Turkey Neck Rescue

by: Linda Robison / Facial Fitness Specialist @ ABZ

I'll show you how I firmed-up sagging neck skin. See which neck exercises worked & before after pictures.

It wasn't easy showing my turkey neck before and after pictures. I was embarrassed. But also excited that I was able to improve that neck waddle, gobble neck, sagging neck … without surgery!

turkey neck after and beforeAfter and Before Pictures. After 6 months of facial/neck exercises, I was able to rescue my neck from that dreaded turkey wobble!

Turkey neck treatments without surgery

Can we agree that 'Turkey Neck' is not a flattering term? I'd rather say loose neck skin. Whatever you wish to call it, it is possible to improve the look and health of your neck skin with natural and gentle at home care.

At-home solutions, like neck exercises and massages, can help improve the area, as you can see from my before and after pictures below.

But at-home solutions take time. I know that's frustrating to hear, since you can't hide sagging neck skin with jewelry or makeup. 

But, if you're looking for inexpensive home solutions to a firmer skin with less neck wrinkles, give these suggestions a try for a few months.

Full Disclosure: If your skin's super loose with jowls, home remedies might not do much. For that tight surgical look, it's gotta be surgery. Wanna see what home remedies can do? Check my before-and-after neck pics.

Can you get rid of Turkey neck naturally?

Some online sources, like Healthline, state:

"No reputable studies have analyzed whether exercises actually work. Exercise can tone muscles, but doesn't eliminate excess skin. So, while exercises might help tighten your neck muscles, the skin on top of them might not see change."

And, they are right! This is exactly why facial fitness expert Carolyn Cleaves, suggests a two-pronged approach to firm loose neck skin. This approach includes:

  1. Building up muscles in the face and front of the neck with facial exercises.
  2. Massaging the skin to smooth out lines, wrinkles and crêpy skin.

Why? Because not only are we dealing with saggy neck skin, but many of us have issues with neck wrinkles or dry, crêpy, parchment-like skin. 

Colorful drawing of face and neck muscle chart.Facial muscles are all interconnected. That's why a complete face workout helps lift and firm the whole face and neck.

Facial Exercises for a Firmer Neck

To firm up loose neck skin, you have to exercise the whole face and neck to create a good solid facial foundation first because all facial muscles are interconnected.


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Neck and face connection

Facial Muscles are Interconnected

All the muscles from your scalp to your upper chest are interconnected. So trying to firm only the sagging muscles of your neck won't work very well. 

It's important to engage, exercise, and firm-up all 57 muscles of the face and neck to establish a good foundation.

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Can exercises really tighten up neck skin?

To what degree it will work for you depends on many factors like:

1. Age: Younger people might get better results because their skin is stretchier.

2. Genetics: Your family history can affect how your face responds to exercises.

3. Skin stretchiness: If your skin can stretch easily, exercises might work better.

4. Doing exercises regularly: You need to practice often to see results.

5. Type and severity of facial aging: Severe sagging may not respond to exercises.

6. Healthy habits: Eating well, staying hydrated, sleeping enough, and managing stress can help.

7. Sun exposure: Too much sun (or lack of proper sunscreen use) can make exercises less effective by damaging your skin.

8. Expectations: It's important to have realistic expectations.

9. Existing health conditions: Some medical issues or skin problems could affect how well exercises work.

10. Getting help from a pro: A facial fitness expert can teach you the right way to do exercises for your face.

Remember, while facial exercises might help some people, they might not work for everyone. It's smart to talk to a doctor or skin expert before trying anything new for your skin.

Note: As seen in my before and after turkey neck pictures, exercises can make a difference. Considering I'm over 60 in these photos, I'm satisfied with the slight improvement. Plus, it didn't cost much. I spent about $50 for the whole exercise program, which also helped firm up my face too. 

Effective methods to escue your neck from sagging

Here is what I did to help firm my sagging neck:

1. Start with a basic Face and Neck Exercise workout

Try Carolyn's Facial Fitness (CFF) workout, which targets all the muscles in your face and neck. Spend just 15 minutes doing the full program three times a week. Once you see results in about 8 weeks, you can switch to maintenance sessions of 1-2 times a month.

I’ve tried many programs, but CFF was the only one I found easy and effective. I’ve been using it ever since!

All face and neck exercises.Click on Chart to View Facial & Neck Muscles. Courtesy of Carolyn Facial Fitness (CFF).

2. Stick with it

Don't stop and start the exercises, or pick and select only the ones you like.

3. Take pictures

Continue with the weekly face exercise/neck program and take pictures weekly to track your progress. This is important because in the first 4-6 weeks you won't see much difference in the mirror, But, your pictures will pick up on the slightest changes. This will keep you motivated to continue.

Sagging turkey neck photos before and after results.Before and after pictures: See how exercises tightened and reduced wrinkly saggy neck skin.

Note: When taking pictures, make sure to take them at the same time of day, in the same place each time. This gives the best comparison.

4. OPTIONAL - Bonus Neck Exercises

This is optional, but some people might need or want additional improvements after doing the basic face & neck exercises.  After about 16 weeks, I saw improvements in my neck, but I wanted more. So, I added the following exercises to my weekly routine:

Bonus Exercise 1: The Brush



Bonus Exercise 2: The Neck Ring Eraser 

How to get rid of neck lines.Click on the picture to see the video. (Opens to new window).

Click here to see the written steps to this workout.

How long to see results

Since everyone is different, this might be all you need to get your turkey neck firmed up. But, some might need more firming. I started to see changes in about 8 weeks, but I still required more, and that's why I added the bonus exercise.

The bonus neck exercise only take a few minutes a week!

But the beauty of this workout is that it address the underlying neck muscle - the platysma muscle - and helps thicken and smooth the neck skin, which helps address those pesky neck rings.

Neck and face muscles are connected

You'd be surprised how one group of muscles actually help lift and firm other surrounding areas of the face and neck.  The beauty of improving all the underlying face and neck muscles is that you'll also address other aging facial issues like:

  • sagging cheeks
  • nasolabial folds
  • marionette lines
  • puffy eyes
  • droopy eyebrows

Can you really improve a turkey neck?

As stated before - depending on the severity of your sagging skin, the condition of your neck and skin muscles, and your age - results will vary. The sooner you start to address your sagging neck, the better the results.

And, the more consistent you are with face and neck exercises, the better chance of seeing improvement. But, just keep in mind, results with neck exercises will never be the same as a surgical neck or face lift procedure.

How to choose a face and neck exercise program

How to Find a Facial Workout Program

How do you find a facial workout program that's right for you? Visit several different facial workout websites and look for the following features:

  • Check for Sample Exercises: Try a few to see if you enjoy the workouts.
  • Look for Online Classes: These can help you learn the correct techniques.
  • Contact the Program Owner: Gauge their customer service; if they don't reply within a few days, consider other options.
  • Seek Advanced or Updated Exercises: This indicates they keep up with the latest research.

You can view some samples exercises by Carolyn's Facial Fitness to see if this is something you'd enjoy doing.

Non-invasive treatment options

Non-surgical options, such as radio frequency and ultrasound treatments, stimulate collagen production

These methods aim to reduce fine lines and firm up the delicate skin on the neck.

Also see 10 ways to firm up sagging neck skin using natural treatment options that worked for me.

Ultherapy Treatment - This laser treatment uses ultrasound energy to heat the deeper layers of the skin to stimulate collagen production and lift and improve skin tone for a more youthful appearance.

Keep in mind that most ultrasound therapy treatments provide mild to medium results.

If you have a lot of excess neck skin or very lax skin, a neck lift surgery would be the best way to go. Most people will require several Ultherapy treatments before seeing significant results.

Botox - If your issues are due to vertical neck bands, then Botox is an excellent treatment plan.

But for best results, you will have to repeat Botox injections every few months or those vertical bands will come back.

Surgery - For a long-lasting solution, vertical bands can be fixed with neck surgery. This is where the surgeon tightens the platysma muscles, eliminating vertical bands. Results are usually permanent.

Sagging jowls and neck

Most people who have issues with turkey neck, will often have problems with sagging jowls too.

Read more about getting a lift for sagging jowls and neck without surgery.

How to Get Rid Of Turkey Neck Without Surgery: FAQ's

Q: Can I get rid of turkey neck without surgery?

A: Yes, you can improve the look of sagging neck skin. Visit my top 10 ways to firm the neck area here...

Q: Can Kybella treatments can help reduce the appearance of a neck sagging?

A: Kybella treatment involves injections of deoxycholic acid in and around the under chin area to help dissolve excess fat.

Sometimes, a double chin can cause the appearance of a turkey and if you reduce excess volume in the double chin area, you can improve the appearance of your neck.

Younger patients are a good candidate for this treatment since they have less skin laxity.

Q: What about PDO Threads for sagging neck?

A: PDO Threads are barbed sutures (which are temporary) that are threaded under facial skin to lift and tighten the lower face and neck.

This falls under the category of minimally invasive medical procedures. Expect results to last about 15-20 months. 

Question: What do you think about using Ultra Therapy for neck wrinkles?

Answer: I think you mean Ultherapy?  Yes, this non-surgical procedure can improve skin laxity, but the extent of reduction in sagging varies. On average, it can provide a noticeable lift and tightening effect, typically reducing mild to moderate sagging.

For more pronounced sagging or advanced signs of aging, the results may be subtler, and multiple treatments or additional procedures might be necessary for optimal improvement. It's best to discuss your specific concerns and goals with a qualified provider to get a better idea of what Ultherapy can achieve for you.

Question: Are these neck exercises effective for double chin removal too?

Answer: Neck and face exercises can help firm up the double chin area, but it won't remove excess fat. If you're looking to reduce fat deposit for a double chin, consider CoolSculpting.

Do a Google search for: Coolsculpting Chin Near Me and you'll find a list of providers who offer that service in your area. 

Additional  Information

Neck Wrinkles - See how to reduce them.

Sagging Neck - What causes the neck to sag over time?

References:

CROWLEY, D., ed. The FlexEffect, Facial Resistance Training. FlexEffect Publishing Eureka, CA. 1998,1999.



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