Neck ring

A neck ring is a band of metal worn as an ornament around the neck of an individual. In a few African and Asian cultures multiple neck rings are worn usually to stretch the neck. The Kayan people from the country of Myanmar and Thailand begin to wear neck rings when they are children. Gradually with age the number of "brass coils" worn increases to elongate the neck. The girls of the Ndebele people of South Africa wear neck rings to signify their marriages.

The custom of wearing neck rings is related to an ideal of beauty: an elongated neck. Neck rings push the collarbone and ribs down and stretch the neck muscles several inches. The stretching of the muscles takes several years to occur. The neck stretching is mostly illusory; the weight of the rings twists the collar bone and eventually the upper ribs to create the illusion of an elongated neck. Contrary to popular belief the neck vertebrae are not elongated, as the used mechanism can not produce such a result. In advanced stages the structural neck trauma from the custom can cause occlusion of venous flow or hematoma results in muscle and palpable mass of the neck.

A person who has been wearing neck rings for many years may suffer difficulties with the neck muscles and pain from the weight of the rings. The area beneath neck rings may cause skin infections if left unwashed. To have neck rings removed individuals can go to a hospital and have them taken off. Afterwards the patient must wait several months for their neck muscles to recover. The deformed bone structure minimally returns to normal after ring removal. In some cases, if the womans head is not held up, she can choke to death on her tongue

Sometimes tourism is blamed for encouraging people to wear neck rings as attractions to earn money from tourists. Forcing children to wear neck rings can be considered child abuse to outside observers.