This year’s It-girl bag isn’t from Chanel or Dior, and in fact, it’s not a purse at all—it’s a dangling IV bag, posted proudly on an Instagram story or popping up in the background of a reality show.

Those locked into the influencerverse probably saw the rise of bioavailable treatments coming a mile away, and if the influencers are doing it, that means A-list celebrities hopped on the train years earlier. Stars like Kendall Jenner, Alix Earle, Rihanna, Hailey Bieber, Chrissy Teigen, and Jane Fonda have all been vocal about integrating intravenous therapies into their day-to-day lives, usually underscoring their purported wellness effects as well as a perceived aesthetic boost. These subdermal treatments might be on the cusp of a mainstream breakthrough, soon to be as widely available as any garden-variety neuromodulators. Still, despite online imagery that might have you thinking popping in an IV line is only a marginally bigger deal than smoothing on a sheet mask, larger questions remain about efficacy and safety. If you’re less than cavalier about the thought of a casual IV drip at your local shopping center—or even a self-injection with a syringe at home—you’re certainly not alone. 

In general, the non-medical intravenous treatments commercially available can be broken down into three groups: There are vitamins (like popular B12 injections, vitamin C, etc.), peptides like GLP-1s or copper peptides, and NAD+, which can support cellular repair. None of these are typically injected directly into the face, like fillers or neuromodulators are, but rather they’re delivered through a traditional IV treatment administered to the cubital veins right in the crook of the elbow. Most would consider them a “wellness” treatment rather than an aesthetic, though devotees will often cite plump, glowing skin or body composition changes as byproduct benefits of the treatments. 

Ahead, Byrdie dives deep into this new class of injectables to explore exactly what the stars are getting, how it’s trickling down, and what you need to know before diving in. 

NAD+

For many, one of the first encounters with a direct-to-consumer IV was in 2025, watching Alix Earle and her coterie of hard-partying besties draped over couches with ports in their arms and bags dangling overhead, an early morning remedy for a killer hangover. That same year, Kendall Jenner appeared on an episode of The Kardashians with pal Hailey Bieber, both undergoing NAD+ drip therapy. “I feel like we’re just really big on our health journeys,” Jenner explains, albeit a bit vaguely. Bieber is a bit more revealing about her goals with the treatment: “I’m gonna do NAD+ for the rest of my life and I’m never going to age!” she laughs. It’s presented as a fun, quirky moment, but it’s clear the duo believes in what they’re doing. There might yet be a gap between perception and reality, however.

NAD+, or nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, is a component of all living cells, a vital component for energy production and DNA repair. Like most cellular entities, though, it depletes with age, which is where commercial supplementation comes in. Lauren Moy, MD, FAAD, ABFCS, a triple board-certified plastic surgeon with a speciality in aesthetic and reconstruction, says those looking for NAD+ treatments are typically after enhanced energy levels, sharper mental focus, cellular repair support, and a trickle-down host of anti-aging effects that follow—all excellent in theory, but the science might not quite be there just yet, at least not in IV form. Dr. Moy tells Byrdie that NAD+ infusions have minimal clinical trial data in humans, and they have a rapid breakdown rate that limits bioavailability. Interestingly, though, precursor oral supplements have been around for a while, and they’re both well-tolerated and more thoroughly studied in middle-aged and older adults. She does point out that in rodent trials, an IV form of an NAD+ precursor delivered immediately after cardiac arrest improved survival rates and future cardiac function. 

Beverly Hills–based Daniel Gould, MD, PhD, board-certified plastic surgeon, says NAD+ therapy was mostly for the over-40 crowd in previous years, but he’s seen an uptick in younger adults seeking it out recently. “They are usually people dealing with fatigue, low energy, or high stress,” Dr. Gould explains. However, he makes it a point to emphasize that despite becoming more high-profile, the science behind NAD+ infusions might be lagging behind its newfound popularity—or maybe more accurately, its marketing. He points out that the treatments aren’t FDA-approved for any aesthetic benefits, and any changes to the appearance would be both indirect and not guaranteed. “I’m cautious,” he admits. “Whether [the NAD+ boom] lasts will depend on better research and clearer evidence of benefit.” 

Vitamin Therapies

As you might expect, “vitamins” are a massive category with a wide range of potential uses, benefits, and caveats, though they’re probably what people are most familiar with. Many vitamins can be combined with more traditional facial injectables for a complexion boost, and just as many can be formulated into other general subdermal or intradermal injections to offer everything from extra energy to an accelerated metabolism. 

When it comes to aesthetics, Aegean H. Chan, MD, FAAD, a dual board-certified dermatologist and dermatopathologist, explains that you can think of facially injected vitamins as “skin boosters.” They’re often combined with a hyaluronic acid–type compound and not placed as deeply under the skin as something like filler. “The most commonly used vitamins are B vitamins, especially B12 and B6,” Dr. Chan tells Byrdie. “On a cellular level, these vitamins support metabolism and skin-barrier function and are often touted as helping with overall skin vitality and radiance.” However, she is quick to point out that, in her professional opinion, she thinks it’s more the hyaluronic acid delivering those benefits. “There really isn’t strong clinical data demonstrating efficacy through injection,” she adds.

And unless you’re dealing with a diagnosed vitamin deficiency, many medical experts agree that IV vitamin therapies—and even orally taken vitamin supplements—aren’t exactly necessary if you generally follow a normal, healthy diet. “Unless you have a nutritional deficiency, there is minimal benefit,” Dr. Moy says. As for those ultra-trendy post-hangover IVs, there is a little something to that. Dr. Moy shares that the intravenous delivery method is indeed faster for rehydration with all-important electrolytes, which help with nausea and fatigue. She does add, though, like everything else in the supplement world, they aren’t always regulated and, as such, there’s no standardization for dosage.

Peptides

One of the most inescapable wellness buzzwords of the 2020s has undoubtedly been peptides in their many forms. There are the skincare serums that place the word front and center on marketing materials, the rise of mix-in peptides for coffee that claim to offer a plumped, youthful complexion, and the largest looming shadow of them all: GLP-1 shots, which are synthetic versions of a naturally occurring, gut-borne hormone. 

Peptides are short chains of amino acids that act like tiny messengers within the body, prompting functions like collagen production, inflammation reduction, cellular repair, and more. Peptides are both incredibly versatile and wildly different, and new forms are constantly being commercially and medically developed. It’s no wonder they took over the beauty and wellness space in recent years—questions remain, though, about the most strategic way to administer them. 

Dr. Chan tells Byrdie that theoretically, injectable peptides may increase overall efficacy, and there is emerging clinical evidence that they can help improve signs of sun damage, stimulate collagen, and even improve the look of fine lines and wrinkles. “However,” she says, “the studies are generally small, and the evidence isn’t overwhelmingly compelling,” especially for injectable peptides, with nothing currently FDA-approved. She adds that the most data-supported peptide is copper peptides, with a few other synthetic peptides showing some potentially promising aesthetic effects. That said, the clinical evidence is still relatively limited, and as such, Dr. Chan can’t recommend them to patients, especially compared to more tried-and-true, well-researched options.

Where Do We Go From Here?

It might seem like this new class of injectables is everywhere, but that might just be a social media bias talking. Even more so than neuromodulators and fillers, placing an IV requires strict licensing and careful handling. As it stands, it’s considered a medical procedure and can only be administered by someone operating with some sort of medical license (think a paramedic, a nurse, or a physician’s assistant) and under the supervision of a full-fledged medical provider. That means places primarily staffing estheticians are not qualified to place IVs, which is something to keep in mind as more and more “hydration spas” and so-called IV bars pop up across the country. 

With results-backed data limited, the popularity of these treatments is largely powered by anecdote, especially considering that they don’t really deliver any immediate aesthetic change but rather just “make you feel good.” There’s certainly potential for a lot of the post-IV hype to be the good old-fashioned power of suggestibility, particularly if a group of friends comes in together.

Maegan Griffin, nurse practitioner and founder-CEO of Skin Pharm, has a unique perspective as both a licensed medical professional and the purveyor of a large-scale cosmetical dermatology clinic. In her estimation, you can expect to see plenty more IV-focused spots opening in major hubs, but don’t plan on a widespread takeover just yet. “Today’s consumer is incredibly savvy. If something consistently makes them feel better and supported, it will stick,” Griffin says, adding that redundancy or unclear results tend to make interest fade fast. Skin Pharm doesn’t offer these sorts of intravenous treatments—though their staff are licensed nurses—but Griffin still takes a holistic approach to client concerns. “I always tell patients: If you want to improve how your skin functions, these therapies can be supportive,” she says. “If you want to change how your face moves or looks structurally, neuromodulators and fillers are still the gold standard.”

Ultimately, these new types of injectables boil down to a whole lot of maybe. Do they hold the potential to unlock a host of wellness benefits that ultimately improve the appearance as well? Maybe. Could they be a nothingburger that just capitalizes on unnecessary medicalization and our collective urge to take health into our own hands? Maybe. As the research slowly but surely emerges one way or another, it’s clear there is still a long way to go before these practices truly hit the mainstream.