What should the neck look like?

LOCAL EXAMINATION: NECK AND THYROID GLAND

The neck is examined from all sides with direct and side lighting. Pay attention to its shape, contours, the presence of skin changes, swelling, swelling of the veins, pulsation of the carotid arteries, as well as the position of the larynx and trachea, which, if necessary, are examined by palpation.

A short and thick neck is characteristic of hypersthenics, patients with obesity, myxedema and pulmonary emphysema. In women suffering from the absence of a sex chromosome (Shereshevsky-Turner syndrome), the neck is also shortened with wing-shaped skin folds running from the head to the shoulders. In this case, there is a low border of hair growth on the back of the neck and a lower position of the ears than normal. Thickening of the neck at its usual length occurs in patients with acromegaly.

A uniform increase in the volume of the neck, its thickening and swelling due to swelling of the soft tissues (“Stokes collar”) is most often caused by difficulty in venous outflow due to thrombosis of the superior vena cava or compression from the outside, for example, a tumor of the mediastinum or the accumulation of a significant amount of fluid in the pericardial cavity. In this case, the skin of the neck becomes cyanotic, its veins are filled with blood, and swelling spreads to the head and shoulders. Thickening of the neck can also be caused by inflammatory swelling of the soft tissues with a retropharyngeal abscess or laryngeal diphtheria.

Deformation of the neck due to local protrusions develops with a significant enlargement of the lymph nodes or thyroid gland, with the development of a cyst (lateral or median), as well as with the formation of a lipoma. The accumulation of fatty tissue on the front of the neck in obese women sometimes mimics an enlarged thyroid gland. Displacement of the larynx and trachea to the side can result from an aortic aneurysm, a mediastinal tumor, cicatricial shrinkage of the lung, or massive pleural effusion. Swelling and tenderness of the larynx and trachea appear due to injury or inflammatory lesion (perichondritis).

With aortic valve insufficiency, pronounced pulsation of the carotid arteries ("carotid dancing") is often detected at the inner edges of the sternocleidomastoid muscles. A distinct pulsation of the carotid arteries is sometimes noticeable also in hypertension and thyrotoxicosis. Swelling of the cervical (jugular) veins, located lateral to the outer edges of the sternocleidomastoid muscles, usually occurs in patients with weakened contractile function of the right ventricle, tricuspid valve insufficiency, as well as with a decrease in the suction effect of the chest (pulmonary emphysema, accumulation of fluid or air in the pleural cavities).

In patients with lues, round or oval areas of skin depigmentation sometimes form on the back and sides of the neck, merging with each other in the form of a kind of necklace (“necklace of Venus”). Increased pigmentation of the skin of the neck in the form of a collar is observed in patients with pellagra (hypovitaminosis RR). With cancer of internal organs, pronounced brownish-black pigmentation may appear on the back of the neck, combined with hyperkeratosis of the skin and the formation of papillomatous growths on it (acanthosis nigricans).

The normal thyroid gland is not visible upon examination, but its isthmus is accessible to palpation. There are several techniques for palpation of the thyroid gland. We recommend palpating the gland as follows. First, the doctor, standing in front of the patient, fixes his neck with his left hand, and places the palm of his right hand lengthwise, fingers up, on the front surface of the neck, feels the thyroid cartilage and asks the patient to slightly raise his head up. Then, sliding your fingers down the surface of the thyroid cartilage and further along the arch of the cricoid cartilage, directly below it you find the transverse ridge of the isthmus of the thyroid gland (Fig. 12a).

For ease of palpation, you can press with your left hand on the thyroid cartilage from the opposite side. If the lateral lobes are palpated, their properties are determined: size, shape, density and uniformity of consistency, the degree of displacement when palpated, the presence of pain and adhesion to the skin and surrounding tissues.

It is advisable to combine the described method of palpation of the thyroid gland with the following technique.

To determine the degree of displacement of the thyroid gland, the doctor, connecting the ends of the middle fingers under the thyroid cartilage, asks the patient to take water into his mouth and take a sip. The thyroid gland moves upward when swallowing, passes under the doctor’s middle fingers and is thus palpated. This technique also allows you to palpate the gland if it is located retrosternally.

Normally, when palpating the thyroid gland, its lateral lobes are not determined, and the isthmus is palpated in the form of a transversely lying, smooth, painless ridge of dense elastic homogeneous consistency. The width of the isthmus does not exceed the width of the middle finger. The gland is not fused to the skin and surrounding tissues and is easily displaced when swallowing.

An enlarged thyroid gland is called a goiter. There are five degrees of goiter:

1. the gland is not visually identified, but its isthmus is widened, thickened and the lateral lobes of the gland are clearly palpated;
2. a moderately enlarged gland becomes noticeable when swallowing;
3. the enlarged gland smoothes the contours of the anterior surface of the neck and forms the jugular fossa (“thick neck”);
4. a significantly enlarged gland extends beyond the outer edges of the sternocleidomastoid muscles and beyond the jugular notch of the sternum, changing the configuration of the neck;
5. a pronounced enlargement of the gland leads to significant deformation of the neck and disfigurement of its contours.

An increase in the size of the thyroid gland is observed with thyrotoxicosis (Graves' disease, or Graves' disease), thyroiditis and tumor lesions. In patients with thyrotoxicosis, the thyroid gland increases evenly or one of its lobes increases predominantly. However, the gland retains its normal consistency, is not fused to the skin and surrounding tissues, mixes well and is painless.

With thyroiditis, the gland enlarges unevenly, becomes dense, painful, the overlying skin may be hyperemic and hot to the touch. In patients with thyroid cancer, a dense nodular or tuberous formation is felt in its thickness, fused to the skin, growing into the surrounding tissues and not dislodging when swallowing. At the same time, the voice changes and breathing becomes difficult with noisy inhalation.

Since the time of the beautiful Nefertiti, a swan's long neck has been an undeniable sign of beauty and a woman's pride. But what to do if the neck is short: is it possible to lengthen the neck and get closer to the desired standard?

Bust of Nifertiti - the ideal of a long and beautiful neck

To begin with, however, it is worth understanding the terminology. How to determine the length of the neck, a neck of how many cm long is considered long, how long is considered short, and when can the expression average neck length be used?

How long should the neck be

Of course, there is no need to talk about any calculations in centimeters. The length of the neck - like all other parts of the body - depends on the height and general proportions of the figure.

The German anthropologist Julius Kohlmann concluded at the beginning of the last century that if we take the entire height of a proportionally built person as 100 units, then the height of the head should be 13 parts, the height of the head with the neck 20 parts. That is, the neck makes up 7% of our height.

But, of course, these indicators are the “average temperature in the hospital”: a lot depends on the person’s build type. In people of the thin-boned asthenic type, the neck is thinner and longer than in normosthenics, and in people of the broad-boned type, on the contrary, it is shorter.

Neck length is the distance from the angle of the lower jaw to the middle of the collarbone.

In addition, long necks in women are much more common than in men - and there are historically determined reasons for this, which were perfectly described by Ivan Efremov in the novel “The Razor’s Edge”:

“A slender, long neck adds a lot to a woman’s beauty, but for a man it is perceived differently – rather as something slightly painful. A man’s neck should be of some medium length and thick enough to firmly support his head in battle and to carry heavy loads. A woman, by her ancient nature, is a guardian, and her long neck gives greater flexibility and speed of head movements - again the aesthetic feeling coincides with expediency.”

There is a special test that can be used to measure the length of the neck and determine whether a man's neck is too short or long. The ideal proportion is when the hollow (where the chin meets the neck) is at a distance of four fingers from the protruding bones of the collarbones. If the distance is greater, the neck is considered long, if less, the neck is considered short.

In a word, it is impossible to calculate the ideal neck length in centimeters; you shouldn’t even try. It is much more correct to apply the harmonizing approach of Andrei Iskornev, according to which the beauty of a person is not in the beauty of individual parts of his body, but in how harmoniously they relate to each other.

Photos "before" and "after"

Neck lift, results before and 12 hours after! After the operation: the oval and contour of the lower jaw are emphasized, the jowls are corrected, the double chin disappears, the chin does not sag when the head is tilted! Performed by the surgeon: Maxim Vasiliev .

Performed facelift-smas, lipofilling, face, co2-lifting. Before and 9 days after. Performed by surgeon: Maxim Vasiliev.

Hollywood neck plastic surgery. Photos were taken “before” and 7 days “after”. Surgeon: Iskornev Andrey.

Neck lift. Author's technique. "Before" and 7 days "after" the operation. Performed by surgeon: Maxim Vasiliev.

Neck lift using dynamic platysmoplasty - the chin will not sag even when tilted. Result 10 hours after surgery. There is swelling and markings. Surgeon: Vasiliev Maxim.

Platysmaplasty with installation of a Medpor chin implant. Photos were taken “before” and 12 days “after”. Surgeon: Vasiliev Maxim.

Neck lift, results “before” and 12 hours “after”. Author's technique. Performed by surgeon: Maxim Vasiliev.

Neck lift (author's technique). Photos "before" and 2 days "after". Performed by surgeon: Vasiliev M.N.

Causes of a short neck

We'll surprise you: it often happens that men and women with short necks are not short-necked at all. After all, visually the length of the neck depends on many factors, among which its anatomical length is far from the first place.

So, why is the neck short or, more accurately, looks short?

First reason – posture.

Surely you have often noticed the swan necks of beauties from portraits of the 18th and 19th centuries. Have you forgotten to look at their straight backs, proud head carriage and sloping shoulders? Dropped shoulders will immediately visually add several centimeters of length to your neck. But raised shoulders and a stoop “eat up” the same few centimeters.

Correct posture makes your neck longer

A very illustrative example of how the position of the shoulders and head - that is, posture - changes the perception of neck length is given to us by the famous women of the Padaung people, who have been wearing brass rings around their necks since childhood. An adult woman can have up to two dozen such rings and her neck becomes incredibly long.

The rings deform the upper thoracic region, lowering the shoulders and collarbones, and on the other hand, teach their owner to constantly live with her chin raised high. The result is the longest female neck on planet Earth.

A Padaung woman's neck is no longer than ours

Of course, no one is suggesting that you use the Padaung method. We suggest you just remember to keep your shoulders down and your chin up. The miniature device Lumo Lift will help with this. It attaches to your lapel and vibrates when you slouch.

The second reason, which makes the neck seem shorter than it is - this is excess weight.

Excessive volume of the face - round cheeks, double chin, jowls, fat deposits on the neck itself - this is how a short, thick neck is visually formed, and when combined with raised shoulders (a frequent companion to a computer and sedentary lifestyle), it simply becomes invisible. In this case, it is enough to reduce weight to make the neck thinner and longer.

The result "before" and 10 days "after" the operation. Surgeon: Iskornev Andrey.

Third reason – age-related changes.

Loose skin under the chin, the formation of a goiter and the so-called turkey neck make the angle between the neck and chin less pronounced, and the outlines of the neck become blurred. As a result, it appears much shorter than it actually is.

Photos "before" and 12 hours "after" the operation. Surgeon: Vasiliev Maxim.

Fourth reason – congenital anatomical features.

Removal of Bisha's lumps, chin endoprosthetics with a Porex implant (USA), laser liposuction of the chin, thread lifting of the lower third of the face. Surgeon - Iskornev A.A.

Expert comment:

“There are several anatomical features that make the neck look short.

For example, a small chin - the skin under the chin in this case does not have enough tension and sags even at a young age - hides the angle between the neck and chin, which is why the neck visually looks much shorter.

But, of course, each case is individual.

It also happens that the neck is short by nature - such a structure, nothing can be done. It happens that she simply does not look graceful: the long thick neck gives rather a bulky impression.”

Is it possible to do something about this problem? You can, and we will tell you about all the means we know. There is only one thing you can’t do: actually increase the length of your neck! Neither traditional methods nor medicine can cope with this task. But it is quite possible to make the neck visually longer.

Clothes: how to make your neck longer without doing anything to it

You can visually lengthen your neck with the right clothes. To do this, it’s worth remembering one single rule: when deciding what to wear, we say “yes” to vertical lines and “no” to horizontal ones.

How does this manifest itself in practice?

Blouses and dresses in which the neckline is directed along vertical lines are suitable. The ideal option is a V-shaped neckline, which visually stretches and lengthens the neck. Her lines are well emphasized by a large turn-down collar and the lapels of an unbuttoned jacket. Feel free to use scarves, scarves, and scarves that fall freely from your shoulders. But boat necklines, bob necklines, and turtlenecks should not be worn. However, for cold days there is also such a simple option: combine a light turtleneck with a high neck with a dark unbuttoned jacket or jacket, the lapels of which will create the necessary verticality.

In addition to clothes, women have invaluable helpers, the importance of which cannot be underestimated: jewelry and hairstyle. The rule is the same: verticals yes, horizontals no. We choose chains and necklaces that fit freely on the chest, put chains and beads under the neck, necklaces and collars. Long earrings elongate the neck - they can be used perfectly. But it’s better to give gypsy hoop earrings to someone.

If we talk about hairstyles, an open neck looks longer, so we say a resounding “yes” to short haircuts, high buns and ponytails. In our case, long flowing hair also looks good (vertical hair works, which helps hide a short neck). And here Low ponytails, baskets and classic braids from the base of the neck should not be done - they will make the neck look shorter.

How to lengthen your neck with exercises

If it is impossible to literally stretch your neck, then your posture can be corrected.

Our goal is a straight back, dropped shoulders. In order to understand what to pay attention to, listen to the advice of professional choreographers: the top of the head should always point upward, and the shoulders and shoulder blades should point down. This creates not only beautiful lines of the female figure, proud posture and confident gait. This position makes the neck open and long.

What position should your back be in? Go to the door frame, lean against it so that the back of your head and buttocks rest against the wall. Now move away without changing your body position. This is what your ideal posture looks like.

Of course, correcting your posture takes a lot of time, but it is worth it - and not only for the sake of making your neck thin and long.

In addition to working on your posture, there are also special exercises for long necks that you can easily do at home.

These exercises are regular stretching: turning and tilting the head. When performed daily, your neck will actually become visually longer. Do the exercises very carefully. First, stretch your neck and warm up your muscles. Do not bring it to pain, only pleasant tension should be felt. Take your time: it is better to do all the bends and turns of the neck.

Be careful. When tilting your head to the sides, make sure that your ear falls towards your shoulder, and not your shoulder rises towards your ear - the second option will lead to the same excessive “lifting up” of the shoulders.

Doctor, I want a long neck

What about medicine? Are there quick and reliable medical ways to lengthen a short neck?

Expert comment:

“It is important to understand that people with a long neck are beautiful only when it is harmoniously combined with all other features of their appearance. This is the harmonizing approach I developed.

Imagine a short, stocky man with short arms and legs, but a long neck! Isn't it true, he will look at least funny...

Therefore, for me, a long thin neck is not an end in itself, but just one of the steps towards the overall harmonization of a person’s appearance.”

What can you do to make your neck look longer?

Laser liposuction helps remove excess fat and makes the neck more graceful. An excellent alternative to surgical liposuction is injections of the drug Aqualix, which dissolves fat cells and removes them from the body. Often one procedure is sufficient.

Chin enlargement effect without installing an implant! The patient underwent liposuction and chin lift, and its strengthening with i-Guide threads. The face began to look more graceful and sharper. Surgeon - Iskornev A.A.

A chin lift with threads gives good results. The exclusive NAS-chin lift procedure removes jowls and creates a deep chin angle (remember how neck length is measured?), making the neck look significantly longer and sleeker.

The patient was concerned about age-related excess skin in the neck area and was not ready for radical intervention. Surgeon Vasiliev Maxim performed a thread chin lift "NAS lift" (NAS lifting).

Expert comment:

“In case of age-related changes in the neck, laxity of the neck muscle - platysma - we offer a unique Hollywood dynamic platysmaplasty.

This is not just a surgical tightening of the platysma. The trouble with classic platysmaplasty is that when the head is tilted, imperfections in the neck will still be noticeable. After dynamic platysmaplasty, the neck and cervical angle will look perfect even when the head is lowered.

It happens that a beautiful neck requires the installation of...a chin implant. Don’t be surprised - after enlarging a small chin, the skin of the face receives support and stops “dripping” onto the neck, the oval becomes clear and beautiful, the neck begins to look long and smooth.”

Each case of dissatisfaction with your neck is unique. Therefore, we always select an individual treatment option: it can be dynamic platysmaplasty in combination with neck liposuction, thread lifting in combination with a chin implant, and many other options.

Laser nanoliposuction of the chin, modeling of the face with one’s own fat, thread lifting of the lower third of the face according to the method of A. Iskornev. Before and 4 days after the procedure.

A 60-year-old patient came in with the desire to “remove a double chin and sagging skin on the neck, jowls.” Lateral and medial platysmaplasty and neck tissue lifting with an incision behind the ear were performed. Photos "before" and 7 days "after". Surgeon: Vasiliev Maxim.

Neck plastic surgery. Photos "before" and 7 days "after" (without photo retouching). Surgeon: Iskornev Andrey.

Our main goal is to make you feel beautiful, young and irresistible after visiting Platinental.

To ask your questions about procedures and schedule a consultation, call:

in Moscow +7 495 989-21-16, +7 495 723-48-38,

in Kazan +7 843 236-66-66

Make an appointment online to receive a 30% discount on your consultation. Or buy a certificate to pay for any procedures with a 10% discount.

Normally, the mass of the thyroid gland is small: 25-30 g. However, it remains invisible: it cannot be felt and seen through the skin. Doctors call this size zero. But. If the body lacks iodine or is affected by other unfavorable factors, the thyroid gland enlarges. This is a goiter. Put on a low-cut blouse, go to the mirror and tilt your head back slightly. Carefully examine the lower half of the neck. Swallow several times without taking your eyes off her. And then, with your fingertips, try to easily, without pressure, palpate the lateral lobes of the thyroid gland (right in the center of the neck, approximately where the “Adam’s apple” is located in men) and the isthmus between them.

Zero magnification.
The neck looks perfect, the thyroid gland is not visible or palpable. Your actions: none - everything is fine!

I DEGREE.
The weight of the gland is 40-50 g. The mirror still does not reflect anything suspicious, but sensitive fingers cannot be fooled - they detect the isthmus of the thyroid gland. Your actions: lean on foods rich in iodine and twitch less - stress depletes the thyroid gland. If you follow these recommendations, everything will pass within a month.

II DEGREE.
The weight of the gland is 50-70 g. The contours appear when swallowing, the lateral lobes and the isthmus are palpable. Your actions: the recommendations are the same as in the previous case, plus consultation with an endocrinologist. You should see him at least twice a year, and you may not need treatment as such. For some women, for unknown reasons, the thyroid gland is enlarged for most of their lives, from adolescence to menopause, and then its size gradually returns to normal.

III DEGREE.
The weight of the gland is 80-90 g. Symptom of a “thick neck”: the gland is not only palpable, but also clearly visible. Your actions: contact a specialist. A goiter of such impressive size is a clear indicator of thyroid disease. The endocrinologist must figure out which one exactly. If the problem is still a deficiency of iodine, it will be served to the starved organ “on a silver platter”, forcing it to penetrate through the skin of the neck in an electromagnetic field - this treatment method is called electrophoresis. In 15 procedures lasting 15-20 minutes, each bodily “shield” will have time to stock up on iodine for future use and will shrink significantly in size.

IV DEGREE.
Weight - 100-140 g. Classic goiter: the lower part of the neck in front and on the sides is swollen like a bag. Your actions: an urgent examination is necessary. It is especially alarming if lumps (nodes) are felt in the thickness of the thyroid gland. In this case, you will be guided through life by two specialists - an endocrinologist and an oncologist. Whatever they decide - whether to monitor your condition, prescribe specific treatment or suggest surgery - be sure to listen to their advice: nodular goiter is not something to joke about!

V DEGREE.
From 150 g and above. The gland is very large. Your actions: fortunately, this is extremely rare these days, and there is only one recommendation: hurry to see a doctor! The medical literature describes colossal cases - 50 times compared to the norm! - enlargement of the thyroid gland. Her record weight is impressive - more than a kilogram. Imagine carrying such a load on your own neck! Don't let this happen!