How a thread facelift works?

A thread facelift uses special “barbed” threads to literally pull up drooping skin. The technique is used to reduce sagging around the cheeks, jaw line, and neck. The results are typically noticeable right after the procedure, which usually takes about an hour.

Techniques differ slightly, but in a standard thread facelift the cosmetic surgeon makes tiny incisions in the targeted area, into which he or she inserts thin threads. The threads are barbed so that they attach to the skin tissue. They are then pulled back to smooth the face, knotted, and hidden within the skin itself. There should be no visible evidence that a thread lift has been performed. A variation on this technique is to insert the threads using needles, making no incisions in the skin.

The procedure of facelift

What’s great about a thread facelift is that the procedure is much less invasive than the more aggressive surgical facelift. You don’t have to go under general anaesthesia or have large incisions made in your face. The process takes only about an hour, produces almost immediate results, and your recovery time is quick – unlike the severe bruising and swelling of a standard facelift. After the procedure, you should be scar-free with none of those tell-tale scars behind the ears. Plus, because you are usually awake during the procedure, you can actually approve the look of the thread lift while the surgeon is performing it. Imagine being able to direct your own plastic surgery!

The real drawback of a thread facelift is that it is meant to be only a minor intervention. It does not have the same result as a traditional facelift surgery. In fact, the procedure is generally recommended for women between the ages of 35 and 45 who are only beginning to experience the signs of anti-aging, but don’t have the loose or drooping skin of an older woman. For women with these more advanced signs of anti- aging, a traditional facelift will likely be recommended. As with any surgical facelift procedure, there are risks inherent in doing a thread facelift – though again, these are not as great as with a more aggressive facelift. Risks include infection, numbness, and occasionally, breakage of the thread or an uneven result. In the case of the latter, the procedure can be re-done to correct any imbalances or breakages. Some patients have reported threads that become visible a few days after surgery. Most surgeons will say this means the procedure was not performed properly.

But the main risk of a thread facelift is that it just may not work. Results vary greatly among patients, although the practice of thread facelifts has continued to improve since its inception.

Ensuring you get a great lift

If you’ve decided to find out more about whether or not a thread facelift is right for you, ask your doctor to refer you to a top-notch cosmetic surgeon (or do your own research to find one for yourself). You most certainly do not want to have an amateur performing this delicate procedure. Be aware, though, that some cosmetic surgeons are still on the fence about thread facelifts, and are asking for longer term studies so that the results can be evaluated over at least a two-year period. A number of studies are currently underway on the long-term efficacy of thread facelifts. If you’re considering a thread facelift, find a cosmetic surgeon who will be totally honest with you. Is your anti-aging process too far advanced for the procedure to work well? Will you get the results you want? Is the surgeon practiced and adept at performing thread facelifts? Once you’ve answered these questions you can decide for yourself if it’s time for a little tug in the right direction. At roughly half the cost of a traditional facelift, the thread facelift is of increasing interest to women who are beginning to experience the common signs of anti-ageing.

From the mildest to the more advanced, these non-surgical facelift options give you a choice of how – and how significantly – you want to address the aging of your skin over time. No, they won’t give you the same effects as a full facelift surgery. However, they can lift, tighten, plump, and rejuvenate… and help you look and feel your best at any age.

Lunchtime Facelift

A number of cosmetic procedures these days like to fancy themselves the “lunchtime facelift,” but in fact the term was applied first and most accurately to the thread facelift. A thread facelift is just that: the insertion of a barbed thread into the skin (usually using a needle) to literally tug drooping skin back up to where it used to be. Sometimes a small incision is made during this procedure, but a thread facelift is a quick and easy procedure that requires no down time. Thread facelifts are impermanent and the procedure must be repeated after the tightened skin begins to sag. Occasionally there are complications like a visible surfacing of the thread (which is usually blue); yet the thread facelift remains one of the only non-surgical options that really can compare itself to the surgical facelift.

If you’re beginning to see the signs of aging on your face – as we all do – you may be wondering about options that are less dramatic than a full-fledged surgical facelift. Otherwise known as the “one-hour facelift” or the “lunchtime facelift,” the thread facelift is a relatively new phenomenon that was developed in Paris and has been vastly improved over time. The procedure promises a quick, inexpensive option that is much less invasive, and expensive, than surgical facelifts – but gets results. At roughly half the cost of a traditional facelift, the thread facelift is of increasing interest to women who are beginning to experience the common signs of anti-ageing.