Patience for a mini facelift

Being in the massage industry, even handling mostly medical cases, invariably I'm approached for cosmetic fixes. And this is where a little knowledge of anatomy can go a long way. Sure there are a lot of fixes out there for the old double chin or turkey waddle, ranging from exercise devices, stimulators, vibrating massagers, to acupuncture, to full blown surgery. For all the gimmicks out there, let's take a step back and isolate the problem.

Forget about all the intricacies of the muscles of the neck, this is one situation where we really only care about one, the platysma. Now for all those who are really curious, or work better with visual aids, go ahead and Google "platysma" images to get a look at what we are going to isolate. The platysma is a thin muscle that covers all of the other muscles and structures of the throat. It drapes from the jawline down to the clavicles and sternum. Over time this muscle loses tone and many of us develop fatty deposits below the jawline causing that wonderful double chin.

The simple exercise that I'm discussing here will not miraculously melt any subcutaneous fat or instantly cinch up the loose skin. What this exercise will do, if done faithfully for several weeks, is return tone to the platysma, firming the jawline and tightening the look of the throat and lower portion of the face. As with any exercise program, always work within your level of comfort, and at your own pace. If you have any chronic neck problems, enter this program slowly and listen closely to your body. Despite the benefits, a sleek neck is worth nothing if it increases pain or jeopardizes your health in any way.

For most of our lives, the platysma does nothing. Sure it helps us frown and grimace while watching reality shows, but other than that, it knows nothing about the treadmill or Pilate's classes. This is why so many of us notice the loss of tone as early as our thirties. What this also means is that even a little effort will give us results. Everyone also knows that the best way to build muscle tone and strength is resistance exercises. The resistance for this exercise is our skull. The average adult skull weighs seven pounds, which is plenty of weight when dealing with the delicate bone structure of the neck.

First things first, take a picture. For the record and for motivation, take an honest to goodness picture of your throat. Remember the position, lighting, etc. so that you can reproduce the picture in several weeks and compare to see how far you've come.

Now, lie on your back on your bed, massage table (if you have one), or if you have minor neck issues, the padded arms of a couch will offer support while still engaging the platysma. Scoot toward the edge of your bed and allow your head to drop toward the floor. Move slowly and carefully when first starting out. Some people may experience pain, nausea, or vertigo with the neck in a position of hyperflexion. Inhale deeply and relax. Now, exhale and bring your chin slowly to your chest. Relax back down on the inhale. Pause at the bottom and assess your comfort. Begin with five repetitions and increase to twenty over time, staying well within your comfort zone. You will feel the large muscles of your neck begin tire, but you will most likely not feel fatigue in the platysma. Don't worry, be patient. The platysma is working, it is contracting, it just doesn't work as hard as say the SCM or the scalenes.

Do not be tempted to work to "muscle failure." The neck is delicate and complex and any muscle failure can easily lead to complications down the road. A few repititions every day will do the job without the muscle tenderness or exhaustion that comes with building your biceps or quads.

Be patient!