Rufus R. Noble Our skin loses its firmness naturally as we age due to decreased collagen and elastin levels. This causes facial wrinkles, fine lines and wrinkles to develop. It can be easy to wish your face looked a little more lifted when we live in a beauty-conscious world, especially with the advent of Instagram and TikTok. There’s nothing wrong with aging but nothing wrong with wanting to change it. Threading facelifts, a facial cosmetic treatment that uses threading, are rising. Thread lifts, unlike Botox or fillers, aren’t as widely discussed. We spoke to a few plastic surgeons about this trendy treatment, including the risks and benefits.
What is a Threading Facelift?
Threading facelifts, also known as thread lifts, are facelifts that use threads to encourage lifting. “Thread lifts use resorbable suspension sutures and bi-directional cones to promote lifting.” Julius Few is a board-certified plastic surgeon. He is a pioneer in minimally invasive aesthetics and a global leader in aesthetic plastic surgery. The sutures lift and reposition the subdermal tissue, while the bi-directional cons keep the suture and facial hair elevated. Few say that both the suture and cone material are made of glycolide/Lactide (PLGA), stimulating collagen maturation and fibroblasts. He says they intend to reposition volume mid-face with the goal of natural-looking results.
Are Threading Facelifts a Painful Option?
You might think that threading facial lifts are extremely painful, as they insert sutures through the skin. According to an NYC-based board-certified plastic surgeon, threads are typically placed with local anesthesia, so patients don’t feel any pain.
He explains that tiny needles, similar in size to Botox needles, are used to inject the numbing medication. This numbs the surrounding skin. The threads don’t hurt, but it is necessary to poke with the needles to inject the medication. This procedure is similar to local anesthesia.
A Threading Facelift has many benefits.
- Instant lifted results
- Enhances the body’s natural collagen production
- Facelifts are more affordable than invasive ones.
- Relatively painless
- Few state that threading can provide a facelift and a regenerative effect, allowing for natural and progressive results. The patient appeal lies in that the immediate results can improve over time. Data from the Aesthetic surgery Journal and The Journal of Drugs in Dermatology showed that thread lifting results (SilhouetteInstaLift) are very popular with patients.
Few point out that studies have shown that thread lifting can increase the body’s natural collagen production, which could explain the long-lasting improvement in skin quality.
There are also downsides to the benefits. The results’ durability is one of the downsides. Shafer states that the downside to threading facelifts in the long-term is their inability to achieve the same results as a surgical one. “Threads cannot distribute tissue, remove excess skin and provide the best results.” “Threads don’t adapt to the natural movement or animation of the face and are therefore static.
Many surgeons are not comfortable with threading. Dr. Dara Liotta is a board-certified dermatologist who serves on the Byrdie review board. She believes threading can cause scarring, dimpling and other visible irregularities over time. She says that threading can make facelift surgery more difficult in the future. As with all medical procedures, it is best to consult your doctor to determine if threading is right.
The Best Candidate to Have a Threading Facelift
Shafer says that someone with moderately loose skin is the best candidate for a facelift by threading. This is what few people add to, noting that the ideal candidate for a threading facelift is a woman or man who is 35 years old or older and wants to lift the middle or lower third of the face.
Another take from a facial plastic surgeon. She says that patients who have just begun to notice collagen loss and want to improve the skin’s structure are the best candidates for thread liftings. It is best for patients who feel like their skin is losing some of its tautness. Not for those who have visible signs of sagging.
How to prepare for a Threading Facelift
Threading facelifts are minimally invasive cosmetic procedures. Even though sutures are inserted through the skin, preparation is easy, much like any other injectable treatment.
Sunder advises patients to avoid taking blood thinners, vitamins, blood-thinning supplements, NSAIDS or green tea two weeks before the appointment. He also suggests that patients not take Tylenol immediately to make the experience more pleasant.
Few also believe that reducing alcohol can produce the same effect as a bruise-avoidant.
Shafer advises that patients with an active infection or undergoing a dental procedure should wait for treatment. Patients should be prepared for some bruising or swelling. He says that although the effects are usually minimal, it is impossible to predict how an individual will respond.
