Life can be a pain in the neck, especially for women who have body image issues with, well, their necks.
“It’s so common. Women come in and complain about a specific body part: Their neck, jowls or sagging skin. Once you hit 50 the neck starts to change,” said Dr. Andrew Ordon, professor of plastic surgery and co-director of the Aesthetic Surgery Fellowship, Keck School of Medicine of the University of Southern
California and co-host of daytime talk show “The Doctors.”
As we age, the skin and bones of the neck start to change. “There’s more fine lines and wrinkles. Skin becomes crepe-y,” Ordon said. “You lose volume
in the face as fat shifts downward. Gravity has its affects, and things start to sag.”
Bone density decreases also are a normal part of aging. “The bones of the jaw do shrink. Osteoporosis can play a part with laxity and loose skin in the neck
and jawline,” said Ordon, a board-certified Beverly Hills, California, plastic surgeon and author of “Better in 7: The Ultimate Seven-Day Guide to a
Better You.”
Menopause also causeschanges in the skin as lower levels of estrogen can lead to sagging, wrinkling and thinning, Ordon said. “As we age the body
makes less collagen, resulting in less elasticity in the skin,” he said. Some women prefer to camouflage their issues with statement jewelry, fitted turtlenecks or other flattering necklines.
“If you choose the right kind of clothes, you can feel better about yourself, but don’t forget about common sense good health,” Ordon said. “Eat right, exercise and try and stick to a stable weight. Exercise and diet play an important role in how you look. Staying active can help a person feel better about themselves.
“Studies have shown that specific toning exercises don’t do much, but it’s important to keep your neck muscles strong,” Ordon said. Consider stretching exercises like chin tucks and side-to-side neck tilts and turns, but check with your doctor if you experience any pain, Ordon said. Yoga can help strengthen neck muscles, too.
Moisturize and hydrate to decrease fine lines and wrinkles and always use sunscreen, Ordon said. Facial moisturizers work well on the neck so
you don’t need to buy a specific product, but there are plenty available. Neck creams are usually thicker and more moisturizing than face creams.
Ordon is a spokesperson for Crepe Erase, “a natural product that allows the skin to bounce back,” which is a blend of plant extracts that help promote healthy collagen and elastin. Common neck moisturizers may include retinol, hyaluronic acid, peptides, ceramides and vitamin E or C to plump up skin and
decrease fine lines.
Family history plays a role, too. “If you parents had turkey gobblers, you may have one, too,” Ordon said.
Avoid weight fluctuations. “Yo-yo dieting — gaining and losing weight — leads to a loosening of skin on the face and body,” Ordon said.
Avoid inflammatory foods and processed sugars and opt for more fruits, vegetables and foods high in antioxidants, Ordon said. Avoid smoking and excessive
drinking. Before opting for dramatic measures like surgical face lifts, try skin tightening radio-frequency therapy, which uses energy (heat) to increase
production of collagen, Ordon said. Smaller procedures such as temple lifts, neck lifts and mini face lifts are also available.
