Thread Lift Treatment

The medical industry employs the greatest minds and the most ingenious technologies to bring about evolution every single day. Its contribution to the cosmetic and beauty industry is unprecedented. Among the many innovations introduced by the medical industry to the beauty industry is the usage of threads for lifting neck and face.

This ground-breaking cosmetic medical procedure has taken the beauty world into its grip since its introduction. This article explains everything that you needed to know to get acquainted with this brilliant medical treatment.

Understanding Thread Lift Procedure

An alternate to facelift surgery, thread lift procedure is essentially a medical treatment for tightening your skin through the usage of medical-grade thread materials.  It is a lesser invasive version of the facelift surgery. Once the thread-like materials are inserted in the designated area of your face or neck, they are pulled, which leads to skin tightening. This gives you a younger-looking face and neck.

It is also known as Barbed Suture Lift and apart from your face and neck, it can also be used on your breasts as well. The ability of this procedure to lift and sculpt the shape of saggy skin has given hope to millions of women and men who are worried about their aging, sagged, and loose skin.  

Although thread lifts have existed since the 1990s, they have only picked up the attention of people around the globe in recent years, thanks to the technological advancements that have made them more safe and professional. 

Who Should Opt for Thread Lift Procedure?

Most people who opt for thread lift procedures are in their mid-30s to early 50s. To put it simply, any healthy person who notices signs of aging on their skin prematurely can resort to this procedure. 

Besides, thread lifts are also ideal for those who are afraid to go for an invasive or surgical treatment. Some people can’t have a surgical facelift due to pre-existing medical conditions that make anesthesia risky for them. For these people, the thread lift procedure is a much safer and feasible alternative.

How does the Thread Lift Procedure Work?

A facelift is performed on the bottom two-thirds of your face and the neck region. The target areas for thread lift include the following:

• Jawline
• Jowls
• Under-eye area
• Browline
• Cheeks

Sometimes, the forehead is also taken into consideration depending on the requirement of the candidate. Let’s see what happens during the procedure.

Thread lifts don’t involve deep-tissue manipulation or incision, which is in stark contrast to traditional surgical facelifts. As we stated earlier, threads or sutures are inserted on the affected area of your face and neck. 

It results in painless, invisible barbs grabbing on to your skin. This ensures that the threads grip your underlying muscles and tissues when they are pulled by your doctor.

This triggers your body’s healing procedure and your body starts producing collagen in the affected area. It helps in filling the gap in your sagging skin. In the end, a new youthful elasticity is restored to your face.

The threads that are used in this procedure are dissolvable by nature. This means that the treatment can last up to 1-2 years. After they get dissolved, you might have to go for another session. 

Take a look at how this procedure is undertaken at our medical center in Dubai from the video below.

Steps Involved in Thread Lift Procedure

Thread lifts consist of the following steps:

• Once you identify and pick a certified skin clinic, you will have a one-on-one session with a concerned person who would supervise the procedure on your face and neck. He or she would ask you about your medical history or any specific allergy that you might have.
• After this, you would be assigned a date and time for the procedure.
• On the day of the treatment, alcohol or any other topical anesthetic will be applied to your skin to prepare it for the surgery.
• Next, threads will be inserted underneath your skin using a cannula or thin needle. This might take 30-45 minutes.
• The method of insertion (needles) will be then removed. During this, you will feel slight pressure under your skin.

Once the needles are taken out, the procedure will be completed.

Post-Treatment Steps

The recovery period is usually short, and you can get back to your normal activities almost immediately. You will start noticing the results in subsequent days and weeks once the bruising and swelling start subsiding.

Please remember not to rub your skin vigorously after the treatment and try not to sleep on your side for a couple of weeks following the procedure.  This is advised so that you don’t accidentally roll over your newly placed sutures.

It is also wise to avoid high-intensity workouts and saunas for around two weeks after the treatment.

Are There any Side-Effects Associated with Thread Lifts?

As with any other medical procedure, thread lifts come with some side-effects. However, they are minimal when compared to other facelift treatments. It is a low-risk procedure but the following side-effects can be seen in candidates:

• Swelling
• Redness
• Bruising
• Scarring
• Bleeding
• Dimpling
• Blood clots
• Infection
• Numbness
• Cardiac complications

People with records of poor wound healing history should avoid this procedure.

If you notice any black, green, brown, or red discharge at the site of the procedure, inform your doctor immediately. Do the same if you suffer from persistent headaches, swelling, and/or fever.

It is extremely important to state many medical histories or skin allergies to the medical practitioner who will perform the thread-lift procedure on you. It helps them to analyse your skin better and proceed accordingly. When you are transparent with your medical history, you will be able to make an informed decision. 

Also, you should only undergo this medical procedure under the supervision of a certified and trained plastic surgeon since that ensures the expertise it would require to pull off this treatment. 

Final Thoughts

A thread lift is a non-surgical procedure. Therefore, you might not get as dramatic results from it as you would probably get from a surgical procedure. However, you are in more control of this procedure, which makes it a safer option.

Sometimes, you have to take a couple of thread lift sessions to get the desired results. It is also recommended to combine thread lifts with other anti-aging procedures, such as Ultherapy, Botox, or Juvederm to derive maximum benefits. 

References

Antonella Savoia, Ciro Accardo, Fulvio Vannini, Basso Di Pasquale, and Alfonso Baldi – PMC – NCBI – Outcomes in Thread Lift for Facial Rejuvenation: a Study Performed with Happy Lift™ Revitalizing. Available at:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4065274/

Gulhima Arora and Sandeep Arora – Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery – Neck rejuvenation with thread lift. Available at:

http://www.jcasonline.com/article.asp?issn=0974-2077;year=2019;volume=12;issue=3;spage=196;epage=200;aulast=Arora

Rima F Abraham, Robert J DeFatta, and Edwin F Williams – ResearchGate – Thread-lift for Facial Rejuvenation Assessment of Long-term Results. Available at:

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/24436268_Thread-lift_for_Facial_Rejuvenation_Assessment_of_Long-term_Results

Tang Songjia, Sun Zhongxin, Wu Xiaoxin, Wang Yu-Yan, and  Zhang Jufang – Journals – An innovative thread-lift technique for facial rejuvenation and complication management – A case report. Available at:

https://journals.lww.com/md-journal/Fulltext/2018/05250/An_innovative_thread_lift_technique_for_facial.7.aspx

Panprapa Yongtrakul, Punyaphat Sirithanabadeekul, and Pakjira Siriphan – Semantic Scholar – Thread Lift: Classification, Technique, and How to Approach to the Patient. Available at:

https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Thread-Lift%3A-Classification%2C-Technique%2C-and-How-to-Yongtrakul-Sirithanabadeekul/ea53d4ae23acbc3e609b8b7dcc7730f601b60f50