Turkey Neck: Non Surgical Options to Get Snatched!

Interview with Amber Lewis, Owner & Lead Aesthetician / Cosmetic Injector / Surgical Assistant / Medical Assistant

Turkey neck?*&!@#$^ — it’s one of the most popular concerns women are Googling. Matter of fact, more than 6k people a month search "turkey neck" and they're not looking for recipes to roast a bird. 8k+ are searching "how to tighten neck skin." So, you're not alone! Neck laxity shows up differently for everyone, and whether the cause is aging, hormones, weight loss, or “I just don’t look like myself anymore,” the real story is always deeper than loose skin. In this interview, Amber breaks down how she evaluates neck changes, which non-surgical options actually work, and how she helps clients understand the root cause of what they’re seeing in the mirror. Consider this your private guide to saying bye-bye to the turkey neck.

What are some of your favorite non-surgical treatments for attacking the gobble, gobble?

Even though I don’t offer surgical options, some people are simply better candidates for surgery because there is only so much non-surgical treatment can accomplish. For clients who are good candidates for non-surgical options, there are many tools we can use. We can contour the jawline and chin, use biostimulators, perform collagen induction therapy, or incorporate bioosomes and stem cells to retrigger collagen and elasticity for tightening. We can also use Botox to soften neck lines and even relax the platysma bands, which often displace and pull away over time, creating more of a turkey neck appearance. A combination of these approaches can work very well, but ultimately it takes a professional evaluation to determine whether surgical or non-surgical treatment will give the best results.

Say someone comes in for a facial or Dysport, and you notice their neck would benefit from treatment, what do you do?

I always let the client take the lead because their biggest concern should be my biggest concern. While I may see things I’d want to address, you may be hyper-focusing on something that matters to you most. Being on the same team is important, and these conversations are sensitive. However, sometimes the area that bothers you isn’t actually the origin of the issue. For example, someone may be focused on laxity under the chin, but the real loss of structure is coming from the midface or zygomatic area. If I can explain how volume loss in other areas contributes to what you’re seeing in the neck, we can approach the treatment plan together so the results actually match what you’re hoping to improve.

Is turkey neck a common culprit for why we're thinking, "I just don't look like myself."?

Absolutely. Clients often tell me things like their smile doesn’t look like their smile anymore, or their face looks different in photos and they can’t pinpoint why. These are very real concerns that affect basic expressions of happiness. Usually, this comes down to volume loss, heaviness around the mouth, and tissue descent. By contouring and restoring areas of volume loss, we can pull back that tissue and rebalance the face so everything looks more like you again. It’s not plastic surgery—we’re not removing tissue—but we can create a soft lifting, tightening, and repositioning. Fillers help restore lost volume, Botox and Dysport help relax pulling and separating muscles, and biostimulators help rebuild the supporting structure. Every recommendation depends on the client’s unique bone structure, muscle, and tissue changes.

How can microneedling help improve turkey neck?

Microneedling is an excellent treatment for neck laxity because it’s essentially collagen induction therapy. Collagen and elasticity are what keep tissue tight. Once the body stops producing those fibers, they weaken and break. Microneedling creates tiny controlled channels—like aerating the lawn—and then I’m able to apply “fertilizer” such as PDRN, biostimulators, bioosomes, exosomes, or stem cells to biologically “wake up” the collagen production system. It’s not a one-and-done treatment. Just like going to the gym, the first session feels good, but real change comes from repeated work. The number of treatments you need is determined during consultation.

Are chemical peels effective to help tighten our necks?

Chemical peels can be used on the neck, but the neck isn’t the same type of tissue as the face. The face heals faster because it has more pores and a stronger regenerative response. The neck is more delicate, so deep peels are usually not appropriate. However, lighter peels can be incorporated, and sometimes they can even be combined with microneedling. The approach needs to be conservative and customized to the client.

How do you help clients decide between treating their neck now with non-surgical options versus considering surgery, especially when thinking about budget, schedule, and lifestyle?

Age, downtime, and goals all matter. Younger clients who still produce good collagen and stem cells may choose proactive treatments like biostimulators or microneedling to build a stronger “scaffolding” for the future. Clients who’ve already lost elasticity and collagen may still benefit from non-surgical treatments, but it can take more time and multiple modalities to get the desired results. If someone has significant tissue laxity or deeper structural concerns and wants a dramatic improvement, surgery may be the right choice. For clients who don’t want surgery or don’t have downtime, we can still improve the area, but it won’t be the same outcome as a surgical lift. A proper consultation is the only way to determine what matches both expectations and anatomy.

Turkey neck exercises - yes or kinda B.S.?

This is going to get me in trouble with the influencers. First, I love a good stretch or muscle workout to help reduce stress or neck tightness, and even a good massage to support lymphatic drainage. In fact, I just had an amazing body service today myself, but I don’t like saying flexing your neck muscles for turkey or tech neck will cure it all. While these things can help align the neck and may make it look better when you stand taller or stretch your neck out, they won’t actually help with saggy or loose skin, the quality or texture of the skin, or push your bands back up. All of this is related to collagen and elastin fibers becoming weak and breaking. And to help correct this issue, you would need plastic surgery. If that’s not your jam, then come to Luminous for non-surgical corrective measures we've mentioned already like Biosome microneedling, RF, Botox/Dysport, for the platysma bands pulling down, bio stimulators, and/or filler for jaw line and chin strengthening structures. 

Now, for those influencers who insist that neck workouts are good, consider the science. That thin sheet-like muscle in the neck is active, and unlike other muscles in the body, the platysma has the opposite effect: it pulls down. This neck muscle does not bulk like an arm or leg muscle; it just becomes tight, separates, and then pulls downward, as in pulling your jowls or sagging them even harder, in the opposite direction we want them to go: down. And to top it off, overuse can make those pesky neck bands stick out even more at rest. 

So to answer the question - B.S. Flexing the suprahyoid and platysma, or over-exercising the neck, can actually make it look worse. When overactive, neck muscles pull downward, exaggerating fullness under the chin and highlighting saggy skin. So overworking those muscles can backfire, making the turkey neck worse. Good news, I just gave you one less body part to exercise.

What should clients know about your experience as an injector and esthitician?

My background includes dermatology, plastic surgery, and cosmetic injections. I’ve seen how tissue behaves from every angle—topically, surgically, and subdermally. In dermatology, I worked with scars, lesions, and damaged tissue on the surface. In plastic surgery, I saw what the structures look like beneath the skin, including platysma bands, fat pads, and muscle placement. As an injector, I blend those perspectives to protect lymphatic flow, place filler at the correct depth, and support the body’s natural function. This is why understanding long-term outcomes matters. Some fillers or techniques may work in the moment but won’t hold up over time. Providers have to think beyond instant gratification.

How do you talk to clients about budget when comparing treatment options?

I’m always willing to work within someone’s comfort level, whether they have a small budget or no budget constraints at all. But I won’t perform a treatment that isn’t in the client’s long-term best interest just because it fits a price point. I’d rather you save for the right treatment than do something cheaper that won’t give you the results—or could even compromise the skin system. You only get one skin, and once certain things are damaged, they can be very hard to correct. A provider who can say “yes” and also say “no” is essential for not just long-term results, but the desired outcome and your health.

Are you seeing a rise in turkey neck concerns because clients are on GLP-1 medications and/or in menopause?

With GLP-1 medications and hormone loss, we’re seeing an increase in volume loss, especially in the face and neck. Fat pockets that once held tissue up are shrinking, and the collagen and elasticity bonds in the neck are especially sensitive to those shifts. Rapid weight loss breaks those bonds, leading to more pronounced laxity. Treatments like fillers, biostimulators, Botox, and collagen induction therapy help restore a healthier structure and tighten the tissue, but it often takes a combination approach. Fillers show immediate results, biostimulators take 6–12 weeks, Botox takes about 14 days, and microneedling results build over time. In some cases, the concern isn’t actually the neck at all—it’s the chin or jawline or midface. A consultation helps determine exactly what’s contributing to the turkey neck appearance.

We can be thankful all year round for skin tightening treatments for the neck, not just during Thanksgiving! The most important thing to remember is that whatever matters to you is valid. Book your complimentary consultation now, and let's talk about options that meet your glow goals.