About 3 years ago, when I was 60, I started noticing that my chin and neck were starting to droop.  Oh no, not me!  I can’t get a saggy neck!  But I am.

What Causes a Saggy Neck?

Pretty much all sources agree – age and factors related to it.  Gosh I hate having to repeat that. Shouldn’t age be a disease and not a condition?

Anyway, the skin beneath the surface loses collagen and elastin fibers aren’t as elastic anymore – taking away the supporting framework for our skin.  Gravity takes over and pulls it down.  Sun exposure also plays a role – as does smoking.  Skin Care Physicians.com says “Scientific studies have shown that repeated ultraviolet (UV) exposure breaks down collagen and impairs the synthesis of new collagen. The sun also attacks our elastin. Sun-weakened skin ceases to spring back much earlier than skin protected from UV rays.”

Is a Saggy Neck Inevitable?

Yep, pretty much – according to the sources I found – unless you want to surgically remove it (or you die young enough to avoid it – but who would chose that!).

What to Do?

Exercise

The jury is out on whether facial exercises do more harm than good, but I’ve been doing them for a few years and don’t think I have as big of a sag as some of my peers. Proponents feel that the exercises stimulate circulation, clearing away toxins and believe that facial exercises promote collagen and elastin production, and tighten up the facial muscles – providing better support to the skin.

Antagonists think that the exercises do no good and may actually cause additional wrinkles if you do the same exercises over and over again.

Want to try them?

Here are a few exercises to try.  To be effective, I hear they need to be done several times a day.

First Exercise

Put lower lip along top lip.

Keep it there while you inhale via your nose, turn your head so you’re looking over one shoulder.

Lower your head so chin touches shoulder.  Don’t lift or turn shoulders.

Hold for two seconds, drop head toward chest and move it until you face front again.

Repeat on other side.

Start with 3 – 4 reps and work up to 15, 3 times a day.

Second Exercise

This is a good one…at least it feels like it might be working on me!

Tilt head back.

Press tongue firmly into roof of mouth (tightens muscles along front of neck).

Bring chin toward neck, keeping tongue on roof of mouth.

Release and repeat.

Third Exercise

Here’s an easy one to remember.

Open your mouth wide, and extend your bottom lip over your bottom teeth. Work your jaw so it is moving up and down, like you are using it to scoop something up.

Fourth Exercise

This is one I do every day – and is apparently NOT working!

While you are doing your crunches, you can also work your neck muscles. Instead of putting your hands behind your head, raise your arms over your head when preparing to sit up.  As you sit up clench your jaw. Release the clench on the way down from your situp.

Anti-oxidants

Put good stuff in your body to keep it from aging faster.  Anti-oxidants may protect your cells against free radicals, which break down the cells.  Anti-oxidents are things like Beta-carotene, Lutein, Lycopene, Selenium, Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Vitamin E.

Antioxidants are found in many foods, including fruits and vegetables, nuts, grains, and some meats, poultry and fish as well as green tea and red wine.

Skin Creams

Use creams with retinen,  vitamin A, vitamin C, alpha hydroxy acid or beta hydroxy acid to stimulate collagen and elastin resiliency.   Research is showing that they actually do penetrate the skin layers and can do some good in re-building our resiliency.

Sources:

US National Library of Medicine http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/antioxidants.html

Livestrong.com http://www.livestrong.com/article/98632-exercises-sagging-chin/

Ezine Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/1173730

Facial Plastic Surgeon.com http://www.facialplasticsurgeon.com/springfield-missouri-facial-liposuction.html

How Stuff Works http://health.howstuffworks.com/skin-care/problems/beauty/sagging-skin2.htm

About Anti Ageing http://www.aboutantiageing.co.uk/do-facial-exercises-get-rid-wrinkles.html

Skin Care Physicians http://www.skincarephysicians.com/agingskinnet/basicfacts.html