FOR decades, I’ve spent countless hours – and a small fortune – fighting the wrinkles on my face.
Like most women, I’ve religiously slapped on moisturisers costing anything from £20 to £100 in an attempt to stay fresh and youthful for as long as I can. But there was one area I foolishly forgot to care for – my decolletage.
The area between my neck and breasts was smooth and supple for years, meaning I was happy to wear lower cut tops and bikinis.
I rarely gave it a second thought.
But after I hit 60, I began to notice fine lines and wrinkles that hadn’t been visible previously, so I wasn’t surprised to read that, according to one survey, 60 per cent of women are as unhappy with their decolletage as they are with facial lines and wrinkles.
The more I saw them reflecting back at me in the mirror, the more self-conscious I became – and the more conservative my clothing choices were. I’d put on a top and think, ‘Oh, I can’t wear that.’
It was depressing, having previously been someone who didn’t fret about ageing.
As an amateur belly dancer, I often wear costumes that expose my midriff and chest area.
But now I was pushing for my dancing group to opt for outfits that were more modest up top, or with added netting to hide my chest.
I became more self-conscious on holiday, too. I’m no sun-worshipper, but it made me think more carefully about my swimwear choices at the beach.
Even on Zoom calls with clients, during my work as a leadership and parenting coach, I’d make sure shirt buttons were done up to the top as the camera showed up every line.
It turns out the decolletage is an area we should be looking at more closely, with the Journal of Aesthetic Nursing describing it as “one of the areas of the body most prone to ageing”.
While it’s not as open to the elements as our faces, it gets more sun exposure than most areas of our body and the skin is quite thin.
I imagine few people slap any SPF on this section of their body unless they are abroad or sunbathing.
Yet UV radiation makes it prone to premature ageing, as well as skin cancers.
While I can’t turn back time, I decided to see if there was something I could do to make the skin less crepey and crucially, make me feel more confident.
I’d tried switching from sleeping on my side to my back, as the lines look worse after getting out of bed, to no avail.
Salon treatments were out of my price range though, with Profhilo (an injectable hyaluronic acid treatment) for that area costing £450 a go and radiofrequency microneedling £350 a session.
Then I came across a much more affordable option on Instagram – a stick-on patch costing just £31.
DRASTIC DIFFERENCE
The SilcSkin Decollette Pad was designed by Hollywood make-up artist Camille Calvert and is made from medical grade silicone, usually used to treat scars.
The pressure in the pad stimulates collagen and cell growth, and increases blood flow, which helps to improve skin tone.
Silicone is also known to hydrate the skin by drawing its natural moisture to the surface. Regular use is claimed to make skin more supple and youthful, by softening fine lines and wrinkles.
I don’t want to turn back time, but I do want to age well, without resorting to tweaks and invasive treatments.
But could this patch really make a drastic difference?
When the SilcSkin Decollette Pad arrived in the post from skincare company Dermacare Direct, I was surprised at how small and slim the patch was.
I was also worried about how it could stay in place, especially in bed, and whether it would get grubby with daily use for a month.
The instructions were a bit basic, but I cleaned the area as advised and then peeled the backing off the sticky side to secure the pad in place.
It attached well without feeling clingy on the skin. And it didn’t hurt when I took it off.
The outside was smooth, a bit like those chicken fillet bra fillers we all used to use.
DISCREET AND COLOURLESS
It also looked discreet, as it was colourless and not too thick. I could wear it under my pyjamas without it being noticeable.
If someone wanted to use it during the day to prep for a night out, you wouldn’t spot it under a shirt or jumper.
That first night, I slept fine and didn’t notice it at all in bed – and it was securely in place when I woke up, despite the fact I tend to toss and turn.
It was the same every night after that. In fact, sometimes I forgot I had it on and would jolt myself awake as I dropped off, thinking I needed to go and get it.
The makers say to expect results within four to six weeks, but after just one night I could feel a physical difference.
Now I felt confident and sexy showing off that little bit of skin. It gave me such a boost
The skin was so much softer and seemed plumped up and refreshed. And within a week the visible lines seemed to be softening and fading too.
I continued using it religiously from around 10.30pm to 8am for a month, but also in the daytime before any special events.
Halfway through the trial, I had a wedding and decided to wear a lower cut dress that had been banished to the back of the wardrobe.
In the past, I would have opted for a higher neckline or wore a buttoned up jacket to hide my decolletage.
Now I felt confident and sexy showing off that little bit of skin. It gave me such a boost.
The patch stayed in good condition too. It didn’t look tired or mucky.
I just made sure I cleaned the area before use to stop it getting a build up of oils and dead skin, then attached it to the protective plastic backing that came with it for storage and to prevent breakdown of the silicone.
They also advise washing the pad in warm, soapy water weekly.
By the end of the month, most of my lines had virtually disappeared. A stubborn one was still visible, but less so.
I even asked my husband, Kevin, 67, a kitchen cabinet maker, what he thought and he agreed the area looked much smoother.
Overall, I was hugely impressed, especially for a product that is so cheap and simple to use.
The physical effects are speedy and painless, but the mental ones are impressive too.
I hadn’t realised quite how much feeling self-conscious about that small area could impact my confidence and my approach to dressing my body.
The pads are supposed to last for 30 days at a time, providing you look after them.
I think this one could go for longer, but I’m happy to invest in more as the results are so impressive.
I’ll probably revert to using it a couple of times a week and if I’ve a special event coming up.
And I’ll be showing off the results the next time I’m shaking my thing as I bellydance. No special cover ups required for this 62-year-old.
