A turkey neck is the sagging, old, ageing loose skin which hangs around the neck when one starts to age or drastically looses weight. It is rough in texture like a recycled paper and very dry. You can spot it in very old people.
What’s the first thing you notice about someone you meet? Obviously the face. A beautiful face, glowing skin that is wrinkle free instantly catches the eye. But isn’t it a turnoff when people give their face all the limelight and forget the neck?
Make-up routines done only till the jaw line makes it a patchy work. You ought to pay attention to the neck as well, especially when you see a double chin building up or even worse a turkey neck! No need to panic.
Our article will surf you through everything you need to know about turkey neck and how to avoid it.
Table of Contents
What Causes A Turkey Neck?
The main cause of turkey neck is ageing. When you start to age the skin becomes loose and its firmness deteriorates. The skin under the neck is even thinner than the skin of the face. It is more vulnerable to the effects of ageing.
The second cause of a turkey neck is the loss of collagen of the neck skin. The skin has something beneath it called the collagen content. Collagen gives the skin its strength and structure and replaces dead cells with new ones.
The skin under the neck has different collagen content than the face. It has a structure consisting of the hair shaft, sebaceous gland and hair follicle. This is a reason for the neck skin to be dry.
Dry skin is more vulnerable to ageing. The loss of collagen can cause the skin to lose its elasticity and give it a sagging turkey neck look.
Thirdly, rapid weight loss can also be a cause for turkey neck.
Turkey Neck vs. Double chin
Often people confuse the turkey neck with the double chin. A double chin appears when one puts on weight. It is basically extra accumulated fat under the chin, which gives the impression of an added second chin to the face. To get rid of double chin one has to first get rid of the fat.
A turkey neck is completely different. It is just folds of skin hanging loosely from the chin throughout your neck.
How To Get Rid Of Turkey Neck Naturally
There are expensive surgery methods to go for and if you don’t want to go under the knife there are simple exercises to do at home as well. Also, by incorporating certain foods into your diet you can say bye to the turkey neck. Nowadays, there are skin tightening creams available in the market. They can also be used.
A. Exercises To Getting Rid Of Turkey Neck
If you don’t want to go for the painful and expensive surgery, then don’t be scared!
There are easy facial exercises to do. Nowadays, in ‘facial yoga’ there are exercises for sagging skin or double chin. Facial Yoga is popular these days. The aim of these exercises is to tighten the chin and neck muscles.
You will be able to see drastic results only if you are fully dedicated to them and repeat them 2-3 times every hour.
Here are few exercises to begin with…
1. The Pout Face
Stand and relax your shoulders. Look up to the ceiling and pout your lips or in simpler terms imitate as if you are trying to kiss the ceiling.
Hold this pose up to 30 seconds and slowly bring your lips to resting position.
This exercise is very helpful and within 15 seconds of beginning this, exercise you will experience pain in the muscles around your lips. This results in the tightening of the muscles of your neck. Do this exercise whenever you are free.
This exercise also helps to make dimples on cheeks.
2. Tongue Pressure
For this one, sit or stand, with back straightened and shoulders relaxed.
Look straight up to the ceiling, with your mouth closed.
Now, all you have to do is press your tongue strongly into the roof of your mouth. This will flex the neck muscles below your jaw.
Then , slowly while your tongue puts pressure against the roof of your mouth, pull your chin down to resting position toward your chest.
Repeat this exercise for at least 10 times.
3. Head Tilt
Firstly, lay on a flat surface.
Then, tilt your head backwards so that your chin points towards the ceiling.
Hold your head this way and thereafter, turn your head from left to right.
Hold each position for 5 seconds and repeat this exercise 10 times.
4. Tongue Circles
Sit or stand and keep your mouth in a resting position.
Now circle your tongue inside the mouth from left to right 20-30 times and then repeat from right to left 20-30 times.
5. Chew That Gum
Chewing tones the neck muscles. Chewing gum for 10-15 in an hour can firm the neck muscles.
While chewing, chew for some time in one direction and for some time in the other direction.
6. Chew While Looking At The Ceiling
Sit with your shoulders relaxed and look up to the ceiling. Make sure your lips are pursed. Now make a chewing movement but be sure that your mouth is closed. After some time you can feel your neck muscles working. Repeat for 15-20 times.
Make sure your lips are pursed. Now make a chewing movement but be sure that your mouth is closed.
After some time you can feel your neck muscles working. Repeat for 15-20 times.
B. Foods That Help You Get Rid Of Turkey Key
There are some foods which can help you get rid of that hideous turkey neck namely:
1. Olive Oil:
Olive oil should be incorporated into your diet. It repairs the damage done by the harmful ultraviolet radiations of the sun. The ultraviolet radiations damage the skin cells leading to premature aging. This eventually leads to wrinkles on the neck.
2. Aloe Vera:
Aloe Vera, when consumed internally helps build up collagen in the skin and collagen brings back firmness to the skin.
3. Sunflower Seeds:
Sunflower seeds are packed with antioxidant Vitamin E. Vitamin E is helpful as it nourishes the skin and makes the skin appear younger.
4. Carrots:
Carrots contain an antioxidant known as carotenoids which has anti-aging properties. When the body produces free radicals that trigger aging of the skin. These carotenoids kill them and win the war against wrinkles for you.
5. Flaxseed:
Flaxseed contains the dose of linoleic acid which the body needs to cure dry skin. Dry skin is more prone to aging and eventually sagging. Incorporate flaxseed oil in your diet to the win over dry sagging skin.
6. Red Bell Peppers:
The main causes of turkey neck are aging skin and lose of collagen. Red bell peppers are high in Vitamin C which boosts collagen production which in turn reduces wrinkles.
Precautions To Avoid Turkey Neck
The most important thing to keep in mind is to limit your exposure to the sun. The sun has harmful ultraviolet radiations (UV rays) which will speed the ageing process by breaking the collagen in the skin. Use sunscreen as a weapon if you cannot avoid the sun.
Another important element which is necessary to follow in order to obtain a healthy, glowing and younger looking skin is to drink plenty of water. Drinking water firms the skin and gives it a wrinkle free look.
Do not give all the attention only to the face. When you apply moisturizer to the face, make it a habit to include the neck as well. Mostly we forget the neck and this makes it dry and dry skin is more prone to wrinkles.
Give up smoking or avoid second-hand smoke. Smoking stops the oxygen from reaching your skin and obstructs its breathing pattern. When the skin is devoid of oxygen, wrinkles start to appear.
Avoid sudden weight loss. When you lose weight faster, the stretched skin will lose all its fat and leave you with sagging skin. Also losing a lot of weight is not healthy. If you are losing weight try to exercise along with it, so that your muscles remain toned.
Botox is also an alternative
Botox is a very old procedure that both men and women use to freeze frown lines and give a youthful appearance to the face. But, Botox is also used as a solution for turkey neck.
There is something known as Nefertiti lift which involves injecting Botox in the form of 40 injections in the neck and lower jaw. Botox procedures are expensive alternatives to going for.
Surgery for turkey neck
Procedures called as cervicoplasty (to remove excess skin) and platysmaplasty (to tighten loose neck muscles), together called as neck lift surgery is an option if you want to go for cosmetic surgery to remove that bothering turkey neck.
In this process, the surgeon will make an incision behind both your ears and a third one under the chin depending on your need.
These incisions will help the surgeon to either tighten the neck muscles, remove fat and sagging skin.
A patient will recover from a neck lift surgery fully after two weeks. There can be visible swelling or bruise which are totally normal.
Your surgeon will give you instructions for aftercare and recovery. The effects of this procedure are long lasting and can dramatically make one appear younger.
If you improve your lifestyle, incorporate a few mandatory face and neck exercises you will be able to get away from those sagging creases of skin around your neck. Also, surgery is another option to go for but why spend a fortune on expensive surgery when you can do the needful at your home?
