Looking for the best non-surgical, subtle way to preserve your youthful appearance or to rejuvenate your skin? A thread lift is one of the treatments that a dermatologist would suggest and discuss during a consultation. For people considering a thread lift in Bangalore, an important question is whether this treatment is suitable for them? Or who is an ideal candidate for thread lift treatment? Read on to know in detail about thread lift treatment. The final decision should be left to the professional who specialises in treating age-related skin changes.
What is Thread Lift?
Thread lift is a skin-lifting and tightening treatment which is popularised as an alternative to traditional facelift surgery. It is preferred for a natural-looking reversal of early signs of aging, such as sagging mid-face, jowls, drooping eyebrows, nasolabial folds, neck laxity, and fine lines and wrinkles.
Who Should Opt for a Thread Lift Treatment: Ideal Patients
Thread lift is best suited for:
- Healthy individuals aged between late 30s and early 50’s with mild to moderate facial and neck sagging
- Adults with a realistic goal of having subtle, natural, refreshed looks without extensive recovery, serious risks, and huge expense
- Patients with a maintained healthy lifestyle and skincare routine
- Individuals who maintain decent skin laxity
- Non-smokers.
Science Behind Thread Lift: How Thread Lift Works?
- Specialised, medical-grade dissolvable threads such as PDO, PLLA, or PCL are inserted into sagging skin using a sterile needle or cannula, then gently pulled. When this is done, the barbs or cones of the thread anchor the targeted tissues. On removing the threads, the skin is lifted and repositioned.
- In addition to mechanical lifting, the insertion of threads triggers biological stimulation. A controlled micro-injury is caused at the site of insertion. The body naturally responds to the injury by stimulating the production of collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid. As collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid levels increase around the placed threads, the skin appears firmer, smoother, and more voluptuous over time.
- For the next several months, even after the threads dissolve, the fibrous tissue is formed, and the restored hyaluronic acid helps sustain the skin’s lifted, tightened look.
Key Benefits of Thread Lift Treatment
Here are the changes one can avail after opting for this treatment:
- Can lift and tighten various areas, including the brows, jowls, nose, cheeks, and neck
- Gives immediate, noticeable, subtle lifting of the skin
- Provides a better contoured, youthful look
- Triggers fibroblasts for fresh collagen and elastin production
- Threads are biocompatible and biodegradable, safe for use
- A lunchtime procedure for mild to moderate sagging
- Natural-looking results
- Minimal risks and downtime
- No major incisions or scarring
- Effects last for years
- Low upfront cost.
Potential Risks Associated with Thread Lift
Thread lift, just like any medical or cosmetic procedure, carries some risks. These can be made minimal by confirming suitability for the treatment, choosing the right practitioner, and following proper pre- and post-treatment instructions.
Some reported side effects of the thread lift include:
- Swelling
- Bruising
- Discomfort
- Infection
- Numbness
- Uneven or asymmetrical results
- Breakage of thread, thread migration, or thread visibility beneath the skin.
Note: When an expert skin doctor performs this procedure, the risk of complications or side effects is minimal to none.
How to Ensure a Successful Thread Lift Treatment?
Here are some tips:
- Select a qualified professional and go for a consultation to confirm suitability, set realistic expectations, and know about medications and lifestyle adjustments to make before the thread lift
- In the next 1-2 days after the thread lift, avoid touching, rubbing, or soaking the sites of thread insertion. Use a cold compress and sleep with your face up and head raised to minimize swelling and bruising
- Until the skin completely heals, avoid direct heat, chemicals, and exposure to sweat in the treated areas, as well as applying direct pressure. Do not make excessive facial movements. Avoid taking dental appointments and opting for harsh/extensive treatments. Moreover, avoid getting engaged in strenuous workouts
- During recovery, do not miss scheduled follow-ups, which are intended to monitor recovery progress and ensure optimal results.
Take the First Step: Schedule a Consultation
If you find thread lift to be the solution to your concern, hurry and book an appointment with a qualified and experienced thread lift expert to determine whether it will suit your needs, concerns, and goals, and to gather more information about the treatment and practitioner.
In Bangalore, Dr. Rasya Dixit is the most trusted dermatologist, a well-known thread lift specialist, and the founder of Dr. Dixit Cosmetic Dermatology Clinic. She is an excellent injector and helps patients manage their signs of aging with the thread lift procedure. She also suggests other anti-aging treatments that can help one reverse aging signs and achieve a youthful and tighter skin.
FAQs in Thread Lift Treatment: Answered by an Expert
Is age a deciding factor for thread lift suitability?
Age is one factor that determines a patient's candidacy for a thread lift. An ideal age range for a thread lift is late 30’s to 40’s. Patients aged 40-60 can undergo a thread lift and achieve good rejuvenation if they have mild to moderate skin laxity. However, for individuals aged 60 and above, the thread lift is not suitable due to advanced aging.
Who should avoid getting a thread lift?
Thread lift is not meant for individuals with thin, fragile skin, active skin infections, stubborn acne, other skin conditions, or extensive sagging.
Is a thread lift better than a facelift surgery?
A thread lift is a minimally invasive anti-aging approach that is superior to a facelift for those seeking a natural, subtle, temporary improvement in mild to moderate sagging skin. But those who need dramatic, long-term improvements of severe sagging, a surgical facelift is the best and only solution.
Can a thread lift be combined with other cosmetic treatments?
Thread lift effects can be enhanced when paired with other skin resurfacing treatments, such as dermal fillers, B-otox injections, and others. The combination of treatments that will be suitable will be decided by an anti-aging specialist or a dermatologist during a consultation.
How long do thread lift results last?
The effect of a thread lift can last for 6-18 months. The placed threads dissolve within 4-6 months, but the impact of the collagen stimulation they trigger, can last much longer. The type of thread used, the targeted area, and skin laxity all determine the longevity of thread lift results.
