There are several exercises to help increase the blood flow to the back of your neck.
Image Credit: spukkato/iStock/GettyImages If you’ve got horizontal neck lines, you might be anxious to get rid of them. Unfortunately there aren’t any exercises that can tighten up the loose skin that causes these lines, but exercises can increase blood flow to your face and neck for a healthy glow.
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Read more: 4 Exercises to Loosen Up Your Face Muscles and Help You Look Younger
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Why Aging Causes Neck Lines
As a person ages, the skin on their face and neck changes. The outer layer, called the epidermis, becomes thinner. The connective tissue in your skin loses strength and elasticity, as explained by the U.S. National Library of Medicine. This is one of the main causes of wrinkles.
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This most commonly affects areas of the body that are frequently exposed to the sun, including your face and neck. The amount of fat and muscle under your skin also decrease, causing your skin to appear looser, which can contribute to the appearance of wrinkles.
Face and neck exercises are often recommended to help reverse the signs of aging. However, research to support these claims is lacking. This doesn’t mean that facial exercises aren’t beneficial.
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According to Harvard Health Publishing, facial exercises can improve the appearance of scars by thinning and stretching the scar tissue. Strengthening facial and neck muscles can also help improve muscle tone, which might help fight the pull of gravity.
To make permanent, significant changes to the appearance of your neck lines, you may well need other cosmetic treatments, such as dermal fillers or plastic surgery.
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Try These Exercises
Poor posture can lead to stretching and loosening of skin in your neck, which can contribute to wrinkles. With the increased use of computers and smartphones, neck wrinkles are affecting people at an even younger age, as explained in an article published by Annals of Dermatology in February 2015. Correcting your posture with stretches and strengthening exercises can help reduce the appearance of neck lines. In addition, strengthening exercises for your face and neck can help improve circulation to your skin, which can also make wrinkles less obvious.
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1. Neck Posture Exercises
Not only can proper neck posture improve the appearance of the skin on your neck, but it can also help prevent conditions caused by increased stress on the discs and nerves in your neck. Perform these exercises eight to 10 times, three to four times per day, as recommended by the North American Spine Society.
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Move 1: Seated Chin Tucks
Sit up straight with your arms relaxed by your sides. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and down — as if you are trying to put them in your back pockets. Maintain this position throughout the exercise. Look straight ahead and pull your chin backward as if you are making a “double chin”. You should feel a stretch along the back of your neck. Hold for two to three seconds; then relax.
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Move 2: Supine Retraction
Lie on your back without a pillow. If you need a pillow, choose the flattest one possible. Allow your neck to relax and your chin to drop down, bringing your ears in line with your shoulders. Perform a chin tuck from this position. Hold for a few seconds; then relax. Repeat eight to 10 times.
Move 3: Neck Isometrics
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Sit up straight with your arms relaxed. Place one hand on your forehead. Gently press backward, but meet the resistance by tightening the muscles on the front of your neck — do not allow your head to move. Hold for two to three seconds; then relax. Repeat 10 times. Place your hand on the back of your head. Gently press forward, but tighten the muscles on the back of your neck to keep your head from moving. Hold for two to three seconds; then relax. Repeat 10 times. Place your hand on the right side of your head, just above your ear. Gently push your head to the left while tightening the muscles on the right side of your neck to keep your head from moving. Hold for two to three seconds; then relax. Repeat 10 times. Perform the same movement with your hand on the left side of your head.
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Read more: Can You Exercise to Get a More Slender Neck?
2. Face and Neck Toning Exercises
Perform face and neck toning exercises in front of a mirror to ensure you are doing them correctly, as recommended in an older article published by the Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research in August 2014. Move 1: Smile Big
Sit up straight in front of a mirror. Tense the sides of your mouth as if you are smirking, but keep your lips together. Hold for 10 seconds. Expand your smile enough to expose part of your top teeth. Hold for 10 seconds. Smile as wide as you can. Hold for 10 seconds. Relax slightly to return to the second position, with only part of your top teeth exposed. Hold for 10 seconds. Return to the smirk position. Hold for 10 seconds. Place your index fingers on either sides of your mouth. Gently press the corners of your mouth inward as you repeat the exercise sequence above. This adds some resistance to your working muscles.
Move 2: Face Lift Exercise
Open your mouth slightly. Flare your nostrils. Wrinkle your nose. Maintain this position and pull your upper lip up toward your nose. Hold for 10 seconds; then relax. Repeat 10 times.
Move 3: Work Your Lips
Open your mouth halfway and relax your lips. Lift your lower lip up to meet your top lip. Pull both your lips in toward your teeth. Hold for five seconds; then relax. Repeat 10 times.
Move 4: Lower Jaw Strengthening
With your lips together, separate your teeth as far as possible. Push your bottom jaw forward. Press your lower lip upward and hold for five seconds. Bring your jaw back to the starting position and relax. Repeat 10 times.
Move 5: Pucker Up
Pucker your lips as if you are about to give a kiss. Hold for five seconds; then relax. Pucker up again; then move your lips from side to side 10 times. Repeat 10 times.
Read more: Straight Neck Exercises
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references
Harvard Health Publishing: "Does Your Face Need a Workout?"
U.S. National Library of Medicine: "Aging Changes in Skin"
Annals of Dermatology: "Novel Treatment of Neck Wrinkles with an Intradermal Radiofrequency Device"
North American Spine Society: "Cervical Exercise: The Backbone of Spine Treatment"
Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research: "Enhancing Facial Aesthetics with Muscle Retraining Exercises – A Review"
references
Harvard Health Publishing: "Does Your Face Need a Workout?"
U.S. National Library of Medicine: "Aging Changes in Skin"
Annals of Dermatology: "Novel Treatment of Neck Wrinkles with an Intradermal Radiofrequency Device"
North American Spine Society: "Cervical Exercise: The Backbone of Spine Treatment"
Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research: "Enhancing Facial Aesthetics with Muscle Retraining Exercises – A Review"
There are several exercises to help increase the blood flow to the back of your neck.
Image Credit: spukkato/iStock/GettyImages
Image Credit: spukkato/iStock/GettyImages
Harvard Health Publishing: "Does Your Face Need a Workout?"
U.S. National Library of Medicine: "Aging Changes in Skin"
Annals of Dermatology: "Novel Treatment of Neck Wrinkles with an Intradermal Radiofrequency Device"
North American Spine Society: "Cervical Exercise: The Backbone of Spine Treatment"
Journal of Clinical and Diagnostic Research: "Enhancing Facial Aesthetics with Muscle Retraining Exercises – A Review"
