I Tried the “Nefertiti Lift” to Define My Jawline
Courtesy of Dr. Jennifer Levine
Queen Nefertiti ruled Egypt during the 14th century BC. Some 3,500 years later, the world is still captivated by her sculpted jawline and elongated neck, immortalized in a bust that was unearthed in 1912 (and now draws hundreds of thousands of visitors to the Neues Museum in Berlin each year).
Though beauty ideals (and pretty much everything else) have evolved since Nefertiti’s time, the desire for a chiseled jawline and outstretched neck is very much alive and well in 2024. So much so that the Egyptian queen’s profile has inspired a new aesthetic trend: the Nefertiti Lift.
“The Nefertiti Lift is a non-surgical method of smoothing and defining the neck and jawline via [neurotoxin] injections,” says Dendy Engelman, MD, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City. Using strategic injections in these areas, she says, “is an excellent option for addressing mild to moderate sagging without the need for invasive surgery, such as a neck lift.” The treatment can also minimize neck bands, the horizontal lines that appear on the neck with age.
The injections specifically target the platysma muscle, which spans the lower part of the face and extends to the clavicle. “It’s the main depressor muscle of the lower face,” says Jennifer Levine, MD, a board-certified plastic surgeon based in New York City. That means it’s the one primarily responsible for pulling down the jaw as you eat, talk, or laugh. As this muscle weakens over time, it can drag the neck and jawline down with it. But “directly targeting [the platysma muscle] with neurotoxin creates elevation,” says Dr. Levine.
“The [neurotoxin] is injected deep into the muscle, which then softens its contractions,” further explains Aaron Chen, DO, a board-certified dermatologist in Miami. “This releases the downward pull of the strong platysma muscle, which helps elevate sagging skin of the lower face.”
Dr. Levine has been performing the Nefertiti Lift in her practice for over a decade, though she’d never heard it called that until this year when the term starting floating around TikTok (though it dates back to 2007, when a Swiss doctor, Phillip Levy, described it in a scientific paper published in the Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy). In about 80% of her patients, Dr. Levine uses the method in conjunction with typical upper and lower face neurotoxin injections. The Nefertiti Lift can help balance and sculpt the face allowing for “a meaningful change without any downtime,” she says.
Right now, using Botox in this way is considered “off-label” but Dr. Levine suspects the treatment will become even more popular once Botox is FDA-approved to treat platysma prominence, which could be soon: Allergan, the makers of Botox, shared results from phase three studies last year. Allure asked the company for comment, and a representative confirmed that “a regulatory application is under review in the US for Botox Cosmetic and platysma prominence... We continue to expect an FDA approval decision later this year."
Other types of neurotoxins (like Daxxify, Xeomin, Jeuveau, or Dysport) can also be used to achieve the Nefertiti Lift. But in any case, it’s most important to find an experienced provider (ideally a board-certified dermatologist or plastic surgeon) who truly understands facial anatomy. Due to the nuance of the injection pattern, finding a doctor who deeply understands how facial muscles connect and contract is paramount to getting the best results possible.
Who is a good candidate for the Nefertiti Lift?
A good candidate for the Nefertiti Lift is someone who is starting to see “mild to moderate” sagging of the lower face and neck, says Dr. Levine, adding that this doesn’t always correlate to being a particular age. She’s done the treatment on patients from ages 25 to 75. “It is also a great preventative treatment for keeping the lower face and neck lifted and in ideal positioning,” she adds.
The only patients she advises against getting the Nefertiti Lift are those with severe skin laxity. “It is less effective for significant sagging or excess skin that would be better addressed with surgery or energy-based devices like Sofwave,” confirms Dr. Chen. Additionally, Dr. Engelman says that the Nefertiti Lift will not help with the horizontal lines in the neck that come from creasing and looking at our devices (also referred to as tech neck). “These are creases in the skin [so] they require filler, resurfacing lasers, radiofrequency with microneedling to address," says Dr. Engelman. “Botox addresses the platysmal bands that run vertically.”
Of course, no matter where you’re having neurotoxin injected, the same contraindications apply: If you’re pregnant or nursing, have allergies to neurotoxins, or have a neuromuscular disorder, avoid getting this treatment. And keep in mind that the results aren’t permanent: the muscle-paralyzing effect of neurotoxin lasts for about three months.
What it’s like to get the Nefertiti Lift
As a preventative measure to prevent future sagging (I’m 37 and not yet concerned about sagging, but interested in more definition), I visited Dr. Levine’s office on the Upper East Side for my own Nefertiti Lift.
The whole process took about five minutes. Dr. Levine asked me to frown several times and flex my neck so that she could see where my platysma bands were most noticeable. As I did that, she used a marking pencil to plot out where she would need to inject. Ultimately, she placed markings on both sides of my face at the corners of my mouth, jawline, chin, and at the upper part of the front of my neck where “the platysma muscle is at its maximum strength,” says Dr. Levine. (This is not to be confused with the trapezius muscle on the upper back, where neurotoxins can also be injected—you may have heard of “traptox”—to create the effect of an elongated neck.)
Dr. Levine opted to use Daxxify for my Nefertiti Lift because in addition to being a neurotoxin, it contains peptides which she says can help with skin quality and leave the skin with a noticeable glow. Not to mention, she says that in her experience it’s the fastest-working neurotoxin on the market, with results typically visible within two days and full results seen around two weeks post-injection.
To help distract from any pain of the needle going into the skin, her lovely assistant would squeeze my shoulder to divert my attention away from the prick, making the treatment as tolerable as possible. Though Dr. Levine was careful and gentle, I found getting injected in the neck area to be more painful than in my face. When all was said and done, I had received around 60 units of Daxxify (in the form of a couple dozen teeny-tiny, strategically-placed injections), which for the Botox-literate (and because the dosing is different), is equivalent to about 30 to 50 units of Botox. “The average dosing is 30 to 50 units, but could be more or less. It is really patient dependent,” says Dr. Levine.
Afterwards, I pretty much went on with my day as usual and washed my face as I would normally that night. As with any neurotoxin injection, it’s advised to avoid lying down for about three to four hours afterwards to ensure the neurotoxin doesn’t migrate. Dr. Engelman also tells patients to refrain from intense exercise for 24 hours for the same reason.
How much does a Nefertiti Lift cost?
The cost of the Nefertiti Lift is dependent upon your doctor, geographic location, and whether the provider charges by unit or area treated. “Because this treatment is customizable, costs can range anywhere from $500 to $2,000,” says Dr. Engelman. “Typically, 20 to 50 units of [neurotoxin] are used, and since prices are usually charged per unit, the cost can vary significantly.” Dr. Levine charges by area to ensure that the results are not cost dependent and that the patient gets the precise number of units needed to get the most balanced and best outcome possible. My treatment would have been $1,500 but was performed gratis with the understanding I’d be writing about my experience.
What are the side effects of a Nefertiti Lift?
With any neurotoxin injection, there is always the possibility of bruising or swelling right after, which should subside within a week, says Dr. Engelman. Temporary redness at the injection site, discomfort or pain, and a headache are also possible side effects.
In terms of this specific treatment, “If [you’re injected] too deeply, it can affect the muscles of speech and swallowing, which is why it is so important to see someone who is an expert on this,” says Dr. Levine.
My Nefertiti Lift results
The results of my Nefertiti Lift with Daxxify were indeed seen within two days after my treatment, and I would say I saw the full effects after two weeks. “Getting this treatment done consistently over time will yield even better results because the platysma muscle is a depressor of the lower face,” says Dr. Levine. “Consistently decreasing its effect makes the face less saggy.”
I had what I consider fantastic results from the treatment: My jawline now appears slightly lifted and more defined, my neck appears more elongated (like the queen herself), and the platysma bands that once stretched across my neck are virtually undetectable. I will say, though, that my results from the Nefertiti Lift may have been enhanced because of the various skin tightening treatments I have done over the past year, including Ultherapy and RF microneedling. Dr. Levine says that because the neck is a difficult area to treat in general, it looks best over time with a combination of treatments. I, too, always tend to think of any treatments that I do as complementing to the others.
All I can say is, if you’re starting to experience some mild skin laxity or slight drooping along your jawline (or if you prefer to take a preventative approach and slow down signs of aging before they begin), the Nefertiti Lift could be a worthwhile add-on to your quarterly neurotoxin appointment.
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Originally Appeared on Allure
