This morning, a couple of the women in my office asked me what they could do about their “turkey necks.”
These women take great care of their skin. They look much younger than their actual age. But they hate that the skin on their necks is beginning to sag and get loose, no matter how many products they try.
I gave them some advice and got back to work at my desk. A few minutes later, one of the men on my staff, F.C, came into my office. He hesitated for a minute. Then, in a very low voice, he said: “Dr. Sears, I heard you telling the women how they could make the skin on their necks look better. Can you tell me, too?”
Women aren’t the only ones who care about their appearance. Men want to look younger, too. And a sagging, jowly neck will give away your age every time.
You see, the skin on your neck is very thin. And it gets a lot of exposure to harsh weather, pollution and chemicals in the air and water.
Over time, it starts to get all loose and slack. When it gets really bad, folds of flesh hang down like a turkey’s wattle. (That’s where the turkey neck name comes from.)
Women have creative ways of hiding their turkey necks. They wear turtlenecks or scarves or fancy necklaces that draw the eye away from the neck. Men will often grow a beard.
But hiding the wattle doesn’t get rid of the wattle.
Plastic surgeons offer drastic procedures. They put you under general anesthesia. Then they cut behind your earlobes, suction out fat, lift and tighten muscles and remove the excess turkey skin. It leaves scars from your ears to your hairline. Recovery can take 14 days or more
. You’d also be out of pocket about $10,000.Before you resort to anything that drastic, I want to tell you about some safe and effective ways you can fight the dreaded turkey neck.
New research has revealed a novel compound that reverses the signs of aging around the neck. It can protect, repair and strengthen your skin from deep inside. Let me explain how it works…
You probably already know that collagen and elastin are critical to keeping skin firm and taut. Collagen provides the strong framework for the skin’s structure. Elastin keeps skin resilient and helps it snap back when it stretches. Together they keep your skin smooth and tight.
But as you age, collagen and elastin break down faster than your body can rebuild them. That’s when you see the signs of sagging.
As skin loosens, the connection between the dermal and epidermal layers of skin starts to come apart. This “dermo-epidermal junction” is critical for youthful skin. It’s the message center between your skin’s layers. It maintains skin cohesion. And it carries essential nutrients up to the epidermis for healthy skin.1
As the dermo-epidermal junction breaks down, your skin begins to lose elasticity and firmness. You start to see wrinkles and sagging around the neck.
Scientists have discovered a compound that can rebuild this connection between the skin layers. It’s a protein called hexapeptide-10 (HP-10). Studies show it stimulates the formation of the vital building blocks of the dermo-epidermal junction.2 In other words, HP-10 restores the connection between the dermal and epidermal layers of skin. That
improves skin tightness and elasticity.
In one study, HP-10 was tested on healthy volunteers for 60 days. It boosted skin elasticity by 9%. Skin compactness improved by 53%. It also enhanced skin tone by 46%.3 All of that helps tighten up a turkey neck.
It’s so impressive I’ve added it to one of my new products.
But there are things you can do right at home that will help you tighten up your neck skin. Here’s a simple facial yoga exercise that will tone your neck muscles, which will improve your neck’s appearance.
The Owl Stretch
- Stand up straight with your arms loose at your sides and shoulders relaxed.
- Bring your lips into a pout and hold the position.
- Remember to breathe deeply through your nose throughout the exercise.
- Slowly turn your head, so you’re looking over your left shoulder. Hold for 10 seconds. Return to center.
- Slowly turn your head, so you’re looking over your right shoulder. Hold for 10 seconds. Return to center.
When you’re doing this exercise, you’ll feel a real stretch underneath your chin and along both sides of your neck. Repeat 10 times once or twice a day.
To Your Good Health,
Al Sears, MD, CNS
1 Le Varlet B, Chaudagne C, Saunois A, et al. “Age-related functional and structural changes in human dermo-epidermal junction components.” J Investig Dermatol Symp Proc. 1998;3(2):172-9.
2 Serilesine®Solution GC. Lotioncrafter. Tech data. Accessed May 22, 2016.
3 Ibid.