Face Thread Lift

A thread face lift is a minimally invasive procedure done under local anaesthesia in order to achieve facial contouring/reshaping and volumization without any surgery.
A thread face lift can readily be performed by a trained doctor within 30 - 90 minutes, and one can return home within a few hours.
The downtime is minimal and there are no side effects.
A thread face lift definitely costs significantly less than a surgical face lift.
All threads are absorbable. Polydioxanone (PDO) threads get absorbed in 4.5 - 6 months, whereas poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) threads get absorbed in 16 - 18 months.
Results last from 2 to 5 years, depending on the type of threads, the speed of aging of a person's skin and the regularity of anti-ageing maintenance treatments.

Breast Thread Lift

A good breast lift is possible today with the application of absorbable threads in cases where surgical breast lifting can be avoided.

Body Thread Lift

A thread lift for the abdomen, hips, buttocks or thighs is possible today with the application of PDO threads. Those patients who don't want any surgical lift can largely benefit from a beautiful thread lift.

A Short History Of Polydioxanone

Polydioxanone (PDO) has been in use for over three decades in tissue engineering and surgery.
It's safe and used on a daily basis in hospitals for wound closure.
No problems have been encountered regarding allergic reactions or long-term complications.
PDO takes 130-180 days to be resorbed and replaced by fibrosis.
The Korean FDA approved mono 6-0 PDO threads in 2011 for the following indications:
- Neovascularization.
- Collagen type I and III regeneration
- Lipolysis

How PDO Threads Work

A large number of fibroblasts infiltration around the pair of threads show an increase in new collagen fibres and a reduction in the number of fat cells (lipolysis).
Fibrous bridging can be observed between the threads and the perimysium of the muscle, and also between the threads and the dermis. So, fibrous bridging occurs in all directions, and fibrosis is not confined to the immediate area around the threads.
Two to three months later, contraction (tightening) of the fibrous bridging takes place.
As a result, skin modelling takes place because of the development of new capillaries, new fibroplasts, new collagen and lipolysis.
Plain mono threads inserted into the dermis or subcutaneous tissue result into neo-collagenosis and neo-vascularization. In the adipose tissue, the threads cause a minor degree of lipolysis, and when inserted into muscle the effect is muscle relaxation.
Spiral 3-D multi-direction 2-0 thickness barbed threads (cog threads) give an immediate/instant mechanical lift. However, a delayed lift will continue to take place via fibrosis and tissue contraction over the next three to four months. Please note that mono threads can't give an instant mechanical lift.

The Facial Ageing Process

The facial ageing process involves the following components:
- loss of skin volume
- loss of skin laxity
- redistribution of facial fat
- connective tissue ptosis
- muscle hypertrophy
All of the above-mentioned components require PDO threads.
Tissue laxity and redistribution of subcutaneous fats contribute to:
- accentuation of the naso-labial fold and the para-nasolabial fold;
- hollowness under the eyes and tear through accentuation;
- jowl formation.
Other factors play a role in jowl formation, such as platysmal hypertrophy.

Indications To Thread Lifting

Skin Tightening
Facial & Body Contouring/Shaping
Wrinkles' Elimination
Skin Quality Improvement
Pores Reduction
Double Chin (submental fat pad) Reduction
- In the Far East, especially Korea and China, ladies don't like the square jaw appearance, and prefer a V-shape. Patients, as young as 20 years old, have V-shape threads treatment. So threads are not only for people aged 40 years or more with ageing skin.
Tissue Healing
Hypertrophic Acne Scars

Contra-Indications To Thread Lift

Patients with auto-immune connective tissue diseases
Patients with high expectations:
- Patients should be explained that thread lift is not a surgical replacement procedure
- Patients should not be led to believe that thread lift gives more drastic results than surgery
- Patients should be explained that thread lift is a milder procedure than surgery and does not give an extreme look
Patients with Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and HIV pose more of a risk to the operator
Presence of severe cardio-vascular, broncho-pulmonary and other diseases, including cardiac arrhythmias, malignant or uncontrolled hypertension, bronchial asthma with frequent asthmatic crisis, advanced diabetes and diabetic complications, advanced renal failure, psychiatric disorders, cancer, etc.
Pregnancy (as a local anaesthetic solution is used)
Breastfeeding (as a local anaesthetic solution is used)
Anti-coagulant therapy (coumarin, warfarin, clopidogrel, aspirin, etc.)
Existing infection in the treatment area
A history of keloid formation in the face and neck