8 Things To Know About Thread Lifts: What To Expect & More
Our skin is our largest organ that has the natural ability to heal itself.
The problem is, oxidative stress from our lifestyle habits such as sun exposure, smoking, diet, and stress can all quickly add up and go against us – causing our skin to lose our precious collagen and elastin resources that are responsible for keeping our skin strong, plump, and healthy.
Unfortunately, the natural aging process makes it even harder for us to reverse the process, causing symptoms such as:
- Deepening of the nasolabial folds
- Fine lines and wrinkles, including laugh lines and crow’s feet
- Loss of volume in the face that results in a “sunken” appearance
- Saggy eyebrows and jowls
- Skin laxity, especially on the mid and lower face, jawline, and neck.
All the above can make us look lackluster and older than we really are – and while we can always opt to go for a surgical facelift – more consumers are turning towards minimally-invasive treatments that are easily accessible and offer no downtime at all.
One such procedure is the thread face lift – a minimally-invasive and effective procedure that is able to reshape and contour the facial lines, while also reducing the signs of aging such as fine lines and wrinkles.
Also known as the “lunch-time” procedure, here are 10 things you should know about thread lifts before booking your appointment!
#1: Threads lifts act in 2 powerful ways to rejuvenate the skin.
Essentially, thread lifts are designed with barbs or hooks that are inserted under the skin in a planned trajectory – creating a suspension effect to anchor the skin in desirable positions and create a visible lift.
Threads lifts have 2 key mechanisms of action:
- Visibly lifting loose skin to reshape the face
- Stimulating collagen production for rejuvenating the skin
These two mechanisms of action work together to reduce fine lines and wrinkles, improve your skin texture, and give you a visible lift that is noticeable immediately.
Because these threads are made of bio-compatible and absorbable materials, they will naturally dissolve in the body within 6 – 18 months.
#2: It is a relatively painless procedure that can be done in under an hour.
The procedure involves 3 simple steps:
- The doctor will first cleanse the skin, mark insertion points on the face, and apply local anesthesia before starting treatment.
- Using a blunt-tip cannula, the threads are inserted beneath the skin until it reaches a predetermined end point.
- The threads will then be released and the cannula is removed.
The beauty of thread lifts is that it is a highly-customizable procedure. As you are fully awake during the procedure, the doctor can work with you to lift and support the skin according to your desires.
The procedure takes you just 15 – 60 minutes, depending on which area you want to target. In general, patients can expect a 30% lifting improvement after a thread lift procedure!
In addition, you will be able to enjoy progressive results over the next few months as collagen is stimulated for a more rejuvenated appearance!
#3: Thread lifts are extremely versatile and can be used to treat a lot of areas.
The treatment can be used on your eyebrows, nose, neck, cheeks, jawline, and even under the delicate eye area. Thread lifts can also be used to treat areas on the body such as the arms, abdomen, and buttocks.
The average procedure will use anywhere between 2 – 20 threads, where 1 – 5 threads are placed on each side of the face. If there is any facial asymmetry, the number of threads used for each face will differ.
#4: There are many different types of threads to choose from.
There are many threads available in the market today, and they all differ based on their material, tensile strength, and design that works differently within the skin.
Threads can be categorized under mono, barbed, or anchor threads, and the most common threads used by doctors today are polydioxanone (PDO) and poly L-lactic acid (PLLA) threads.
PDO threads tend to dissolve in 6 – 9 months, while PLLA threads take longer to dissolve at 12 – 18 months.
At The Clifford Clinic, our choice of threads are the Silhouette Lift and MINT (Minimally Invasive Non-Surgical Threads) – both of which have been FDA-approved and extensively studied in multiple studies.
Silhouette Lift are made of PLLA threads with tiny cones that are more adept at grabbing the tissues and provide a stronger lift.
On the other hand, MINT are made of PDO threads with 360-degree helical barbs that help to anchor and lift the tissues evenly. The advanced material composition has an anchoring and tensile strength that is 3 times greater than most other threads. And since they can be lifted in two directions, this allows the doctor to create a more 3-dimensional look.
When choosing the type of threads to use, the doctor will consider whether you want to achieve lifting, rejuvenation, or tightening of the face.
Ultimately, there is no one-size-fits-all thread – and our doctors will work with you closely to help you determine which threads will work best based on your goals.
#5: There is little to no side effects.
Just like any other treatment that requires precision, an eye-for-detail, and intense knowledge of facial anatomy – thread lifts can go wrong; although the complications can be easily avoided when under the hands of an experienced doctor.
While you might experience some initial swelling and “tightness” during the first few days, this will typically resolve after a few days and is completely normal.
More serious side effects are dimpling and puckering of the skin, infection, and an uneven lifting that is very unnatural-looking.
There are many reasons that a procedure can go wrong, such as choosing the wrong type of threads and placing the threads too shallow or deep within the skin – but as previously mentioned, a doctor that is precise in his methods and who uses newer generation threads and sterile and aseptic techniques can actually reduce the potential of complications by 70%!
In addition, patients need to ensure that they practice good post-treatment aftercare such as refraining from any extreme facial movements or exercise in the first 3 weeks while waiting for the threads to settle.
#6: They are much more affordable than surgery.
If you are experiencing mild-to-moderate skin laxity and only want to achieve a subtle and natural enhancement – thread lifts are not just minimally invasive and come with little downtime, but also more cost-effective as compared to a surgical facelift!
On average, thread lift cost anywhere between $1,500 to $4,500, and we highly recommend patients not to simply choose the cheapest procedure, but also consider the quality of the threads being used!
#7: Not everyone will see the same results.
The results of your thread lift procedure will depend on the type of threads used, your age, metabolism, current skin condition, and facial movement patterns post-treatment.
While both younger and older patients can benefit from the treatment, thread lifts may not be suitable for everyone. These people include those with extremely thin skin or those who are currently pregnant or breast feeding.
Patient selection is extremely important in order to see maximum results, so speak to a doctor before deciding whether or not to proceed.
#8: You should do it today!
If you want to see a firmer, more rejuvenated, and defined face without going under the knife, thread lifts are undoubtedly a great choice! People who are contraindicated for surgery can also benefit from thread lifts, although the results may not be as dramatic.
Important to note is that thread lifts do NOT replace traditional facelifts, laser treatments, or dermal fillers. In fact, we highly recommend patients using them in combination to boost their results!
One of the best combination treatments we like to use is combining dermal fillers with thread lifts to provide additional volume, structure, and support to the skin. This is why we offer a wide range of rejuvenating treatments at our clinic such as Profhilo – a hyaluronic acid (HA) injectable that provides anti-aging benefits and intense hydration to the skin that outperforms most dermal fillers in the market! We also offer a specific thread lift procedure just for contouring and reshaping the nose called Ultra V Hiko for creating a sharper and more defined nasal profile.
We currently offer a wide range of threads such as PDO thread lifts, Ultra V HIKO, Silhouette Soft, and MINT, in addition to a range of fillers such as Juvederm, Restylane, Profhilo, and Rejuran. Our doctors are highly trained, experienced, and fully credited to perform thread lifts – and we only use the most high-quality threads and advanced techniques to carry out your treatment.
Contact us and let our doctors customize a treatment to help you achieve an all-round beautiful and revitalized face today!