Most people notice neck skin beginning to significantly sag and wrinkle around the age of 40. That's also when underlying platysmal muscles start to detach and loosen, their edges showing through thinning skin as vertical bands from the chin to collarbone.
Moisturizing your neck skin and décolletage, drinking plenty of water, eating a healthy diet filled with antioxidants and vitamins, limiting sun exposure, and getting plenty of quality sleep can help prevent sagging neck skin and other signs of aging. Maintaining your weight can also help prevent excess skin.
Most people notice neck skin beginning to sag and wrinkle in their late 30's or early 40's. “Turkey neck” occurs when the neck muscles start to weaken, and your skin elasticity dissipates, losing its capability to stretch and tighten.
Obesity and increased neck circumference are risk factors for developing stretched-out and loose skin in the neck. Genetics can also make you more likely to naturally carry excess fat under your chin and along the neck. This additional fat can cause your skin to stretch and result in folds that resemble a turkey neck.
One of the main causes of neck sagging is skin laxity due to loss of collagen and elastin. The other is tightening of platysma muscle, as it loses flexibility with age. The Platysma muscle is a long, sheet-like muscle that runs from the jawline down to the décolletage.
"You can improve tone on the neck, but the amount of collagen and elastin in the neck skin is less than most other areas on the body. You can't really tighten that area up that much, unless you move to the more surgical end of the spectrum."
While you can't always prevent neck aging, you can reverse it with a combination of aesthetic treatments and the right skin care regime. To know if you are a good candidate for Ultherapy or Exilis, schedule a consultation with our Harvard-trained specialist at Cutis Laser Clinics in Singapore today.
'Chewing Gum' Exercise:This is perhaps the best exercise for Turkey Neck and also the easiest one. All you have to do is think that you are chewing a gum and move your mouth like that. Turn your head left and right as much as you can while doing this exercise.
The most common signs of an aging neck are the development of vertical muscle bands, sagging skin, and excess fat deposits. Muscle bands occur due to the regular use of the platysma muscle, with the vertical lines representing the muscle edges.
The production of these two proteins decreases as people age . Hyaluronic acid levels also reduce with age. Hyaluronic acid is a molecule that helps the skin retain moisture and appear fuller. For most people, the skin begins to lose firmness between the ages of 35–40 years .
One of the best ways to tighten neck skin is to exercise regularly. This helps build up the muscles in your neck, which in turn will help support the skin and prevent it from sagging.
Physical therapy can be an effective treatment option to restore the natural curve in the neck. Treatments options include neutral spinal alignment, range of motion, strengthening exercises, trigger point injections, and muscle manipulation and activation.
Natural ways to tighten your neck skin include hot stone massage, almond oil massage, stretching exercises, and various neck masks. Take collagen, avoid perfumes, take vitamin C, exfoliate and moisturize your skin, and maintain a healthy weight to keep your neck looking young and fresh.
But often the neck gets forgotten until the dreaded turkey neck appears. If you're going to be out in the sun, apply SPF to your neck. And make sure your neck is part of your everyday skincare regimen: Dermatologists recommend using creams that hydrate, offer sun protection and include antioxidants and peptides.
In pretty much all cases, no, chewing gum will not create a slimmer neck or jaw contour. In fact, it can strengthen your masseter muscle which can create more fullness towards the back of the jaw.
Losing weight might help reduce the appearance of a turkey neck slightly. This is because you'll have less fat beneath your chin and around your neck. However, losing weight might not do much if you don't carry much excess weight and already have a turkey neck.
Experts agree that firming creams do work, but some may offer more results than others. “Neck creams work to prevent collagen breakdown and support collagen production,” says Day. “They often contain retinols, growth factors and antioxidants that are tested specifically for the skin of the neck.
Exposure to light is a top cause of premature aging: Sun exposure causes many skin problems. Ultraviolet (UV) light and exposure to sunlight age your skin more quickly than it would age naturally. The result is called photoaging, and it's responsible for 90% of visible changes to your skin.
“Turkey neck” happens when the neck muscles begin to weaken and the skin loses elasticity. The loose skin can become droopy and wrinkled, drawing unflattering comparisons to the neck of a turkey. Age and sun exposure are the main culprits of sagging skin.
Nonsurgical treatments for a turkey neck
An anti-aging skin care routine, including neck creams and lotions can help minimize collagen loss and tighten your skin. Laser skin resurfacing uses heat to rejuvenate your skin. Ultherapy uses focused ultrasound to lift and tighten your skin.
Thin, weak and delicate skin and muscle cover the neck. Year after year, twisting, stretching, and the pull of gravity and any pockets of subcutaneous fat have a cumulative aging effect. Most people notice neck skin beginning to significantly sag and wrinkle around the age of 40.