According to "Good Housekeeping" magazine, your skin becomes rougher as it ages due to a natural slowdown of oil production. The less oil your body produces, the drier your skin is likely to get. To smooth out the rough patches on your neck, you need to replace lost moisture and clear away any dead skin cells that may be contributing to the rough texture.
Step 1
Wash your neck with a soap-free cleanser. According to the New Zealand Dermatological Society, soap can leave behind deposits of skin-drying carbonate salts and may also leave a residue on your skin if you have calcium-rich hard water. Both of these can leave your skin feeling less-than-clean, leading to potential over-washing.
Step 2
Limit the number of times you wash the affected skin--once a day should be sufficient. If you over-wash in an attempt to keep the area clean, the New Zealand Dermatological Society warns that you may be doing more harm than good. Over-washing strips skin of sebum, your skin's natural moisturizer, leading to water loss and dry skin. They also note that your skin's "surface horny cells" may become loose, letting more moisture evaporate and leaving your skin susceptible to infection.
Step 3
Moisturize your rough skin daily. According to MayoClinic.com, an oil-based formula with petrolatum, lactic acid or alpha hydroxy acid can help stop rough, scaly skin. They suggest applying moisturizer after you bathe or shower, wash your hands or spend time outdoors during cold weather.
Step 4
Exfoliate affected areas of the neck with a washcloth or loofah. According to Dr. Peter Helton, writing for the National Skin Care Institute, what looks like rough, dry skin may actually be patches of dead skin that are ready to shed. When you exfoliate gently to remove these dead cells, you are creating a smoother surface that allows your moisturizer to penetrate more effectively.
Step 5
Dab the rough patches on your neck with olive oil. According to author Carol Firenze in "The Passionate Olive: 101 Things to Do with Olive Oil," olive oil is a natural lipid. Chemically, its structure is very similar to sebum, your body's natural moisturizer; in fact, it is the closest match out of all the natural lipids, she writes. As a result, olive oil absorbs easily into human skin and can be effective in treating rough, dry skin. Firenze recommends preparing a simple emulsion, half water and half olive oil, to apply to affected areas.
Things You'll Need
- Soap-free cleanser
- Oil-based moisturizer with petrolatum
- Washcloth or loofah
- Olive oil
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