The patient/client is sitting (or standing) and either facing a mirror or facing the person who will mimic an expression of sneering. The upper lip is pulled upward. After showing a picture or demonstrating the expression, ask the patient/client to sneer. With the muscle relaxed initially and with permission, gently place one or two fingers superior to the angle of the patient/client's upper lip and ask the person to sneer. Ask the person to relax and repeat these motions if necessary. If permission is not granted, then observe as the person sneers, relaxes, and then sneers again.

In the video, both the levator labii superioris and the levator labii superioris alaeque nasi are palpated. The levator labii superioris is palpated superior to the upper lip between the levator labii superioris alaeque nasi and the levator anguli oris and has a superolateral fiber direction between the upper lip and the infraorbital region. The levator labii superioris alaeque nasi is palpated on the lateral side of the nose and immediately adjacent face, medial to the levator labii superioris, and superficial to the lateral part of the nasalis, and has a superomedial fiber direction from the upper lip to the nose. The levator labii superioris and levator labii superioris alaeque nasi elevate the upper lip, as occurs with sneering.

These palpations demonstrate finger placement after muscle activation to allow better viewing, as well as finger placement before muscle activation. The correct technique of palpation of muscle includes the sequence of muscle activation, relaxation of the muscle, placement of the fingers on the muscle before the muscle is activated, activation of the muscle, and relaxation of the muscle.