Massive weight loss causes “turkey break” for WLS patients

A friend of mine who recently lost nearly 150 pounds after gastric bypass was sharing her excitement with an acquaintance. She was excited because all of her type II diabetes symptoms were gone and she is no longer taking any medication; she feels healthier than ever in her life.

Then the acquaintance, a lifelong skinny girl, burst her bubble: “But doesn’t that turkey neck bother you? You know, all that wrinkled skin hanging out there?”

What a cruel world! My friend was crushed. It’s true, he has turkey neck. Most people who lose a lot of weight will have a saggy, wrinkled neck, so kindly known in the cosmetic surgery profession as “turkey sag.” A saggy neck is a small price to pay for better health and wellness. Still, we want to look our best after weight-loss surgery, and it’s disheartening for anyone to call attention to this residue of our obesity.

There are a few surgical options for tightening the skin on your neck: A neck lift is actually a set of procedures used to improve the appearance of your neck:

Cervicoplasty is the procedure used to remove excess skin

Platysmaplasty removes or alters the neck muscles

A plastic surgeon can also perform neck liposuction, which removes excess fat. In some cases, Botox injections may be the answer to your problems if you have fullness or “bands.”

A neck lift was out of the question for my friend, so we did some research and found a more holistic approach that produced some improvements. From the book of Bharti Vyas, “Beauty Wisdom” we find the following advice:

Give your neck a weekly massage

Keep your head in proper alignment: imagine your head is being pulled up by a piece of string attached to the top of your head

· Cleanse your neck at night and in the morning the same way you do your face, starting at the collarbones and working up to the jawline.

Apply a rich moisturizer at night and hydrate with sunscreen during the day. Cover the front and sides of the neck and the area around the collarbones.

Exfoliate your neck weekly.

· For wrinkled neck, apply almond oil as a nourishing moisturizer.

Ms. Vyas also recommends some simple exercises to tone your neck muscles (and *Bonus* these are wonderfully relaxing):

· Keep your head in a central position, then tilt it as far as you can toward one shoulder and hold for a count of 10. Your neck may feel quite stiff at first. Repeat on the other side, making sure your shoulders remain still and relaxed throughout. Do five reps.

· Keeping your chin level, turn your head to the side so your chin rests on your shoulder. Tilt your head back in a “come here” motion. Repeat on the other side. Repeat the sequence five times.

My friend faithfully follows these practices. His neck isn’t perfect, but to me it’s beautiful. She has collarbones and a chin and a beaming smile on her healthy face.

Copyright © 2005 Kaye Bailey – All Rights Reserved.

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