Everything You Need To Know About Threading Face Lifts

Our skin naturally becomes less firm as we get older because less collagen and elastin are being produced. Fine lines, wrinkles, and facial folds start to appear as a result. And it can be simple to wish your face was a little bit more lifted when you look in the mirror because we live in a society that is obsessed with beauty (especially in the era of Instagram and TikTok). While there is nothing improper about getting older, there is also nothing improper in wanting to reverse the process. And for this reason, facial cosmetic procedures like threading facelifts are becoming more popular. Thread lifts aren’t as widely publicized as Botox and fillers, so we spoke with a few cosmetic surgeons to learn everything there is to know about the fashionable procedure—including advantages and disadvantages. Know About Threading Face Lifts

Everything You Need To Know About Threading Face Lifts

What Is a Facelift Using Threads?

Facelifts known as threading facelifts or thread lifts make use of threads to encourage lifting. Julius Few, a board-certified plastic surgeon and pioneer in minimally invasive aesthetics, describes thread lifts as minimally invasive, resorbable suspension sutures with bi-directional cones. “The bi-directional cones retain the suture and facial skin in an elevated position as the sutures lift and reposition subdermal tissue.” According to Few, glycolide/L-lactide (PLGA), which encourages fibroblasts for progressive collagen maturation over time, is used to make both the suture and the cone material. They aim to produce a natural-looking effect and “reposition volume in the mid-face,” he continues.

Do Face Lifts Using Thread Hurt?

You might believe that threading face lifts are excruciatingly unpleasant given that stitches are physically threaded into the skin. However, threads are often inserted using local anaesthetic, so patients typically don’t feel anything at all, according to board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. David Shafer of New York City.

He explains: “Numbing drug is injected using tiny needles (similar in size to Botox needles), which numb the surrounding skin. “Having said that, the threads themselves often don’t hurt, but there is some needle pricking to inject the numbing agent—similar to any surgery which employs local anaesthetic.”

A Threading Facelift’s advantages
immediate results for lifting
increases the body’s organic collagen production
cheaper compared to invasive facelifts
Generally painless

According to Few, a threading facelift offers both an instant facelift effect and a regenerative effect for results that develop gradually and naturally. “The fact that the benefits are immediate and improve over time is a major component of the patient attraction. According to research published in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal and The Journal of Drugs in Dermatology (JDD), patients are quite happy with the results of the thread lifting procedure (Silhouette InstaLift).

Additionally, Few notes that research demonstrates that thread lifts increase the body’s natural collagen production, which may be responsible for the long-lasting benefits in skin quality.

Of course, there are drawbacks as well as advantages. Specifically, how long the outcomes last. The drawback of thread facelifts, according to Shafer, is their short-term effectiveness and the fact that they fall short of surgical facelifts in terms of tissue distribution, removal of extra skin, and degree of outcomes. The static nature of threads prevents them from bending or adapting to the face’s natural motion or movements.

Furthermore, threading is a contentious surgical technique among many doctors. Many dermatologists, including Dr. Dara Liotta, a board-certified dermatologist and member of the Byrdie review board, concur that threading may eventually result in scarring, dimpling, and other obvious defects. It may subsequently make facelift surgery more challenging, she warns. It’s best to speak with your doctor before undergoing any medical procedure to determine whether threading is good for you.

The Ideal Client for Threading Facelifts

Shafer claims that people who want a temporary lift-up and have relatively slack skin make the greatest candidates for a threading facelift. Few continue by pointing out that an ideal applicant is a man or woman who wants to raise the middle or lower third of their face, who is often 35 years old or older.

Dr. Sarmela Sunder, a facial plastic surgeon, has a different viewpoint. According to the expert, patients who are just starting to see some collagen loss and want to improve the structure of their skin are the greatest candidates for thread lifts. Not for persons who truly have skin that is clearly drooping, it is best for patients who feel as though their skin is starting to lose some of its tautness.

How to Get Ready for a Facelift Using Threads

Even though sutures are literally threaded into the skin during a threading facelift, preparation is rather simple and comparable to that of any injectable therapy.

“Avoid taking any type of blood thinners, supplements, blood thinning vitamins, NSAIDs, and green tea for two weeks prior to the appointment as these may all cause increased bleeding and bruising,” advises Sunder, adding that patients may want to take a Tylenol right before the appointment to make the procedure more comfortable.

Furthermore, Few claim that reducing alcohol consumption can have a similar bruise-avoidance effect.

Last but not least, Shafer advises delaying therapy if you have an active infection in their face or skin or if they have recently undergone or will soon undergo dental surgery. Patients should be ready for some bruising and swelling as well. There is no way to totally forecast how someone would seem following the treatment, even though side effects are typically extremely minor,” he adds.

How a Threading Facelift Treatment Will Go

Patients should anticipate that the treatment region will be cleaned, evaluated, and marked to indicate where the threads will be positioned during the actual thread lift, according to Sunder. Once everything is decided, numbing cream will be given topically or injectable local anesthetic will be administered.

Then, she continues, “the threads are introduced.” “Once the tissues have connected with a certain sort of thread, the thread’s “tail” needs to be cut off. As the thread is forced into place, an introducer of sorts is used to insert different kinds of threads. Following the insertion of all threads, the treated region is gently cleansed, and the patient is free to resume most of their daily activities, with the exception of severe exertion.

The whole procedure lasts roughly an hour.

Classic vs Threading Facelift

The most significant distinction between threading facelifts and surgical facelifts is that thread lifts are non-invasive, and the benefits only last, on average, three to nine months. A thread lift and a facelift are not equivalent, according to Shafer. “Threads are static structural anchoring problems and a temporary fix for a particular problem, despite claims to the contrary, threads only have a very brief clinical effect. Additionally, the threads are static and do not stretch or adapt to normal facial movements. Although threads save money in the near term, repeated treatments make them fairly expensive over time.

On the other hand, a traditional facelift, according to Shafer, produces stunning, undetectable, and long-lasting results. “Facelift does require more up-front investment in terms of recuperation and cost, but given the lifetime of benefits, it actually costs less than thread lift,” he continues. “Unfortunately, some people become confused since the phrase “facelift” is occasionally used interchangeably, or they fall prey to the marketing of thread lifts. They save aside a few thousand dollars for a thread lift and hope for long-lasting benefits.

However, Shafer is not the only person who has this opinion. According to Sunder, “all dermatologists and plastic surgeons will concur that thread lifts honestly do not compare to facelifts.” “Facelifts rely on lifting and repositioning entire muscle or fascial planes, as well as lifting and redraping the skin. Few threads, especially ones that are free-floating like those used in thread lifts, cannot perform this substantial lifting. So, if someone requires a facelift, the thread lift results will leave them bitterly disappointed.

Even while Few concurs that facelifts continue to be the gold standard, he has invented a special thread lifting method called Inverso Suspension that has its own advantages. Micro BotoxR (or Xeomin) to the frown muscles of the mouth is a non-surgical procedure that combines non-surgical thread lifting with the restoration of lost volume in the jawline to provide a graceful appearance that is neither “done” nor unnatural in nature, according to the expert. “The outcomes of this strategy yield facelift-like improvements in many people without surgery and may endure for two years or more.”

Possibly Adverse Effects

The most evident drawback of threading facelifts is that, in some cases, the patient’s skin is so thin that the threads may actually be seen if they are inserted too superficially. As the skin is pulled, there is also a chance of bunching; however, unlike with a surgical facelift, this excess skin cannot be cut away or redraped. Additionally, the threads are static rather than dynamic, which could have an impact on standard animation.

The potential for infection is another factor. There have been cases of infection, foreign body reaction, suture extrusion (when the suture comes out of the skin), and skin puckering with both permanent and temporary threads, according to Sunder. Permanent thread lifts have been linked to claims of chronic pain or discomfort.

As Dr. Liotta already noted, threading may also have some long-term complications, such as scarring and dimpling, therefore you should consult your doctor to assess your risk before having the operation.

The Price

Shafer claims that the cost of a threading facelift can range from $2,000 to $12,000 depending on the treatment area and the location of the practice. Given that the results are transient and require repetition, the patient should truly take the cost into account, he advises. “Many thread treatments can soon cost more than a regular facelift operation.”

Aftercare

As with any minimally invasive cosmetic procedure, ice is advised, according to Shafer, to lessen bruising and swelling. He continues, “We also advise sleeping on your back with your head elevated to prevent any pressure on your face from sleeping on your side. “Anyone who wants to get rid of wrinkles and facial asymmetry should follow this advice,”

Sunder further advises patients to wait at least 24 hours before washing or even touching the treated region. After that, she allows for very light cleaning of the face. For two to three weeks after treatment, there shouldn’t be any vigorous face rubbing or massaging to reduce the risk of the suture coming loose or losing its hold.

She adds that one to two weeks should pass before engaging in any rigorous workout. The restrictions on exercise are significantly harsher for lifting-type threads than for those that only stimulate collagen, she adds.

The Bottom Line

Although thread lifts can give the appearance of a lifted appearance right away, according to Shafer, they are more suitable for people trying to brighten up their appearance for a large occasion than for those hoping for long-lasting effects. Even then, he advises exercising caution because there are other, superior possibilities.

The patient’s goals, expectations, anatomy, timetable, and financial situation are all factors in determining the best course of action, he continues. The best way to decide whether a thread lift or another therapy is right for you is to talk to your doctor about your goals.

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