A Reason to Be Thankful: Turkey Neck Treatments that Work
“Turkey neck.” It happens to us all. No matter how fresh looking you’re able to keep your face, the neck will divulge your age. As humorous author Nora Ephron put it in her book, I Feel Bad about My Neck, “Our faces are lies and our necks are the truth. You have to cut open a redwood tree to see how old it is, but you wouldn’t have to if it had a neck.”
Maybe you’ve already tried neck-tightening exercises, the best neck-firming creams… even neck-lift tape? If so, you know that improvement is negligible to null. If you are serious about losing the loose, wrinkled or ropey neck skin, it’s time to consider turkey-neck solutions that only an expert can offer. For the most dramatic results, surgical procedures are usually the best choice. Not ready for surgery? You also have a growing number of exciting non-invasive options for improving turkey neck.*
Why does the neck look older?
As with all skin, factors like genetics, extreme weight loss, collagen and elastin breakdown, and sun exposure can affect how your neck ages. However, there are additional factors that can act specifically on the neck to make it look older than the rest of you.*
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. 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.*
What you see is turkey neck. You can choose to accept it. You can try to hide it with scarves and turtlenecks. Or you can visit a medical professional for effective treatment, whether surgery or a more conservative approach.*
“Turkey neck” is a rather unglamorous term for wrinkled, sagging skin on the neck, which is a common side effect of aging. It occurs when your neck muscles begin weakening and your skin loses its elasticity, or ability to stretch and stay tight.
Treat Your Turkey Neck Without Surgery and No Downtime
The neck is often the first area to show the signs of aging. As we age, our skin begins to lose its collagen and elasticity. As skin on the neck becomes loose and wrinkly, it creates what many people refer to as a “turkey neck” appearance. Unfortunately, sagging neck skin cannot be fixed with diet or exercise, making turkey neck particularly difficult to treat, until now! We have a solution – Ultherapy using ultrasound technology.
Effective Non-Surgical Treatment for Turkey Neck
Surgery used to be the only way to tighten and lift sagging skin. Fortunately, other non-invasive methods are available today like Ultherapy, a safe, non-invasive treatment for turkey neck. It is the only FDA-approved non-surgical treatment for tightening and lifting the skin on the face and neck. This procedure effectively counteracts the natural effects of time and gravity. In fact, Ultherapy can remove as many as five or more years from your appearance.
Ultherapy uses focused ultrasound energy to stimulate new collagen growth deep within the skin. As new collagen is produced, loose skin is lifted and tightened. This results in a younger, rejuvenated appearance. Ultherapy is so effective that results continue to improve for three to six months following the procedure.
Ultherapy Procedure
Ultherapy takes approximately one hour to complete and requires little to no downtime. While mild discomfort is normal during the procedure, it is only temporary and signals that the collagen-building process has begun. Patients that receive Ultherapy are typically able to return to their normal activities soon after the procedure. Thanks to a new software upgrade, Ultherapy is now a much more comfortable experience for our patients, although we do offer pain medications if a patient requests it.
Ultherapy is extremely safe. The use of ultrasound energy allows our dermatologists to see the layer of skin that they are treating. This makes it possible for them to completely avoid nerves and bone.
Dermatology Practice in Maryland
The Chevy Chase Cosmetic Center is a full service dermatology practice with two locations in Maryland. Our experienced board-certified dermatologists specialize in non-surgical cosmetic treatments. We have performed hundreds of Ultherapy procedures with stunning results. Please contact us to schedule a complimentary consultation to see if Ultherapy might be the right choice for you
Exercises that treat turkey neck
Consistent exercise of the neck muscles can help build them back up. It also improves blood circulation in your neck which can give it a tighter, more trim appearance.
Many facial and neck exercises claim to help alleviate turkey neck. Yet, to date, no reputable studies have analyzed whether or not these exercises actually work. Exercise is good for your health and can tone your muscles, but it doesn’t eliminate excess skin. So, while exercises might help tighten up your neck muscles, the skin on top of them might not see change.
Four facial exercises for turkey neck
Some commonly suggested facial exercises include:
Forehead push
- Place one hand on your forehead.
- Push your head against your hand without allowing your head to move forward.
- Hold this position for 10 seconds.
- Then, hold both of your hands behind your head, pushing backwards with your neck, and hold for 10 seconds.
Chew
- Sit with your back straight.
- Lift your head back so your chin points toward the ceiling.
- Keep your lips closed and make a chewing motion with your mouth.
- Repeat 20 times.
Kiss
- Sit with your back straight.
- Lift your head so your chin points to the ceiling with your lips closed.
- Pout your lips as if you were giving a kiss.
- Repeat 20 times.
Neck lift
- Lie on your bed with your head hanging over the edge.
- Carefully and slowly lift your head up as high as you can, using your neck muscles.
- Repeat five times.
- Do not continue this exercise if you experience neck pain.
Cosmetics that treat turkey neck
N-acetyl glucosamine, a natural form of the chemical glucosamine, is found in many types of neck and other antiaging creams. There is some research suggesting such creams can help improve the appearance of turkey neck by firming and smoothing the skin while reducing the effects of hyperpigmentation.
In one studyTrusted Source, 42 women had continuously improving neck appearances while using a cosmetic cream containing N-acetyl glucosamine over a 16-week period.
In a larger studyTrusted Source of 85 women, twice-daily use of a neck cream also improved neck appearance in 94 percent of study subjects.
Surgeries that treat turkey neck
Surgical procedures are by far the quickest and most effective treatments for turkey neck. Traditional surgeries require cutting and tend to leave scars, while some of the newer treatments are less invasive. Here’s a list of common surgeries and medical procedures that can help get rid of turkey neck:
Botox (botulinum toxin type A)
Botox isn’t surgery by definition, but it is a time-consuming treatment done by specialists. It’s noninvasive and requires no recovery time. Results last about 3 to 4 months, and repeated injections are necessary to maintain firm skin.
Hyo neck lift
This is a relatively new surgical neck lift procedure that helps tighten and smooth neck skin. Recent researchTrusted Source suggests the procedure is a promising way to reduce or eliminate the appearance of sagging neck skin.
MST operation
This surgery is a minimally invasive technique that involves rejuvenating the neck by tightening the skin with barbed threads. The surgery leaves only small scars.
Skin tightening laser
Various medical devices can heat and tighten the skin. A laser is a noninvasive treatment producing mild to moderate results. Repeated treatments over 4 to 6 months are necessary for results. The benefit is that there is no recovery time involved for this procedure.
Z-plasty
Also called anterior cervicoplasty, this surgery was introduced in the 1970s. It involves direct excision of the neck’s excess skin. It’s fast and effective, but leaves a visible scar on the back of the neck.
What is the outlook for someone who has turkey neck?
The outlook for someone with turkey neck is dependent on which type of treatment or treatments that person uses. Neck exercises appear to be the least effective type of treatment, while surgeries and medical procedures are most effective, and cosmetic creams fall somewhere in the middle.
If you’re concerned about your turkey neck, talk to your doctor, who can recommend the treatment or treatments that are most appropriate for you
