Everything You Need to Know About Thread Lifts

The thread lift is a minimally-invasive cosmetic procedure that will lift and tighten the facial skin while sculpting the features, and it’s getting popular again. Why? Because we all look for this subtle but visible face lift, but we want the youthful effect without going through invasive surgery.

Keep scrolling to know everything about this technique.

What is it about?

It’s the technique through which threads are placed under the surface of the skin and pulled into place. Cosmetic doctor Marie-Thérèse Bousquet explains:  "this is an interesting procedure as it lifts and tightens the skin without modifying the morphology. We lift without creating additional volume for a natural result. But the method is somewhat stigmatized”. However, today's threads have little to do with those that were used ten years ago: no more gold threads which were tried and quickly abandoned. “The new generation is very safe. Manufactured in polylactic acid, the threads are absorbable, as for sutures in surgery, and imperceptible to the touch and to the sight”, continues Dr. Olivier Claude, plastic surgeon.

Who is it best suitable for?

The ideal profile is a patient between 40 and 45 years old whose skin is becoming more loose and slackening. "We will then be able to reposition the right volumes and give the face a V-shaped oval, without scars" says Dr Bousquet. After 50 years, it is still possible to put threads if a facelift is not desired. But the result will not be as satisfactory, because the tightening effect will be less with a greater sagging of the skin.

How does it happen?

After the first consultation, the appointment is made at the doctor's office. Under local anesthesia, the doctor makes an entry point in front of the ear (the temple or at the edge of the hair), then he will place five to seven threads on the lower third (for the oval), on the upper third ( for the cheekbones and nasolabial folds) or all over the face. The procedure takes about 45 minutes. The results will last between 15 and 18 months. “Most often, my patients return 18 to 24 months later” says Dr Bousquet. "It is quite possible to do several threads poses, which will often be associated with injections of hyaluronic acid," adds Dr. Claude.

What should you watch out from?

It is better to have the right profile: this is not the right technique on a skin that is too thin. In addition, if the doctor uses too few threads, the result won’t be satisfying. There may be some soreness after the procedure (calmed with paracetamol), and swelling and bruising may persist for a few days. Finally, you should avoid running, biking, weightlifting, or any other heavy exercise for two weeks, as well as face scrub or massage for three weeks.