The decolletage (dec) refers to the chest area, below your clavicle bones and just above the breast. The skin on your neck and dec are quite different to that of the face, making them more prone to signs of ageing. This is because the skin on both of these areas is thinner, has less fat and there are very fewer sebaceous glands here. The reduced amount of oil can create more dryness and the thinner skin is more likely to show the signs of ageing such as reduced skin laxity and crepey texture. The reduced oil in this area can also make the skin more delicate and there is an increase in healing time which needs to be taken into consideration when undergoing invasive treatments. There can be an increased risk for scarring including keloids in this area comparatively to the face.

What treatments work best for the decolletage region? 

This depends on what exactly you are trying to treat. Is it for pigmentation, vascular lesions, to diffuse redness or to improve the texture and crepey appearance, wrinkles or lines?

1. Radio Frequency (RF) Skin Resurfacing using the Venus Viva machine

Treats best- Stimulating collagen and elastin for improvement of texture, lines and wrinkles.

Treats moderately - Pigmentation (maybe a safer option for darker skin types (4 and above) and long-term improvement of rosacea and redness.

Venus Viva RF uses multipolar radio frequency to stimulate the skin’s cells (fibroblasts). The machine uses metal pins and RF heat to fractionally ablate tiny microscopic holes in the skin. We can control the power and depth of each ablation. This microtrauma causes a series of events in the wound healing cascade which eventually lead to an increase in the production of collagen and elastin, repairing damaged tissue and remodelling existing collagen. The overall effect is the skin rebuilding itself from the inside out, filling in acne scars, lines, and wrinkles, skin tightening, and improving hyperpigmentation and discolouration. It’s a great option for targeting multiple ageing concerns such as tightness, texture, lines, pigmentation and redness. It works well for those vertical lines that develop on the chest due to excessive UV damage.

RF works well on the decolletage region as it is gentle enough for the skin whilst still producing effective results. Typically 4 sessions are needed to be spaced 4 weeks apart for maximum results and the treatment is suitable for all skin types.

2. Skin Needling

Treats best - Collagen stimulation and improvement of texture. 

Treats Minimally - Pigmentation

Skin Needling is another popular treatment for the decolletage region. Using tiny needles to create microscopic wounds in the skin, needling stimulates collagen production, helping to improve the overall quality of the skin.

Skin Needling can work well however more treatments will be needed compared to RF and it does not treat pigment as well unless lig0htening ampoules are infused into the skin post-treatment. These can be purchased as an add-on treatment. Skin needling will not address redness in the skin from sun damage. 6-8 treatments are recommended spaced 4-6 weeks apart.

3. IPL/BBL (Intense Pulsed Light/Broad Band Light) 

Treats best-  Pigmentation and redness (from sun damage) 

Treats moderately- Collagen stimulation 

It does not treat - Hormonal pigmentation or skin types 4 and above

IPL is a light-based treatment. Each pulse of light contains multiple light wavelengths each attracted to different chromophores or colours in the skin. The dec area is highly sensitive to sun damage as it is often not covered or protected by SPF. The IPL/BBL will clear the red and brown tones from the skin. Lower treatment settings are used and more sessions may be needed compared to the face due to the reduced healing capacity of this area. A minimum of 4 treatments is recommended, spaced 4 weeks apart. Treatment can be done all year if the area is protected from the sun. Darker skin types are better suited to using RF.

4. Chemical Peels

Treats best- Superficial textural issues and pigmentation 

Here at Privée Clinic, we offer varying intensities and types of chemical peels for the decolletage region. 

For lower-intensity peels (with less downtime) we offer the Mesoestetic range which stocks Glycolic, Salicylic, Lactic, and Modified Jessner Chemical Peels. Your practitioner will choose the type of peel based on your goals, skin type and amount of downtime. A series of 6-8 treatments are recommended monthly using superficial peels. 

For more intense results we also offer Trichloracetic acid (TCA) peels from Dermaceutic. TCA is a powerful anti-aging ingredient that targets the upper dermis and stimulates collagen production. 

We can adjust the percentage of TCA used for a more intense peel that will result in heavier peeling and longer downtime or a lower percentage which will reduce the healing time but secondary treatments may be needed.

Treating the décolletage region can be effective as long as the skin type is taken into consideration and in general lower treatment settings are used.

Having a clear and smooth décolletage area can drastically reduce the look of one’s age. We recommend booking a consultation with one of our experienced practitioners to decide which treatment plan works best for your skin type, budget and goals.

You can book your next appointment here.