Gentle Face-Lift or Thread Lift – Expectations, Procedure, Cost and Recovery

Gentle Face-Lift or Thread Lift – Expectations, Procedure, Cost and Recovery

We indulge in all kinds of exercises to keep our bodies fit and structured. While optimum fitness can be achieved through diet and exercise, the problem of saggy and loose skin can still persist. Have you ever wondered how the celebrities we see on-screen have such well structured and sharp-edged jawlines? Well, it’s not just the face but also the rest of their body that has tighter and younger looking skin. Here’s a little secret ingredient they’ve been using – Thread Lifts.

What causes saggy skin

Ageing causes our skin and facial fat to lose collagen, the element that provides structure to our body. This results in a looser skin that, due to the effects of gravity, succumbs and sinks downwards. Previously, face-lift surgery was probably the only solution to this. But as desirable as the result might be, people generally refrain from indulging in invasive cosmetic surgeries. This is where Thread Lifts step into the limelight.

Procedure of Thread Lifts

Thread lifts are a method for rejuvenating and tightening loose skin in the patient’s body. They are a non surgical procedure wherein the skin is injected with needles loaded with PDO threads. The needles are soon removed but the threads remain inside. These get absorbed by the skin in a period of 4 to 6 months, by the process of hydrolysis. While the threads give an immediate tightening effect, major changes can be observed 6 weeks after the procedure. This is because during these weeks, the body responds to the changes in its own way. The natural healing response of the human body is to produce and send large quantities of collagen to the treated areas. This abundance of collagen not only tightens the skin, but it also acts as an anti-aging agent for the body. This supplements the procedure and makes the skin strong, supple and ideally taut.

These threads or sutures are made of a biocompatible material called Polydioxanone, a raw material used in orthopedic and cardiovascular surgeries for wound closure. Mono threads are smooth sutures without barbs. Each treatment area requires around 10 to 20 mono threads. These, however, cannot sustain the lift and are thus attached to an anchoring point of the scalp. This does not yield optimum results. In order to sustain the lift, cog threads are used. They, unlike mono threads, do not need an anchoring point, due to their barbs forming a support structure to hook to the underside of the skin. Minimally Invasive Non-Surgical Threads, more commonly known as MINT PDOs, are used to strategically move soft tissues of saggy skin to a desired position. This is done by their bi-directional barbs that anchor on to the soft tissue and approximate it to the desired location.

Surgical facelift vs Gentle facelift with Threads

Thread Lifts

Facelift (Rhytidectomy)

Non-surgical procedure

Surgical procedure

Excess skin is not removed and is non-invasive in nature.

Excess skin is removed and is invasive in nature.

Short recovery period with less complications.

Long recovery period.

Done under local anesthesia and does not require heavy medications.

Done under general anesthesia and requires heavy sedation and round-the-clock rest for a couple of days.

Subtle changes give a natural-looking appearance.

More taut skin can be observed since the extra skin is removed.

Very affordable.

Expensive.

Thread lifts can be used in all parts of the body, however the most common targets are the jawline, eyebrows, under the eye area, cheeks and foreheads. The immediate reaction of the body towards this procedure may in fact produce some discomfort, like swelling and bruising, for a very minimal amount of time. The recovery period eradicates any such effects and thus, thread lifts are much safer than face-lifts. Since thread lifts depend mainly on the collagen that the body produces, it is more or less the body’s natural healing, unlike the artificial and surgical methods.


Thread Lift Recovery

These are some minimum precautionary measures to ensure a smooth and effective recovery period with maximum results:

  • Refrain from wetting the area for a minimum of 12 hours after completion
  • Do not rub the treated area vigorously while washing it
  • Keep facial motion to a minimum 
  • Do not apply facial cream or makeup for at least 2 days
  • Eat soft food and drink plenty of liquid for a week
  • Do not chew gum until the recovery period is over to keep exertion to a minimum 

Time of Recovery with Thread Lifts

Recovery from a Thread Lift is its biggest advantage. You can be gone for an hour or two and be back with a noticeable change in your skin. It is a relatively fast process. Most importantly, it does not hinder your daily routine in any way. Thread lifts are thus preferred alternatives to facelifts these days. Although the effects do not last as long, it is a more natural and cheaper method to look ravishingly youthful and have tight, wrinkle-free skin.