Nefertiti lift and platysmal bands
Neuromodulator to the neck bands and jawline
The FDA's October 2024 approval of a botulinum toxin for platysma bands put the old 'Nefertiti lift' back in the news and on clinic menus as a non-surgical neck treatment.
It relaxes a muscle; the skin and fat of the neck are a separate conversation, which is where VF Lift – Vertical Facelift and Time Freeze come in.
Reviewed against the Aesthetics International standard. Category: Injectables.
Do Nefertiti lift and platysmal bands work?
Established. It relaxes a muscle; the skin and fat of the neck are a separate conversation, which is where VF Lift – Vertical Facelift and Time Freeze come in. Two phase 3 randomised placebo-controlled trials published in 2025 showed meaningful improvement in platysma prominence at two weeks with a single treatment and no reported swallowing or weakness events, which is unusually strong evidence for a neck injectable.
- Verdict
- Established Long clinical track record. Results depend on selection and technique more than on the device.
- Evidence base
- 3 PubMed-indexed studies cited below, including randomised trials.
- Suits
- Visible vertical neck bands on animation, early jowling in a face with good skin elasticity, people who want to delay more structural treatment.
- Not for
- Loose, crepey neck skin or submental fat, which need energy devices or surgery; thin necks where the platysma is the only support; anyone with swallowing or voice problems.
- In Singapore
- Botulinum toxin products are prescription-only medicines in Singapore, prescribed and injected by doctors after consultation.
- Category
- Injectables
- Reviewed
- 1 October 2026 by Aesthetics International. Revised as evidence and regulation change.
What it is
Botulinum toxin, a prescription medicine, injected into the platysma, the thin sheet of muscle under the neck skin, along the vertical bands and the lower border of the jaw. Relaxing the muscle softens the cords that stand out when you speak or grimace and reduces the downward pull on the jawline.
How it works
The platysma pulls the lower face down and the neck skin into cords when it contracts. Weakening it lets the elevators of the face win slightly, which is the 'lift' in the name; the effect is a few millimetres at most and only in people whose platysma is active. Dosing is spread along the bands and the jawline, and the jawline component is the part most easily over-done.
What the evidence says
Two phase 3 randomised placebo-controlled trials published in 2025 showed meaningful improvement in platysma prominence at two weeks with a single treatment and no reported swallowing or weakness events, which is unusually strong evidence for a neck injectable. An earlier prospective series found that bands improve reliably while jowls and marionette lines show only a tendency to improve, and that younger patients with an active platysma and retained skin elasticity benefit most. It does not treat loose skin or fat.
What people are saying
Paraphrased from public discussion on TikTok, Instagram, Reddit and in the press. Not testimonials, and not about any one clinic. Reported in: clinicaladvisor.com, dermatologytimes.com.
What the studies show
- RCT
A single 26–36 U treatment produced a two-grade improvement rated by both investigator and participant in about a third of treated adults versus two per cent on placebo, with no dysphagia or weakness reported.
Improvement of platysma prominence with onabotulinumtoxinA: Safety and efficacy results from a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled phase 3 trial — Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 2025. PMID 39442886.
- RCT
The second phase 3 study reproduced the improvement in platysma prominence and patient-reported neck and jawline satisfaction against placebo.
Improving Neck and Jawline Aesthetics With OnabotulinumtoxinA by Minimizing Platysma Muscle Contraction Effects: Efficacy and Safety Results in a Phase 3 Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Study — Aesthetic Surgery Journal, 2025. PMID 39475141.
- cohort
In 30 patients platysmal bands improved significantly while jowls, marionette lines and neck volume showed only a non-significant tendency; younger patients with active platysma and good elasticity responded most.
Botulinum Toxin for Neck Rejuvenation: Assessing Efficacy and Redefining Patient Selection — Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, 2017. PMID 28654586.
Studies are selected for relevance and quality, not for agreement with the verdict; PubMed records are linked so the reader can check them.
Who it suits
Suits
Visible vertical neck bands on animation, early jowling in a face with good skin elasticity, people who want to delay more structural treatment.
Not for
Loose, crepey neck skin or submental fat, which need energy devices or surgery; thin necks where the platysma is the only support; anyone with swallowing or voice problems.
Alternatives
The two reviewed treatments most often weighed against Nefertiti lift and platysmal bands, on the same standard.
| Nefertiti lift and platysmal bands | HIFU | Monopolar radiofrequency | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Verdict | Established | Vetted | Vetted |
| What it is | Botulinum toxin, a prescription medicine, injected into the platysma, the thin sheet of muscle under the neck skin, along the vertical bands and the lower border of the jaw. | High-intensity focused ultrasound delivers heat to precise points at set depths — commonly 1.5, 3.0 and 4.5 mm — creating coagulation points in the dermis and the SMAS layer that contract and stimulate collagen over months. | A single large electrode delivers radiofrequency energy that travels through the tissue to a grounding pad, heating the dermis and subcutaneous layer volumetrically. |
| Evidence base | 3 PubMed-indexed studies cited below, including randomised trials. | 3 PubMed-indexed studies cited below, including systematic reviews. | 3 PubMed-indexed studies cited below, including systematic reviews. |
| Suits | Visible vertical neck bands on animation, early jowling in a face with good skin elasticity, people who want to delay more structural treatment. | Mild to moderate laxity with reasonable skin thickness, people who want a structural effect without injectables. | Mild to moderate laxity of the face, eyelids, neck and body; people who prefer a no-needle, no-injectable approach. |
| In one line | It relaxes a muscle; the skin and fat of the neck are a separate conversation, which is where VF Lift – Vertical Facelift and Time Freeze come in. | HIFU or radiofrequency is the wrong question — they do not do the same job, which is why 3D Facial Reconstruction uses both. | The device delivers heat; the protocol decides where it goes and in which order. That is the whole difference between tightening and lifting. |
Risks
Smile asymmetry, weakness of the lip depressors, neck discomfort and, rarely, swallowing or voice change if the toxin reaches deeper muscles.
In Singapore
Botulinum toxin products are prescription-only medicines in Singapore, prescribed and injected by doctors after consultation. They are not advertised to the public, and this page is an editorial review, not an offer.
“It relaxes a muscle; the skin and fat of the neck are a separate conversation, which is where VF Lift – Vertical Facelift and Time Freeze come in.”
Vetted protocols on the same problem
Questions
Does the Nefertiti lift tighten the neck?
How long does it last?
Can it be combined with energy devices?
Cite this review
Aesthetics International (2026). Nefertiti lift and platysmal bands: does it work? Evidence, risks and verdict. https://aesthetics-international.org/treatments/nefertiti-lift-platysmal-bands/ (reviewed 1 October 2026).
Editorial, unpaid and independent of any manufacturer. Verdict: Established. See what works and what doesn't across all 153 reviews. Spotted an error or a newer study? Suggest a correction — changes are logged on the corrections page. Terms are defined in the glossary.
Where this review is used
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