While ageing does come with unavoidable physical changes, getting older does not have to mean sacrificing beautiful skin.
A septuagenarian shared the simple technique that helps her maintain a "youthful" appearance at 73.
Jessica Lee (who goes by @thedavisstandard on TikTok) took to the social media platform alongside her mother.
"This is my 73-year-old mum, and she has the best beauty tips," Jessica told her followers. "One of the best tips she has given me is how to reduce that turkey neck as you get older."
'This is my 73-year-old mum, and she has the best beauty tips'
TikTok/@thedavisstandard
Turkey neck, as defined by the skin experts at Nivea, "is the name attributed to loose, saggy and wrinkled skin below the neck".
"As we age, the muscles in the neck weaken and the skin surrounding it (and all over the body) loses its elasticity and firmness," they explained.
This is due to a depletion in collagen and elastin levels; while we produce these in abundance when we are young, levels continue to drop with age.
To stave off turkey neck, the youthful septuagenarian practices a simple facial yoga exercise.
Demonstrating the technique to fellow anti-ageing enthusiasts, the 73-year-old placed her tongue on the roof of her mouth, smiled, and made a prolonged 'Ah' sound.
She advised others to practice this in 10 to 20-second intervals, "anytime, anywhere". Praising the free hack, she revealed that it saved her a lot of money, as she was initially considering neck surgery.
Her daughter added: "You'll immediately feel this tightening around your neck. Her neck is so smooth and so tight."
The cosmetics experts at Clarins also hailed facial exercises as tools to "tighten the skin and reduce fine lines".
They added: "A home facial massage will also help you avoid water retention and puffiness - so cheekbones look chiselled, and jawlines can be refined."
Clarins referenced an article entitled 'Association of Facial Exercise With the Appearance of Aging', published in JAMA Dermatology.
Here, experts discussed an investigation into the anti-ageing benefits of facial exercises, evaluating the effects they had on a group of 40 to 65-year-old women.
After 20 weeks, it was found that "participants were more satisfied with all facial ageing outcomes when baseline was compared with end of study". Indeed, they noted a "significant improvement in 18 of 20 facial features".
To "help tone the jawline and strengthen the neck while toning a double chin", the experts at Clarins advised trying Jivha Bandha.
Jivha Bandha (Locked tongue pose)
- Inhale deeply through your nose, then curl the tip of your tongue and touch it to the roof of your mouth, just behind your front teeth.
- Exhale slowly through your nose, keeping your tongue in this position.
- Hold your breath for a few seconds with your tongue still touching the roof of your mouth, then release your tongue and exhale completely.
- Repeat this cycle of inhaling, holding, and exhaling with your tongue locked in the same position for several rounds, gradually increasing the duration of the hold as you feel comfortable.
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The 73-year-old credits her youthful skin to a free hack - and it only takes 10 seconds
TikTok/@thedavisstandard
Those who want to incorporate facial exercises into their routine should ensure they are following the instructions of a reputable source.
If you have any concerns, it's always best to consult a healthcare practitioner, such as your GP or a dermatologist, beforehand.
As well as practising strategic facial exercises, women can improve the appearance of their neck with skin care.
According to a lead facial aesthetics clinician, one product should "always be your best friend".
While ageing is inevitable, maintaining a youthful look is possible in your 40s, 50s, 60s and beyond - as long as you have the right know-how.
A 60-year-old who still boasts "smooth, tight skin" relies on a face tool for a younger complexion - it's always in her bag.
