Thread Lift
Face, neck, and eyebrow lift with special revitalizing threads. Threads dissolve and the effect remains
What is a thread facelift??
Thread lifting is an effective non-surgical method of facial rejuvenation. Correction is performed by inserting absorbable and non-absorbable revitalizing threads through a puncture on the skin using a special atraumatic cannula.
When people come to me for consultations, they usually say "I would like it like this" - while with the tips of their fingers they move the cheeks and cheekbones towards the temples. This is exactly the effect of good threads for many years. I am often asked "for how many years does the effect last?" I answer, it is forever. Of course, the degree of lifting in 5 years will be less than in the first year.
Composition and mechanism of action of facial threads
Non-absorbable threads are made of synthetic polypropylene suture material that does not cause allergic reactions. Absorbable threads consist of e-caprolac (suture material which is completely absorbable in the body) and L-lactide. Polylactic acid promotes production of collagen while providing additional anti-aging effects at the cellular level.
The external effect of polylactic acid is delayed, i.e. it becomes noticeable and increases in about 2-4 months after the procedure, reaching its peak in about six months. Over this time, new native collagen fibers are formed in response to the presence of the introduced thread (neocollagenesis). This process of natural restructuring of the tissue continues, despite the complete resorption of micro particles of the thread. The effect of the thread lifting is maintained for at least 2 years.
Threads not only tighten the fabric, but also make the skin more elastic, significantly improving its quality
The period of resorption of threads
Threads, depending on the manufacturer, have different periods of resorption. On average, the threads dissolve from 8 months to 14 months. This period is enough to form fibrosis and collagen which makes the structure more rigid. And then the skin will be less ptosed in the future. This effect lasts for a long time.
Indications for thread lifting
- correction of ptosis and age-related changes of face: elimination of nasolabial folds, tear trough, marionette lines, jowls
- double chin and neck lift
- creation of high and expressive cheekbones
- forming a clear facial oval
- formation of the "youth angle" (neck-chin angle)
- •correction of facial asymmetry, etc
Advantages of thread lifting
- Naturalness of result. Correction using absorbable threads rejuvenates the face while not changing its natural features. This effect is achieved due to the fact that the soft tissues return to their place characteristic of their position at a young age. After thread lifting, the patients look like at their early photos. The result is instantaneous - you can see how the face has grown younger immediately after correction. Contours become clear, eyebrows and corners of the mouth are raised, nasolabial folds are smoothened, the "second" chin disappears. No visible scar remains on the face.
- Absence of cuts. Only punctures that are completely hidden in the hair growth zone are used in the correction.
- Speed of the procedure. The procedure is performed on an outpatient basis and lasts from 40 minutes to 1 hour. Anesthesia is local in most cases.
- Quick rehabilitation. There are no extensive bruises or long term deformities
- The price and risks are lower , than in classic facelifting.
Contraindications to face lifting with threads:
- oncological diseases
- autoimmune diseases
- severe allergy
- disorder of blood clotting ability
- serious skin diseases
- Thread lifting is also not recommended during pregnancy, lactation, or if there is inflammation on the skin
Rehabilitation period
On average, the rehabilitation period takes f rom 7 to 14 days, depending on individual characteristics of the body and the amount of exposure.
The thread integrates for up to 40 days, during this period one needs to avoid strong skin shifts, pronounced facial movements.
- Wearing a compression mask at night for 2 weeks.
- Edemas can be divided into acute and subacute. Acute edema disappears within about 7 to 8 days and subacute edema is observed for about 2 to 3 months, so we can see the final result much later
- Bruising and swelling. They may occur after surgery but they resolve themselves over time.
- Pain sensations may be present at the location of the tip of a thread, at the point of fixation of threads. As it heals, all unpleasant sensations disappear.
- Tuberosity at the place of insertion of a thread When a thread is installed, and edema is growing in the layer around it. It may not grow evenly and give a certain tuberosity. This does not mean that the thread was installed incorrectly. One has to wait until the edema goes down (2-3 weeks on average), the skin functions are normalized and the result is leveled
- Limitations. For a week and a half, it is recommended that you do not visit saunas, baths, or tanning salons. For a month, thermal procedures are prohibited on the areas where the threads are implanted, for two months – massage, physiotherapeutic care and everything related to disturbance of integrity of skin (mesotherapy, injections, etc.)
Lifting with Aptos threads
I work with certified innovative Aptos threads that have been on the market for more than 20 years. In most cases, I prefer Aptos absorbable threads with notches that give the best two-way fixation. Thread consumption is not large, the effect is excellent.
Aptos threads are very diverse. They differ in notches, thickness and length from 10 cm to 50 cm. They have different goals and efficacy. When the thread is long, it doesn't mean I am cutting it. Most often one has to make a turn under the skin and go back, and repeat several times.
What to choose, a surgical lift or thread lifting?
Facelift gives a more pronounced effect immediately after operation. This effect is stable exactly due to its expressiveness. When the threads are placed, they act mechanically in a completely different way: they change the structure of the skin. And the effect received is less pronounced, yet very long. When I see patients whom I installed threads 7-8 years ago, they often have a more lasting effect than after a fully-fledged surgical facelift. That is why I began to recommend a combination of "facelift + threads" to many patients.
This is about mechanics. When I do a classic facelift, tension is due to the SMAS layer (the layer that is under the skin, under the subcutaneous fat) and I can move it to a distance of 1 to 3 cm. The skin is already in conjunction with the SMAS layer and thus there is tension. When I put the threads - it is the skin itself that is stretched and the subcutaneous fat layer is slightly displaced. Any thread both absorbable and not absorbable causes a fibrosis. Fibrosis is a reaction of tissue that causes a thin vector scar (or collagen) to form along the thread. This collagen is essentially scar tissue that forms a more rigid skin structure. Therefore, the patient is less susceptible to ptosis.
FAQs of Thread Lift
Is any special preparation needed of skin to thread lift?
In what time one needs to repeat the thread installation procedure?
Can the facelift threads break?
Will not the threads impede a surgical facelift in the future?
Can the threads (notches) shift?
What to do if the tip of the thread is contoured?
Prices of a thread lift in Kyiv, Ukraine
Procedure |
Price |
Face lift with Aptos absorbable threads with notches (1 pack, from 10 to 20 vectors) | |
- with local anesthesia | 750 euro |
- with intravenous anesthesia with propofol + ward | 1 250 euro |
Neck lift with Aptos threads, "hammock" technique (1 pack) | |
- with local anesthesia | 750 euro |
- with intravenous anesthesia with propofol + ward | 1 250 euro |