Thread Lifts

What is a thread lift?

A thread lift is a non-surgical alternative to having a surgical face or neck lift. It uses threads, which are specialised suture material, to lift the skin of the face to a more youthful and favourable position. It can be done with much less downtime, discomfort, and risk than a surgical procedure.

The threads used at The Victorian Cosmetic Institute are the Promoitalia threads, which are specialised threads that have two unique properties;

• They have soft barbs along the thread to help it to catch on to the skin to keep it in a lifted position
  
• They are naturally absorbed after 9 to 12 months (the effect of the lift is longer than this time however).

Thread lifts can be used to lift cheeks, jowls (and therefore improve the jawline), and brows. It can also be used to lift and tighten neck skin.

Am I a suitable candidate for a thread lift? 

Thread lifts are for those who would like to have a lift or tightening of the skin without having to go under the knife. It may be for those who;

• want to delay surgery until it is warranted, and do something to lift their skin in the meantime
  
• for those who never want to have surgery
• for younger patients who do not have enough skin laxity to justify surgery
• and for those who are unfit for surgery.

What is involved with having a thread lift?

Thread lifts can be performed with or without intravenous sedation. Although, the procedure is not painful, some people may elect to have intravenous sedation if they would rather not experience or remember the procedure.

The first step in a thread lift is to determine the areas to be treated and the direction of the lift required. The direction of lift is determined by pulling back the skin, seeing what looks natural and rejuvenated, and then marking with a surgical marker the intended direction of pull.

Once the areas to be treated are marked, local anaesthetic is injected into the area. The local anaesthetic has two purposes. Firstly, and most obviously, the local anaesthetic numbs the area where the threads will be placed. Secondly, there is some adrenaline within the local anaesthetic which acts to constrict the local blood vessels and therefore reduce the chance of bruising. 

The threads are then passed through the hairline or behind the ear (depending on the area to be treated) towards the area to be lifted. The threads are passed just under the skin with a long needle. Once the thread has been passed through, the needle is removed (cut off), and the thread is left insitu. Anchorage of the threads in the hairline or behind the ear is achieved by either looping the thread around or suturing it to the underlying tissues. At The Victorian Cosmetic Institute, we tend to prefer looping the thread around as it it causes less trauma to the tissues and less pain post-treatment.

Activation of the threads involves pulling the skin backwards and upwards on to the thread. The thread then holds the skin with the little barbs that are located on the thread, keeping the skin in the uplifted position. The threads are trimmed at the exit point, and subsequently cannot be seen or felt under the skin.

What are the common side effects with having a thread lift?

The most common side effect post thread lift is bruising and mild swelling. Not all patients bruise, however, bruising can be significant at times, and take more than a week to settle down. Swelling generally lasts for a few days only, and is usually not significant.

There is often a mild amount of discomfort associated with the recovery period. This is minimal, especially if the threads are looped rather than anchored to the underlying tissue, and this may persist for a week or longer.

The threads, if placed too superficially, can also lead to visible threads post-procedure. However, with Promoitalia threads, as they dissolve, this problem usually corrects itself with time. Alternately, if threads become visible, they can be forcefully dislodged by your doctor and this reduces their appearance.

Puckering of the skin at the exit point, is an unusual side effect. It occurs when the threads remain too close to the surface of the skin after they have been cut. This does usually resolve itself with time, or requires dislodging of the thread at this point by your doctor.

Infection is again a rare complication, especially since we do the procedure under sterile technique.

Complications can occur from a cosmetic point of view also.  Occasionally, there may be some left to right asymmetry, which can be corrected by placing extra threads in the side that required further lifting.

What results can I expect?

The results from threads are generally subtle, and should not be equated to the results of surgery.

The expected degree of lift will depend on a number of factors, including;

• pre-existing degree of skin laxity
• age
• skin thickness
• area treated
• the number of threads used

How long will the threads last?

Thread lifts induce a long term lift in the skin. The tightening and lift achieved is, however, under the constant influence of gravity, and as a result, the tissues will tend to fall back towards their previous position. In a world with no gravity, the result would last forever. But given the effects of gravity, a thread lift may need to be repeated every 2 years.

Given the fact that the threads are naturally absorbed by the body after 8-12 months, repeating the procedure does not result in accumulation of multiple threads under the skin.

What is the cost of a thread lift?

The cost of a thread lift will depend on the number of areas treated and the number of threads used. The price starts from $1800 inc gst for a single area (e.g the cheeks or forehead), up to $4200 inc gst for the full face. A neck lift with threads is $1800 to $4200 inc gst, depending on the number of threads required. The neck does tend to require larger number of threads to hold a particular position.

Why choose The Victorian Cosmetic Institute as your provider of thread lifts?

The Victorian Cosmetic Institute uses only Promoitalia threads for their high safety profile and natural absorbability. We see threads as a procedure for those who want a minimally invasive procedure with relatively less downtime than that of surgery. The doctors performing the threads have a significant amount of experience with this procedure.

The first step is simply contacting us for your initial consultation, where we will discuss with you what is a realistic and achievable outcome, and what to expect from your treatment.

Making that first phone call about any cosmetic procedure can be a confronting task - many of our patients have preferred filling out our online enquiry form. We can then contact you with an understanding of the results you are hopeful of achieving and ensure the treatment is appropriate.