Womens Health in the News

The thread lift is a less evasive form of cosmetic surgery which boasts quicker recovery times, leaves less scarring and is generally considered to be a quick fix solution. The thread lift can be performed in an hour and as it doesn’t reach the deeper layers of skin and only a local anaesthetic is needed, recovery time is quicker than many traditional surgeries.

Who can benefit from this type of surgery?

This type of cosmetic surgery is popular in the age group around the 40`s as the skin in people of this age can start to sag, the areas which are particularly benefited by this type of surgery are around the eyes, the cheeks, the brows, the jowls and the neck. When this happens, the face can look older and the thread lift can be an alternative to the more invasive surgeries that older people go for.

A thread lift can also be performed secondary to a face-lift or it might also be performed as part of the initial face-lift. However, some surgeons are reluctant to perform this procedure; in particular, they have concerns over the thread migration as it can cause imbalanced facial appearances if further treatment isn’t taken. Visible threads after surgery are also a major concern and also no improvement after the procedure.

What is the thread lift?

The thread lift relies on using sutures to lift sagging eyes, nasiofolds and aging skin around the neck. Using a very fine needle the surgeon will insert very tiny threads underneath the skin, there are barbs attached to one end of the thread and these grab the skin and lift it. Teeth on the other end of the thread anchor the skin to the rest of the facial features, as no stitches are involved in the procedure no scars are produced.

Two different types of thread can be used in the procedure they are the contour thread and the Aptos thread with the majority of the procedures that have taken place using the contour thread. The contour thread has been used in many different surgical procedures while the Aptos thread is relatively new and is more limited in its use.

The procedure entails the patient being treated on an out patient basis and a local anaesthetic is given to numb the area, the surgeon will then begin making small incisions in certain locations and insert the threaded needle which will then be used to lift the tissue under the skin. The barbs attached to the thread will latch in place and hold in specific places.

There are variations on the technique with the “closed” technique involving moulding soft tissue over the suture in more than one location point until the correct result is obtained. The “open” technique is performed by the surgeon inserting instruments under the skin to create a raw surface so that when the thread is pulled up they are more likely to anchor in the correct place.

The number of threads used for the surgery can vary depending on the work which is being done but they usually vary from two to twenty. After the surgery, you will probably be prescribed antibiotics to help minimize the risk of infection and you will feel sore and there may be a little swelling for the first week.