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While I’ve been getting neurotoxin injections (Botox, Dysport, etc.) regularly for about four years now to soften my fine lines, I had only ever treated my upper face, including my forehead, crow’s feet and glabellar lines. While a less common treatment area as a whole, lower face Botox (including the masseter muscles, upper lip, chin, and DAO muscles) is growing in popularity for slimming the jaw, reducing chin dimpling, and lifting the jowl region without more invasive and expensive procedures like facelifts. Facelifts have also grown in popularity in the past few years with patients of younger and younger ages, according to many plastic surgeons, so it’s only natural that non-surgical cosmetic alternatives are also surging in popularity.
While recently mindlessly scrolling through TikTok, I stumbled across a post about the viral ‘Nefertiti Lift.’ The treatment gets its name from the Egyptian Queen Nefertiti, who was known for her long neck. The trending treatment is touted as lifting the entire face, reducing the appearance of jowls, and creating a more sculpted look sans surgery by injecting neuromodulators like Botox into the lower face, neck, and, sometimes, jaw.
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Since turning 33, I have noticed my pre-jowls becoming more prominent, small pockets of fat surrounding my mouth, and a general downward turn that seems glaringly noticeable overall (albeit only to me, according to my husband). Intrigued by this trending injectable treatment’s potential lifting powers, I sought counsel from board-certified plastic surgeon Daniela Atencio, MD, at Westlake Dermatology.
What Is the ‘Nefertiti Lift’?
“Everybody knows that Botox can be used in the upper face (forehead, brows, around the eyes), but the new trend is to use it in the lower face and neck muscles, which has been termed the ‘Nefertiti Lift’ on social media platforms and is becoming more and more popular,” she told me. I pointed out the pockets of fat around my mouth that I’d been obsessing over for over a year now (and unable to find much information about the cause of them). She told me that the cause of these perioral mounds was likely a trifecta of subcutaneous fat, loss of volume, and the DAO muscle weakening due to aging.
Since liposuction and buccal fat removal were not really appropriate or in the cards for me, Dr. Atencio and I decided to treat the muscle portion of my problem using Botox in my neck, lower face, and jaw to create the Nefertiti Lift. While I admit that I’ve impulse-purchased several inexpensive beauty products thanks to TikTok, cosmetic procedures are something I thoroughly research and vet. But given that I had received neurotoxin injections several dozen times before and was aware of the effect on this region of my skin, I really wasn’t hesitant to see if it could help improve the problem areas in my lower face.
How Does the ‘Nefertiti Lift’ Work?
“Treating the DAOs (Depressor Anguli Oris) muscles with neurotoxin helps weaken them and, as a result, relieves the down pull of the corner of the mouth,” Dr. Atencio explained. “[Along with the neck], the other muscle we treat is the platysma, which helps relax the vertical necklines and sharpen the jawline.”
As a Botox veteran, I wasn’t really that nervous about the procedure generally since I have never experienced any pain from neurotoxin injections, and the process is usually completed in under five minutes. However, I was nervous about injecting my neck for the first time since it was so close to the throat. Because Dr. Atencio is a board-certified plastic surgeon, I knew she had a thorough understanding of anatomy, symmetry, and the accompanying medical risks, all of which greatly calmed my nerves. On that note, picking a skilled and trained provider is paramount for any cosmetic treatment, and I always recommend seeing a plastic surgeon or cosmetic dermatologist for injectables whenever possible. Just like my experience with upper face Botox, the lower face treatment took about ten minutes and was completely painless with absolutely zero downtime.
Benefits of the ‘Nefertiti’ Lift
- Appearance of a longer, slimmer neck.
- Appearance of a slimmer jawline.
- Improved down-turning of the DAO muscles for a lifted, anti+frown look.
- Reduced chin dimpling.
- Appearance of a more sculpted jawline.
- Jowls or pre-jowls may look more lifted.
What to Expect Post-Treatment
Regardless of the area of treatment, most neurotoxin takes about 10 to 14 days to fully “kick in,” but I started to see the area around my chin and mouth look more lifted after just one week post-treatment. It has now been a month since my appointment, and the perioral fat pockets that plagued me for over a year are dramatically less visible, my chin dimples are non-existent, my pre-jowls are *almost* non-existent, and my neck looks more elongated than it did before. Overall, I do think my entire face looks far more lifted than it did before I got treated. Plus, my friend, who I hadn’t seen since the winter of 2023, said that my skin looked “tighter” and my cheekbones looked “higher” when I saw her last weekend, so it’s not just me.
While it will vary for each patient, about 15 to 30 units of neurotoxin are used on each side for the Nefertiti Lift, so the procedure will set you back anywhere from $350 to $900. Neurotoxin typically lasts patients anywhere from two to four months (though I find it lasts me a bit longer), which is definitely more expensive than a standard upper face dose of Botox or Dysport. Given that it requires zero filler or surgical intervention and is relatively painless and safe, I would absolutely recommend it to anyone looking for a minimally invasive alternative to a facelift.
While topical skincare won’t mimic the results of injectable treatments, using clinical-grade skincare to maintain your results from in-office treatments (or to avoid them altogether) is key. Scroll down to check out Dr. Atencio’s favorite skincare products to help with laxity, texture, fine lines, and pigmentation.
“I think the single most important anti-aging product is Retin-A (Tretinoin). It promotes collagen formation and prevents further damage. It also helps with cell turnover and pigmentation issues. In lieu of Tretinoin, which is only available with a prescription, you can use medical-grade retinol products such as Retinal Advanced Night Serum from ISDIN or AlphaRet Overnight Cream from SkinBetter Science.”
“This clinical-grade serum includes growth factors that promote skin rejuvenation.”
“My favorite eye cream is Restorative Eye Treatment from Alastin. It promotes both collagen and elastin, and you can apply it to the upper eyelid under the brow area as well as the lower eyelids.”
“C-Radical Defense Antioxidant Serum, also from Alastin, is an antioxidant that protects against environmental factors and brightens the face.”
“Protect your skin from sun damage! There are many great options. Some people like tinted sunscreen, and some prefer lightweight and clear. I use both, depending on the day and planned activities. Also, if you are going to be outside, remember to re-apply. One of our top-selling tinted sunscreens is Alastin’s HydraTint Pro Mineral Broad Spectrum Sunscreen SPF 36, and a favorite untinted option is ISDIN’s Eryfotona Actinica, which both protects and repairs the skin.”
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