Face Yoga
5 best face yoga exercises to fix turkey neck
Written by Meena AzzolliniUpdated on 25 Aug 2022
Face Yoga
5 best face yoga exercises to fix turkey neck
Written by Meena Azzollini.Updated at 25 Aug 2022
Turkey Neck is an unflattering term used for the appearance of loose skin around the neck, jawline, and chin. As we age, our neck muscles weaken and the skin in this area loses elasticity and firmness that keeps it in shape.
While everyone ages differently, you can generally start seeing physical signs of aging on your face and neck after the age of 40 when the skin around your neck starts to loosen.
Specifically, collagen and elastin—connective tissue proteins—begin to deteriorate, which ultimately leads to sagging skin, wrinkles and skin folds that resemble rings around the neck, which can deepen.
Our skin also becomes drier and thinner, as we get older, and cannot maintain form and shape, leaving us with loose skin and an unattractive neck and jawline. Other culprits responsible for turkey neck are sun exposure, genetics and lifestyle habits such as smoking.
More recently, our modern lifestyle which includes the prolonged use of computers and mobiles may be responsible for the premature appearance of turkey neck, also known as ‘phone neck’ or ‘tech neck’.
Spending long hours looking down at our mobile phones changes our posture which affects lower face skin and muscles and is also harmful to our cervical spine.
Specifically, these postures alter our neck and jawline significantly as we squash down the skin and muscles in this area, resulting in a double chin and excessive wrinkles.
Fortunately, neck exercises can help reduce the appearance of turkey neck without invasive procedures. Face yoga exercises can prevent unwanted sagging skin and wrinkles and also help tone and lift the skin and muscles around the neck, chin, and jawline.
Can Facial Exercises Help?
Face yoga exercises give your neck and jaw muscles a good workout and focus on building muscle strength while stimulating collagen production. Dr Scott Michael Schreiber, a chiropractic physician, shares in this Healthline article, that the front neck muscles are often underdeveloped, inhibited, and almost never exercised in a gym or therapy setting. He goes on to say, “[Weak front neck muscles] can be a major cause of a droopy neck and a hidden cause of neck pain. Done properly, these exercises should not only sharpen the jawline, but also prevent neck pain, headaches, and jaw pain.” Exercises also improve other factors, such as circulation, that contribute to better skin quality and may reduce the onset and severity of the appearance of turkey neck.Face Yoga Exercises for Turkey Neck
Practise face and neck exercises consistently. Follow one exercise after another to ensure you are giving your muscles a good workout. However, if you feel any pain while doing the poses, gently come out of the pose. It’s also important to have the right posture while working out. The following steps will help you correct your posture and maintain the pose:- Breathe in and release the tension around your shoulders, bringing them down.
- Relax and straighten your back and hold your neck tall.
- Open your chest area, relax your forehead, and keep breathing gently.
- Remember not to slouch.