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We can be grateful to science and technology for many things, and even in the world of cosmetic surgery, advances and new developments enable us to achieve better results for all our patients. However, technology has also brought some specific problems – our growing screen-obsessed culture is problematic in particular. There is a lot of chat around the pros and cons of our lives lived in front of computers, laptops and mobile phones, but one real issue that is becoming a focus point is a condition that has been named ‘tech neck’.
As you might imagine, it describes the effects, both physical and cosmetic, that a life spent looking down at a screen has on the neck in general. The human head weighs on average around ten pounds, and persistently holding it at an angle can add a significant amount to the weight the neck has to support.
For example, if you tilt your head to a 45 degree angle to look at your phone, it puts almost 50lb strain on your neck. We hunch forward looking at computer screens all day and repetitively tilt our heads downwards to look at our phones (quite often squinting too, which can speed up an aged appearance in the eye area) and it has real effects. However. there are steps we can take to help counter the physical and cosmetic impact our gadgets can have on the neck.
Firstly, it is very is important to become aware of your posture – and if you find yourself slouching, to correct it immediately. You will soon get into the habit. Make sure your computer screen is at eye level and if you work at a screen all day, take regular breaks (this will also help with eye health).
Do some simple stretches at your desk to work out the muscles at the front of the chest, as they are the ones that can become tight and shortened as we constantly hunch forwards. As well as impacting on the muscles in the neck, this repetitive tilting can exacerbate skin laxity and what was commonly referred to as ‘turkey neck’.
Upping your skincare regime to always include the neck area can help keep the skin hydrated and supple. When applying a face cream, take it down to your décolletage, and when using a body lotion, make sure to apply it to the neck too.
There are also specific neck creams on the market, which, while they may not have huge benefits when it comes to turning back the clock, can work to keep the skin on the neck (which is prone to crepeyness) smoother. You may also find that there are a lot of beauty products now specifically aimed at ‘tech neck’ although high street brands won’t have the same effects as cosmeceutical brands.
For people for whom the neck area has become a big concern, there are surgical steps you can take to address skin laxity and jowls. A neck lift, also known as a lower rhytidectomy, can help to create a smoother, more defined and youthful-looking neck.
The procedure can remove excess skin and fat to deal with a double chin and any sort of jowls. It takes between two and four hours and is performed under general anesthetic, either by incision or keyhole surgery.
A good surgeon will make sure the results work well from an aesthetic perspective and will work in harmony with the patient’s facial features.
While there are visible results after two weeks, the effects of a neck lift can often improve over time.
If excess fat in the neck area is becoming a real problem and is causing a loss in self-confidence in your appearance, targeted liposuction can be very effective. Contrary to popular belief, liposuction is not a weight loss treatment – in fact, it is aimed towards treating pockets of fat, and is a very good option for the removal of localised excess fat in the neck area to give an enhanced contour.
As with any other procedure, there is some downtime involved, and you should always follow your surgeon’s instructions to ensure you maintain the results you want.
Being mindful of your lifestyle and neck health after a cosmetic surgery procedure can help to keep results in optimal shape, but you should also do this to reduce the chance of physical neck problems in the future generally.
If you are concerned about the appearance of your neck, I can advise on the best non-surgical and surgical options for you. Contact us to arrange a consultation.
Find out all you need to know about cosmetic procedures and the factors you need to consider in our free guide: Considerations Before Deciding on Cosmetic Surgery and Post-Treatment Care:
Download Mr. Chan's Guide to Cosmetic Surgery Considerations
We can be grateful to science and technology for many things, and even in the world of cosmetic surgery, advances and new developments enable us to achieve better results for all our patients. However, technology has also brought some specific problems – our growing screen-obsessed culture is problematic in particular. There is a lot of chat around the pros and cons of our lives lived in front of computers, laptops and mobile phones, but one real issue that is becoming a focus point is a condition that has been named ‘tech neck’.
As you might imagine, it describes the effects, both physical and cosmetic, that a life spent looking down at a screen has on the neck in general. The human head weighs on average around ten pounds, and persistently holding it at an angle can add a significant amount to the weight the neck has to support.
For example, if you tilt your head to a 45 degree angle to look at your phone, it puts almost 50lb strain on your neck. We hunch forward looking at computer screens all day and repetitively tilt our heads downwards to look at our phones (quite often squinting too, which can speed up an aged appearance in the eye area) and it has real effects. However. there are steps we can take to help counter the physical and cosmetic impact our gadgets can have on the neck.
Firstly, it is very is important to become aware of your posture – and if you find yourself slouching, to correct it immediately. You will soon get into the habit. Make sure your computer screen is at eye level and if you work at a screen all day, take regular breaks (this will also help with eye health).
Do some simple stretches at your desk to work out the muscles at the front of the chest, as they are the ones that can become tight and shortened as we constantly hunch forwards. As well as impacting on the muscles in the neck, this repetitive tilting can exacerbate skin laxity and what was commonly referred to as ‘turkey neck’.
Upping your skincare regime to always include the neck area can help keep the skin hydrated and supple. When applying a face cream, take it down to your décolletage, and when using a body lotion, make sure to apply it to the neck too.
There are also specific neck creams on the market, which, while they may not have huge benefits when it comes to turning back the clock, can work to keep the skin on the neck (which is prone to crepeyness) smoother. You may also find that there are a lot of beauty products now specifically aimed at ‘tech neck’ although high street brands won’t have the same effects as cosmeceutical brands.
For people for whom the neck area has become a big concern, there are surgical steps you can take to address skin laxity and jowls. A neck lift, also known as a lower rhytidectomy, can help to create a smoother, more defined and youthful-looking neck.
The procedure can remove excess skin and fat to deal with a double chin and any sort of jowls. It takes between two and four hours and is performed under general anesthetic, either by incision or keyhole surgery.
A good surgeon will make sure the results work well from an aesthetic perspective and will work in harmony with the patient’s facial features.
While there are visible results after two weeks, the effects of a neck lift can often improve over time.
If excess fat in the neck area is becoming a real problem and is causing a loss in self-confidence in your appearance, targeted liposuction can be very effective. Contrary to popular belief, liposuction is not a weight loss treatment – in fact, it is aimed towards treating pockets of fat, and is a very good option for the removal of localised excess fat in the neck area to give an enhanced contour.
As with any other procedure, there is some downtime involved, and you should always follow your surgeon’s instructions to ensure you maintain the results you want.
Being mindful of your lifestyle and neck health after a cosmetic surgery procedure can help to keep results in optimal shape, but you should also do this to reduce the chance of physical neck problems in the future generally.
If you are concerned about the appearance of your neck, I can advise on the best non-surgical and surgical options for you. Contact us to arrange a consultation.
Find out all you need to know about cosmetic procedures and the factors you need to consider in our free guide: Considerations Before Deciding on Cosmetic Surgery and Post-Treatment Care:
Download Mr. Chan's Guide to Cosmetic Surgery Considerations
