Antonio DeVita has always had a nose for business, but a chin that never really stood out.
And in the boardroom, the Queens native felt he was coming up short — until he took a shot (or nine) at masculinizing his mug.
“I got jawline, chin and cheek filler,” DeVita, 31, a digital marketer, told The Post of his $7,200 facial enhancement. “It was a bit of a power move — now, when I walk into a corporate setting, I feel more confident.”
It’s a trio of injectable treatments that millennial, Gen X and Baby Boomer men are now getting to get the chiseled, sprightly looks of twentysomething heartthrobs such as Henry Cavill, Jon Hamm, Matt Rife and Jacob Elordi — or even early aughts hunks like Brad Pitt and Keanu Reeves.
It’s also a more sophisticated method for manning up than “mewing,” a facial fitness technique that involves placing your tongue on the roof of your mouth to create the illusion of a sharper jaw. It’s a practice believed to be utilized by the VIP likes of Harry Styles and Tom Cruise.
But, for everyday Gothamites like DeVita, feigning a macho mien is less about looking like an A-lister and more about commanding the C-suite.
“I have patients age 45 to 55 and up who don’t want to be seen as the old guy in the office,” Chris Bustamante, a nurse practitioner and the owner of Lushful Aesthetics in Midtown, told The Post.
“They’re still in their prime and some have 15 or more years to go before retirement,” said Bustamente, who transformed DeVita’s face from drab to fab. His face-snatching services typically cost wannabe bosses in NYC less than $10,000.
“They want to look refreshed so they don’t get weird looks in meetings,” he added.
And paying a pretty penny to keep their chins up might be a worthwhile investment for 9-to-5ers over age 30, according to recent research from the University of Queensland in Australia.
“Masculine facial morphology (e.g., larger jaw, prominent cheekbones) have been linked to a suite of social outcomes — including greater wealth, career progress, romantic desirability, and even greater political success,” wrote study authors.
The findings echo those of a previous report from Duke Universitywhich determined that CEOs with strong facial features are oft-revered as competent.
Lara Devgan, a Park Avenue board-certified plastic surgeonsaid, “If you look at American presidents or Fortune 500 CEOs, you’ll see that one of the features most men have in common is a strong jawline.”
Devgan tells The Post she’s noticed specific trends among ambitious men across the generations.
“Men in the range of 30 to 40 are at the ascent of their careers, in the height of their income-earning years, and they’re looking to enhance the masculine looks they’ve had in their 20s,” said the expert. “Men in their 40s, 50s and older are not only trying to stay competitive in the workforce but also trying to make their outside look as good [or young] as they feel on the inside.”
Michael, a health and beauty specialist, says his “professional image has changed for the better,” since receiving jawline, chin and cheek filler in January.
He entrusted nurse Jenna Hennig at Austin Plastic Surgeon (APS) in Austin, Texas, with his sexy sculpt for $1,600.
“I feel more confident in public and in front of the camera,” said Michael, 47, who chose not to share his last name for privacy purposes. “I also feel sexier in my own skin, which makes my dating life extremely hot.”
Tony Smith, a 47-year-old salesman and single dad, who also tapped Hennig to contour his kisser last month, agreed, adding that the dudes of his demographic have a right to “keep it fresh” in the workplace and on hot dates.
Hennig tells The Post that men are becoming more mindful about maintaining their masculine allure both on Zoom and in the conference room.
“With remote work and virtual meetings, men are seeing themselves on camera far more often than before,” said the insider. “This constant exposure has made them more aware of facial asymmetries, sagging and areas lacking definition — especially in the jawline and midface.”
“Men want to look their best for weddings, graduations, reunions and career advancements,” said Hennig.
And much like many ladies of the land, glamour gals pursuing minimally invasive tune-ups like fat-transfer “face BBLs” and surgery-free boob jobs, guys are jazzing up their jaws with little fuss and almost no cuts.
To achieve the powerful profile, a licensed aesthetic injector administers FDA-approved dermal fillers, such as calcium-based Radiesse, to the lower face.
The biocompatible gel, which can mimic the composition of bone, stimulates the body’s natural collagen, creating volume, structure and definition while minimizing a droopy double chin.
Cesar Razza’s lower third went from not-so-hot to hot thanks to Bustamante’s magic touch-ups.
“It’s elevated my confidence,” said Razza, 31, a bartender and aspiring Broadway actor.
For the millennial’s makeover, Bustamante applied six injections to his jaw, two to the cheeks and two in the chin for $8,000.
“People can’t tell that I got filled up with stuff. I just look extra good,” Razza bragged. “Work and dating have been fantastic.”
DeVita has been living la dolce vita since firming up his face, too, taking his bite out of the Big Apple with his big jaw.
“It’s New York City,” he said. “I’m around a lot of beautiful people — you gotta compete.”