A short neck is not a death sentence: how to lengthen your neck. Beauty victims: women with giraffe necks

In high mountain areas South-East Asia Home to the interesting Padaung (or Kayan) people. Padaung girls wear copper coils around their necks from the age of 5. First, a spiral of six rings is placed around the neck, and then each year their number is increased by one. By the time of marriage, the number of rings reaches its maximum, and after the wedding, as a rule, they are not added. At the same time, the woman’s neck stretches, which sometimes leads to an increase in its length to 40 centimeters. Because of their exotic appearance, they are called giraffe women, and their areas of residence are very popular among tourists.

Padaung live on border areas Thailand and Myanmar, and their number is more than 50,000 people. Traditional occupation The Padaung people are engaged in rice cultivation and livestock raising. The custom of wearing copper spirals around the neck goes back to ancient times. In every settlement there are women who master the art of putting on rings. As soon as a girl turns 5 years old, she puts on her first rings.

Subsequently, the number of rings increases, and sometimes the design is so high and uncomfortable that it hinders movement and it can be difficult for girls to turn or tilt their heads. In addition to rings on the neck, women wear rings on their hands and feet, and their national costume is complemented by a white shirt decorated with braid.

Tourists are told that the custom of wearing rings is associated with the specific ideas of the Padaung tribe about beauty. A long neck is considered a symbol of prosperity and beauty. But this custom also has a more practical explanation.

As the Padaung themselves believe, similar design was called upon to save them from tigers, encounters with which are still not uncommon in this region. Apparently, the men of the tribe could fight the predator and fight back, but the women had to protect their necks.

According to another version, such rings served to identify the women of the tribe. The fact is that in this region, the theft of girls by neighboring peoples, as well as unauthorized escape, flourished. That's why the padaung came up with this original way protecting their beauties from the attacks of their neighbors. After all, the rings cannot be removed without special skills and devices, and men who go in search can easily find a Padaung girl. And even if you take them off, the girl’s longer neck will be noticeable, which will immediately arouse suspicion.

According to doctors, wearing conventional IUDs does not negatively affect women’s health. But sometimes the spirals are deliberately made too high. In this case, a greater effect is achieved and the neck becomes very long. But at the same time, head mobility becomes difficult, and the muscles designed to ensure this mobility atrophy. If such women remove the rings, a neck fracture may occur.

Today, not all Padaung women want to wear the rings they wore as children. Some people remove them and continue to do just fine without spirals. But in some villages in Thailand, the custom of wearing rings is considered not only a sign of beauty, but also a way to earn money. Tourists who come to Padaung settlements happily buy souvenirs and clothes, and also take pictures with amazing long-necked women.

Padaung (padong, Padaun, Kayan) are a people of the Karen group living in Myanmar, in the north-west of Kayah State, in the north of Karen State and in the south-west of Shan State, as well as Thailand. They speak the Kayan (Padaung) language of the Karen branch of the Tibeto-Burman language family. Number of people: over 50 thousand people.

Padaungs usually live in highland villages. Houses, unlike other Burmese tribes, are built not on stilts, but on the ground. Rice is grown. Men also work as elephant drivers and keepers. Padaung are animists and regularly make sacrifices to spirits, in particular to the supreme female spirit of the tribe.

Padaungi, 1900

In the 1990s, due to the protracted conflict with the military junta of Burma and the policy of forced relocation of peoples in the Kaya state, many Padaungs fled to neighboring Thailand, where they live in villages adjacent to the border on a semi-legal basis.

Due to the unusual national custom of “stretching the necks” of women using metal hoops, Padaung areas are popular among tourists.

Padaungi, 1913

Padaung women, starting from about the age of five, wear copper rings around their necks (more precisely, spirals of rods about one centimeter thick, giving the impression of rings), which are installed by local women who have the proper qualifications. Gradually, the number of rings (or rather spiral revolutions) increases, which leads to the effect of “stretching the neck”, which is why tourists call them giraffe women. U adult woman the number of rings can reach a couple of dozen, and their weight can be four to five kilograms. Periodically, the rings (spirals), if desired or necessary, are removed and put on again, this does not cause harm to health. In case of complete refusal to wear rings, the neck takes on its normal appearance within a period of one to three years. There is a common myth that female giraffes cannot live without these rings. This is not true; women with rings removed do not suffer from their absence.

Women stop growing rings by the time they get married, but by this time the neck simply no longer lengthens due to age-related changes in the skeleton, and replacing them, for example, to improve appearance, or if wearing old ones is inconvenient, is allowed even after that. any age. X-ray studies of Padaung women have shown that, in fact, due to the rings, the neck is not extended, but the shoulder area is deformed; the shoulder girdle gradually lowers under the weight of the rings, since it is attached to the skeleton with just one joint. As a result, the appearance of a long neck is created, but no changes occur in the neck itself.

National Geographic video with the procedure for removing and installing spirals:

Sometimes the spirals are deliberately made too high - very tightly fitting to the shoulders and head, and keep the head constantly raised. In this case, a woman may lose the ability to turn and tilt her head simply because it becomes quite difficult to do so, and not because of anatomical changes. Also, if such spirals are removed, there is a danger of breaking your neck, because the muscles that support it may atrophy. But this is not often observed, most often the upper edge of the rings does not reach the chin, which gives some freedom to move the head.

Women also wear rings on their hands and feet. Their costume usually consists of a long white jacket with a fastening at the front and a knee-length skirt.

The reason for the custom of wearing rings is not clear. According to stories, they supposedly protect against tiger bites. They also say that the rings are intended to limit their ability to escape to a neighboring village, which was associated with the customs of trafficking in women. According to other sources, precious metals were “stored” in this way in the family. The women themselves claim that this is a tradition of tribal self-identification that they received from their mothers. In addition, a long neck is considered a sign of beauty and prosperity.

According to local legend, the ancestors of the Padaungs descended from the union of the wind and the dragon. Hearing from the dragoness that she was pregnant, the wind began to joyfully circle around her wife until she gave birth to a large cocoon, from which a padaung emerged. In memory of this whirling of the happy wind, women wear hoops around their necks.

Although removing the hoops is possible, the movement against this custom in Burma has been unsuccessful. Currently, women continue to wear rings also because it attracts tourists and creates good opportunity for selling handicrafts. In fact, long necks have become a kind of business to attract tourists.

The most big village Nai Soi receives 1,200 tourists annually, setting the entrance fee to the village at 250 Thai baht, the money remains the property of Thai travel agencies.

Similar customs also exist among the Ndebele tribe in South Africa; women wear individual rings from the age of 12 until marriage.

Here is what the traveler annataliya, who personally visited the Padaung village, writes:

“This people lives in the mountains of Kayak State. There are only 400 of them left in Myanmar. And only one family goes down to Inle Lake every tourist season to see people and show off. And there is something to show them. While Padaung men look quite ordinary, women have their necks lengthened since childhood by putting gold rings on them. To be honest, these are not even rings at all, but spirals with a certain number of revolutions. When the time comes, the old spiral is removed and a new one is put on, with an even greater number of revolutions.

The maximum number of rings-turns can be 25. In the family we were in, there lived four women - 14, 18, 56 and 67 years old. And only the 67-year-old granny had exactly 25 rings; everyone else had fewer. Female giraffes are not allowed to remove the spirals themselves - their necks will break. They also wash with them. But, in principle, if the tonsils need to be cut out or there are problems with the thyroid gland, then in a supine position the coils are removed and what is needed is done. In adulthood, a Padaung woman wears up to seven kilograms of jewelry. The fact is that, in addition to their necks, they hang bracelets on their arms and legs. And all this weighs quite a bit. They gave me a neck decoration to hold, and not with the largest number of rings - it weighed about two kilograms!

However, now not all girls want to lengthen their necks. Many, in general, leave the villages for the city, and in Yangon and in other cities, you know, it’s not a fountain to walk around with rings on your necks!

The Padaungs from Inle showed me several of their national dances and sang a couple of songs. Their dances, frankly speaking, are “two stomps, three slams,” while their songs are more melodic, but also from the series: what I see, that’s what I sing about. For the concert and the treat in the form of tea, which the padaungs also gave me, I decided to thank them. But they categorically refused to take my dollars. “We run a family store,” they told me. “You can buy something from us!” Such a proud people!”

Every woman wants to look beautiful, attractive and appear younger than her age. If the face can be rejuvenated with the help of decorative cosmetics, then it is very difficult to hide the real age on the neck. Here the skin also requires daily quality care and the use of care products.

If you don’t take care of your body, then over time wrinkles may appear on your neck, and the skin will begin to sag due to lack of moisture or bad habits. It all makes it worse appearance women and adds extra years.

Cosmetology specialists recommend performing complex exercises in the morning to stretch your neck and prolong the youthfulness of your skin. A complex approach It will not only help keep your skin toned, but will also give it a healthy look and eliminate stretch marks and sagging.

Bad habits

Even everyday exercise will not help if a woman leads an unhealthy lifestyle, is often overworked at work, has bad habits. In order for a beautiful neck to appear, everything must be done in a complex manner.

Bad habits that negatively affect the appearance of the neck include not only addiction to alcohol, nicotine or sweets. The list is huge, but the main enemies are:

• Hasty head movements, sudden bends. As a result, a woman’s neck becomes deformed and the elasticity of the skin is lost. Over time, stooping may occur.
• Bent neck while working.
• Reading while lying down or incorrect posture while sleeping. These factors negatively affect a beautiful neck.

Getting rid of these habits will be the first step towards self-improvement. Fulfilling these requirements is available to everyone, the main thing is to want to change yourself and your appearance.

Benefits of Exercise

Creams, lotions, masks and various cosmetical tools can only give a short-term visual effect, which will disappear after a while. These products cannot significantly affect the condition of the skin and the neck itself, so it is necessary to act with the help of muscle stretches.

Thanks to correct execution With complex exercises, you can stretch your neck, giving it smooth, gentle contours. It is advisable to perform them in the morning, when the body accepts it well. physical activity. You should not combine exercises and massage, so as not to irritate the skin with excess blood flow. Just a few minutes, and a woman’s neck will become even more attractive and younger.

Side bends

The exercise stimulates muscle tension and even stretching. To begin, slowly lower your head forward, then gradually tilt it back, relaxing your mouth and facial muscles. Repeat several approaches, alternating with other sides.

By performing these exercises you can lengthen your neck well, but without feeling discomfort. Tilts to the left and right are performed in the same way. During the process, the ears should touch the shoulders, but not too much, so that the muscles do not stretch and then the neck begins to hurt.

You need to perform the exercise slowly, trying to relax your body as much as possible. No tension or pain should be felt.

Turns will be performed in a similar manner. Sitting straight, slowly turn your head several times, holding it for 10-15 seconds. This will help you stretch your neck at home.

Resistance exercises

Interesting way in order to restore skin tone and tighten muscles. To perform this, you should tilt your head forward, hold your forehead parallel with your hands, pressing on it and without letting go, bend your head further.

In the resistance zone, you need to tense your muscles as much as possible, and hold on for a few seconds, then return to initial position. Repeat the movement again. Continue until you feel slight tension or tingling in the neck. This is a good option to use at home.

You need to repeat the exercise not only from the front, but also from the back. To do this, you should clasp your hands, put them behind your head, and while bending backwards as much as possible, hold the back of your head with your hands, not letting it go lower. After a few seconds of tension, take a short break and rest.

Perform alternating with forward bends. You can also do side bends with resistance, but this depends on the preparation and elasticity of the neck, because muscle tension can lead to pain.

You can alternate the complex with bends or turns. But do not forget about a short break between exercises, so that later your neck does not start to hurt from overwork.

swan neck

To lengthen the neck you need, in addition to standard exercises, perform additional bends with your mouth open. Pull your jaws up, thus trying to close your mouth. This helps smooth out nasolabial folds and tighten the chin.

• Straighten your back and cross your arms over your chest, trying to reach your shoulders with your palms. As you inhale, stretch your neck up, and as you exhale, return to the starting position.
• Straighten your back and relax your shoulders. Lower your head down and smoothly roll it from shoulder to shoulder. Make ten movements. After this, start rolling your head, but already tilting it back.
• Keep your back and shoulders straight. When turning left or right, you need to pull your chin towards your shoulder and try to touch it, but at the same time relax your facial muscles.

This complex tightens the skin well and helps tighten sagging areas. Making a perfect neck is not difficult, the main thing is to find a little time for regular exercise.

Exercises for the neckline

Performing complex exercises helps not only to get rid of a double chin at home, but also to improve the appearance of the décolleté area. First you need to stretch your neck and lift your chin up ten times, then take a short break and start the exercise again.

In order to get results, you should perform several approaches. Place your elbows on the floor and clasp your fingers, place your chin on them and try to raise your head as high as possible with your hands, and use your neck muscles to resist this.

This a good option for and muscle training. You need to slowly lower your chin down, resting on your chest, repeat 10-15 times, then switch to another exercise.

Secrets of elasticity

To keep your neck not only toned, but also well-groomed, you can use it as traditional methods, so purchased funds. A neck and décolleté cream based on hyaluronic acid will be effective in this regard.

It tightens well, adds elasticity, nourishes cells and restores water balance. Thanks to the complex action, the skin becomes healthy, acquires a beautiful even tone and is smoothed.

In combination with masks and natural-based lotions, the cream for the neck and décolleté will an indispensable assistant in the fight against age. Even for prevention, cosmetologists advise using caring cosmetics to make it easier to cope with emerging problems over time.

Concerning folk remedies, then cucumber, tomato, lemon and parsley juice will be effective here. Their liquid is rich in multivitamins and minerals, nourishes the skin well and adds elasticity. To see the result, you need to perform the procedure in courses, taking short breaks, as the skin quickly gets used to them.

Massage help

The technique is considered universal and can be used both to treat and remove problems, and to achieve a cosmetic effect. For the neck and décolleté area, massage will be especially useful, because it enhances the effect of exercise and the use of cream and improves blood circulation, neutralizing the possibility of salt deposits and sagging skin.

The advantage of the technique is its economy, because to carry out the procedure you don’t need anything other than own hands. If you wish, you can buy it at the pharmacy essential oil peach or grape seeds and rub it into the skin as you go. This will help you relax and have fun.

You should start with simple rubbing movements, moving smoothly and slowly clockwise. For greater convenience, you can practice in front of a mirror to see if the movements are being performed correctly. There is no need to press on the skin to avoid redness.

After this, you can move on to patting and lightly stretching the skin, this will add elasticity to it and improve cellular metabolism. When performing a massage, you should avoid the thyroid gland area, paying more attention to the chin and décolleté.

When choosing a cream, pay attention to the composition; it is better to give preference to organic cosmetics. Although its shelf life is shorter than the usual one, this indicates a smaller amount of preservatives and the presence of natural ingredients.

Active exercises and complexes are best performed in the morning, when the body has recovered well after overnight regeneration and is ready for new loads. Massages, masks and wraps are recommended to be done in the evening or after lunch. This is the optimal period for good absorption of nutrients.

If you need to restore elasticity to the skin on any part of the body, then you should try a contrast shower in combination with skin scrubbing. You can take it at least every day, the result will be visible literally after the first week. The answer to the question of whether you can lengthen your neck with exercise is yes. But you shouldn’t expect results right away. To do this, you will need to regularly perform the described exercises and systematically change techniques.

A long, beautiful neck has always been considered the standard of femininity. Praising the beauty of a woman, many poets and writers primarily talked about this part of the body. However, due to physiological characteristics, it is the neck that is most quickly exposed to the merciless attacks of time. Therefore, women have always devoted a lot of time to caring for their neck, trying to delay the signs of aging as much as possible.

"Swan" exercises

After the first two weeks of doing the exercises, increase the number of repetitions to 40. The exercises help effectively stretch the muscles, making the neck strong and beautifully defined. After exercise, give your neck a contrast shower and rub it with a terry towel.

These exercises will not only help give your neck a beautiful shape, but will also be useful if, for example, you have a pinched neck.

1. In a standing position (you can sit), slowly tilt your head back, while trying to reach your nose with your lower lip. Then gradually lower your head to your chest. Perform 6 repetitions.

2. In a sitting position with a straight back, slowly, but straining your neck as much as possible, turn your head left and right, while gradually accelerating. Perform 6 slow turns and 12 fast ones.

3. Strain your neck and stretch it forward as much as possible. At the same time, on the contrary, pull your head into your shoulders. Perform 10 repetitions.

4. Place your palms on your chest, as if pressing it. At the same time, try to resist this by straining your chest and neck. Perform 12 repetitions.

5. Sit opposite the table, rest your elbows on its surface and pull up first the right side of your neck, then the left. Perform 10 repetitions. These stretching exercises will help you lengthen your neck.

6. Slowly turn your head to the side, ending the movement by slowly raising your head all the way (5 repetitions). The same thing - in the opposite direction.

7. Slowly turn your head to the side, reaching your chin to your shoulder (in no case lifting it). The same thing in the other direction. Perform 10 repetitions for each side.

8. Tilt your head left and right, trying to touch your ear to your shoulder. Perform 10 repetitions for each side.

9. Cross your palms at the back of your head, lower your head to your chest, while trying to overcome the resistance of your hands. In several stages, jerk your head back. Perform 10 repetitions.

Skin care

In addition to exercise, the neck, or rather its skin, needs regular nutrition and hydration. This can be achieved with the help of masks, creams, compresses, and wraps. If you prefer cosmetics industrial production, opt for those designed for dry skin care. As a home remedy for neck care, we can recommend a warm compress of milk and oatmeal flakes.

Contrasting herbal compresses - linden, mint - tone the skin of the neck well. Soak a towel in the hot herbal infusion, place it on your neck for 10 minutes, and then change it to a towel soaked in cold water. So you need to alternate 10 times.

Rubbing the neck and décolleté with ice cubes made from herbal infusions also has firming and refreshing properties.

Give your neck a honey massage - apply natural flower honey to your neck and tap it into the skin with patting movements. After 15 minutes, rinse off the residue with water and apply nourishing cream to your neck.

But this massage cannot be done if you have problems with the thyroid gland.

Original taken from melannette in The neck is the head and youth of everything! Stretch your neck #1

Some had their neck diagnosed and were upset, and some even missed 5 vertebrae. But I hasten to please you that everything can be fixed. This is what Natalya Osminina and I are telling you. Since at the young age of 26 it turns out she had no neck. You can safely verify this by looking at left side photo below. And the right one is just the result of just 1.5 months of my work with the neck.

Sadness on the left and plague on the right))) Moreover, my result is far from the most stunning. But I only talk about myself, about my results and what I myself believe.

Here's your first very simple exercise. There can be terrible discomfort, so be very careful and do not harm yourself.
lengthen the neck, improve blood supply to the face, remove the withers and with it the hump. For those who missed the beginning, please refer to the #youth_faces tag for those who have Instagram (later I will drag everything here).

Exercise:
1. Raise one shoulder towards your ear as much as possible. Pull your shoulder back so that your shoulder blade points toward your spine. Turn your head away from your shoulder. (see photo 1)
2. Press the back of your head to your shoulder. We pinched the side of the neck and part of the trapezium (see photo 2) Breathe! Keep it for 2 seconds.
3. Carefully return to the starting position.
4. Stretch the part of the side neck that was clamped. That is, we stretch in opposite directions, namely, we place one hand on the shoulder, the second under the hairline and slowly pull the tight muscle in opposite directions. (See photo 3)
5. Follow these steps for the other side of the neck.

I draw your attention:
1. All clamps, although maximally tense, are up to the first discomfort!
2. Always stretch the muscles in opposite directions after clamping.
3. Check if the muscles are relaxed. This is easy: after performing the exercise, move your shoulders slightly; if they pull themselves up, it means the muscles have not relaxed.