Yes, unfortunately, it may be true. The term “tech neck” is evolving: No longer does it just mean having the danger of hunched-over shoulders and a sore back — now it has a cosmetic meaning, too.

Numerous beauty articles are citing early-onset neck wrinkles as an unsightly effect of our technology dependence. It is hard to argue against the fact that we look down a LOT more than we used to, and it is a medical fact that excessive bending/flexing of the thin neck muscles does contribute to wrinkling. Combine the two and, well, it might be time to start looking up rather than down!

However, a wrinkly neck cannot only be blamed on smartphones; the loss of collagen and elasticity as we age is normal, and it can snowball with outside factors (sun exposure, dry atmosphere, etc) to make necks look “looser” than they are. Making sure to wear adequate sunscreen on both the face AND neck will help, and, of course, try holding your phone at eye level. It just might make all the difference.

If you already have “tech neck,” don’t worry: Dr. Yagoda is a neck expert who will have you looking good as new in no time.