. Don’t use products that are going to make your skin break out or irritate.

5. Change Your Pillow Slip More Often

As some final tips to get rid of the dry skin on your neck or anywhere on your body, read on. I battled for years with eczema, acne, and many other skin issues. My neck was always a problem. One tip I found very useful when trying to heal my skin was to use a new pillow slip every other day.

Bacteria can build up on the pillow slip and, over time, can cause it to be very dirty. Your neck comes in contact with that each night for several hours! You don’t need a fresh pillow slip each night. You can sleep one or two nights on one side of the pillow slip. Then the next night or two, flip it over on the fresh side. Then after those days, put on a new pillow slip.

The other tips, including proper hydration, moisturizing, sleep, etc., all have to be there, but rotating your pillow slip can be that little extra needed to keep your neck from being dry and cracked. Not changing your pillowcase often can also result in acne, which I discussed in an earlier post: 10 Habits That Can Be Causing You To Break Out.