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Thread lift
Absorbable threads inserted under the skin to reposition the tissues of the face. It is not a facelift: I lift existing tissue without removing any skin. If your case is one for surgery, I tell you.
About an hour, depending on the number of threads
One session; the number and position of threads are discussed at your consultation
Swelling and a feeling of tightness for a few days
What it is
I insert fine threads into the tissue beneath the skin. Each thread has small barbs along its length. Those barbs grip the tissue: by pulling on the thread, the lowered tissue is lifted and the thread holds it there for as long as it lasts. How much can be repositioned depends on your face: I tell you at the consultation.
They are absorbable threads: the material is reabsorbed over a matter of months. I do not use permanent threads. As it is reabsorbed, the thread stimulates collagen production along its path; how far that translates into a visible change varies from person to person. They are a medical device: at the consultation I tell you which type of thread I use for you and why, and I record the batch in your medical record.
It is not a facelift. A facelift is a surgical operation: the tissue is undermined and repositioned and the excess skin is removed, in an operating theatre. Here I remove nothing. I lift the existing tissue from beneath the skin: the change is more modest and does not last as long as a surgical result. I prefer to tell you that beforehand.
Who it is for
- Mild to moderate skin looseness in the middle of the face, where the cheeks have lowered
- Lower third and jawline that have lost definition
- The neck, in selected cases
- The eyebrows, for a modest lift at the outer end of the brow
- Anyone looking for a moderate, temporary change who does not want, or cannot have, an operation
What happens during treatment
The consultation comes first: I look at your face at rest and as it moves, take your medical history, ask you which medicines you take and we decide together whether it makes sense. I explain how many threads I recommend, where they will go and the direction of the lift before we begin.
On the day of the session I mark on the skin the entry points and the path of each thread, cleanse and disinfect the area and give a local anaesthetic. Then I insert the threads, one at a time, with a needle or a fine cannula, and slide them until the tissue is where it needs to be. I check the symmetry of the two sides throughout the session, not only at the end. I cut the ends of the threads flush with the skin, disinfect the entry points again and show you how it has turned out. About an hour in all, depending on the number of threads.
The follow-up is included: I see you again after the first week and again once the swelling has gone. If you are concerned about the result, we consider together what can be done: sometimes it can be corrected, sometimes it is better to wait for the thread to be reabsorbed.
How long the effect lasts
The lift is visible straight away, but in the first few days the face is swollen and that is not the result: it is assessed after three or four weeks, once the swelling has gone and the tissue has settled.
The threads are reabsorbed over a matter of months. How long the result lasts varies from person to person — it depends on your skin, your age, your weight and how much tissue needs support. We discuss what to expect at your consultation.
It is not permanent and I do not present it as such: when the effect is lost, it can be repeated. I do not promise you a result; I tell you what you can reasonably expect and what is not.
Comfort and recovery
During. With the local anaesthetic you feel the pressure and the passage of the thread under the skin: it feels unusual rather than painful. The uncomfortable part is the first few minutes, the ones with the anaesthetic.
Afterwards. Swelling and a feeling of tightness, more marked in the first few days and easing over the first week. Bruises are possible at the entry points and along the path of the thread. In the first weeks you feel a pull when you open your mouth or chew: that is normal and it passes. Small irregularities or puckering of the skin may appear: they generally settle by themselves over the following days; if they remain, I see you again: in the first few days they can often be corrected, later on we generally wait for the thread to be reabsorbed.
Aftercare:
- Sleep on your back, with the pillow slightly raised, for a week
- No facial massage and no aesthetic treatments on the face for a month
- Avoid dental appointments for two to three weeks: holding your mouth open for a long time pulls on the threads. Arrange any planned dental work before treatment
- Soft food for the first few days; avoid opening your mouth wide, chewing gum and pulling faces
- No strenuous exercise, sauna or swimming pool for two weeks
- Take antibiotics or painkillers for this treatment only as I advise
Combining treatments
Threads reposition: they do not add volume and they do not work on the quality of the skin. I usually combine treatments in a plan, with separate sessions and carefully chosen intervals.
- 01 Facial volume Where support is missing we work on volume first, then reposition. The order changes the result.
- 02 Biostimulators They work on collagen over a matter of months. I schedule them before or after, never in the same session.
- 03 Botulinum toxin Botulinum toxin acts on muscle activity. I assess whether to include it in the same period and how to space the sessions. 250 €
- 04 Microneedling Quality and texture of the skin. Not before four weeks after the threads: on the treated area I avoid any manoeuvre that pulls.
Volume first or threads first? I decide at the consultation. Lifting tissue that has lost volume achieves little. Restoring its support first gives a greater effect with fewer threads.
Cost
I tell you the price for your treatment at the first consultation, before we begin. It depends on the area and on how many threads are needed.
Frequently asked questions
Is it a facelift?
No. A facelift is a surgical operation, in an operating theatre, in which the excess skin is removed. With threads, I lift the existing tissue from beneath the skin, without removing anything: the change is more modest and does not last as long as a surgical result. If your case is one for surgery I tell you so and refer you to a surgeon.
Do the threads stay in permanently?
No. I use absorbable threads: the material is reabsorbed over a matter of months. What remains is the collagen stimulation along the path of the thread. I do not use permanent threads.
Can they be felt? Can they be seen?
In the first weeks you may feel a pull when you open your mouth. Sometimes the thread can be felt, and more rarely it shows through. If it stays uncomfortable or visible, I see you again: in the first few days it can generally be corrected or removed, later on we assess it together, because the thread integrates into the tissue and complete removal is not always possible.
When can I return to my usual routine?
It depends on the swelling and the bruises: generally a few days. The instructions about sleeping on your back, the dentist and massage last longer. If you have an important event, we schedule the session with at least two weeks' margin.
Booking an appointment
At the consultation I look at your face as it moves, show you with my fingers what can be repositioned and what cannot, and tell you whether threads are suitable for you. If a surgeon is needed, I tell you there and then.
Tell me what you'd like to improveI reply personally with information about your first consultation.
