Thread Lift
Your complete guide and quick links to everything you need to know about having a Thread Lift in Sydney!
The Progressive Signs of Facial Ageing
As we age our skin progressively loses elasticity creating looseness, folds, and wrinkles. The deeper tissues, the fat and muscle layers, also suffer laxity and contribute to the downward migration of facial skin.
These changes produce the following common signs of facial ageing:
- Brows descend and contribute to a ‘heavy’ or ‘hooded’ appearance of the upper eyelids.
- Cheek fat pads descend leaving ‘hollows’ across the mid-face that create a ‘drawn’ and ‘tired’ look.
- Lower face laxity creates looseness around the jawline with jowls, furrows, and folds.
- Neck skin also becomes progressively looser and ultimately develops vertical folds.
The net result of all this is an older, drawn and ‘tired look’ with loss of its former youthful firmness.
The GOOD NEWS, HOWEVER, is that a Thread Lift can reverse the above changes and make your face look firmer, less aged, fresher, and more attractive.
What is a Thread Lift?
Traditional techniques of face lift surgery all involve skin incisions which leave scars in front of and behind the ears.
In contrast, a Thread Lift avoids such scars because the ‘Threads’ are inserted through tiny entry points in or next to the hairline.
The ‘Threads’ will then lift the skin to deliver a fresher and rejuvenated appearance.
A Thread Lift can be performed on all areas of the face as well as the neck.
Who is Suitable for a Thread Lift?
A Thread Lift is best suited to those with early facial ageing and only mild skin laxity.
At your Initial Consultation, our doctor will assess your face and advise you very honestly whether a Thread Lift is an option for you. Basically, the less skin looseness you have, the greater are your chances of being suitable for a Thread Lift.
A Thread Lift is also an option for those who have previously had a Surgical Face Lift, whose face is once again starting to sag, but do not wish to undergo another Surgical Face Lift.
Who is Not Suitable for a Thread Lift?
Those with excessively loose skin are not suitable for a Thread Lift and a Surgical Face Lift would be the recommended option.
Thread Lift vs Surgical Face Lift: The Differences
Naturally, every as with any cosmetic procedure, there are advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, to enable you to make an informed choice on which form of ‘lift’ to have, please refer to the Table below for the principal differences between the two techniques:
| THREAD LIFT | SURGICAL FACE LIFT | |
|---|---|---|
| Patient Suitability | Only an option when skin laxity is mild & skin still has sufficient elasticity. | All degrees of skin laxity are suitable. |
| Anaesthesia | Usually Local Anaesthesia +/- Sedation | General Anaesthesia |
| Where is it Done? | Depends on the required technique: either in our Clinic or in Hospital. | In Hospital with usually an overnight stay. |
| Length of Procedure | 1-1½ hours | Average 4 hours |
| Surgical Scars | Extremely small, hidden, and therefore inconspicuous. | More extensive and detectable on close inspection but can be camouflaged with make-up. |
| ‘Down Time’ | Approximately 7 days | Approximately 3-4 weeks |
| Post-Operative Restrictions | Some | Some |
| Post-Operative Appearances | Temporary ‘Bunching’ of skin where it is pulled back (e.g. in front of the ears) Surface Irregularities along the course of the Threads sometimes appear but are usually temporary. | No ‘Bunching’ because all excess skin is removed. Surface irregularities can occur but are usually temporary. |
| Return to Normal Activities | Usually 7-14 days depending on technique. | Average 3-4 weeks |
| Possible Complications | Uncommon, minor, and usually temporary in experienced hands. | Being actual surgery, more complications are possible. |
| Average Duration of Correction | 1-1½ years | Longer lasting: average 7-15 years depending on technique. |
| When Skin Laxity Returns | Simply add more Threads, or go to a Surgical Facelift. | Repeat full Surgical Facelift, or have a Thread Lift. |
| Approximate Cost For Face and Neck | Depends on the technique: can only be quoted at a consultation. | More costly, depends on technique and individual requirements, can only be quoted at a consultation. |
How is a Thread Lift Done?
Our Thread Lifts are performed under Local Anaesthesia +/- Sedation either in the privacy of our own Clinic or in Hospital.
A Thread Lift can be done on any section of the face that needs to be lifted. This could be the Brow, Mid-Face, or Lower Face. The Neck & Under Chin Areas can also be lifted. Usually, more than one area needs to be lifted, and sometimes all do.
The exact locations of the entry points for the Threads will vary from person to person. However, every effort is made to locate these tiny entry points where they will not be obvious.
Through each entry point a Thread with tiny barbs is threaded under the skin. The skin is then pulled up and held in place by the tiny barbs on the thread.
Thread Lift sutures do not need to be removed. They will slowly dissolve and disappear over the ensuing 18 months. Any sutures used to close skin incisions behind the ears or in the hair are removed after 7 days.
You can go home immediately afterwards.
However, if you’ve had Sedation, you cannot take yourself home. You need to have a responsible person escort you home and be with you for the first 24 hours.
When future ageing signs next present themselves, more Threads can be added as required.
How We Do Thread Lifts Differently
Please note that most Thread Lift techniques involve the insertion of threads that remain ‘free floating’ under the skin. Theoretically, these threads are meant to trigger the formation of collagen around the threads. This collagen is then expected to contract and create ‘lift’.
Do not expect to see much improvement immediately after this technique. The final result, whenever that is to occur, will depend on how much collagen forms around the threads and how much ‘lift’ will be created.
This is the standard Thread Lift technique currently being performed in most clinics.
We too could offer you this common and rather unpredictable technique. However, if you prefer to see a more impressive immediate correction, you should consider our unique Anchoring Thread Lift technique.
We developed our unique Thread Lift technique many years ago. Instead of inserting ‘free floating’ threads and waiting for ‘collagenesis’ to occur, we ‘anchor’ our Threads to fixed points. This allows us to lift and hold the skin in its new position from the outset. Patients see an immediate and better ‘lift’ than waiting for ‘collagenesis’ to take place.
We know of no other clinic using our ‘Anchoring Technique’ for Thread Lifts.
There is only one downside with this technique. For patient comfort, it is best performed under sedation in a Day Hospital. You can go home shortly after your procedure but you cannot go home alone. You must be escorted by a responsible adult who can be with you for the first 24 hours.
How Does It Look Immediately Afterwards?
- Swelling over the lifted area is usual but is only mild.
- Bruising, if it occurs, is usually mild and disappears after 2 weeks. In the meantime, it can be camouflaged with make-up.
- Pain is usually mild only and can be relieved with simple pain-relievers.
- Surface irregularities can occur but are uncommon and usually temporary.
- Variable degrees of ‘bunching’ of skin are commonly seen at the hairline, in front of the ears, or wherever else the skin is pulled back. Do not be concerned about this. Simply regard it as confirmation that your skin has indeed been lifted! The ‘bunching’ should progressively disappear over the ensuing weeks.
- The Lifted Areas will initially feel ‘tighter’.
- There may be some initial discomfort on facial movements, especially on eating. Soft foods, nourishing fluids and simple pain relievers will tide you over this early period.
Thread Lift ‘Before & Afters’
Please note that all the following results were obtained using our unique anchoring technique and non-absorbable ‘Contour Threads’ which are no longer manufactured.
All Threads currently available in Australia are ABSORBABLE i.e. non-permanent.
Although similar results could be expected using ‘Absorbable Threads’ and our Anchoring Technique, the corrections would not be as long-lasting as they were with the permanent Threads.
‘Pros & Cons’ of a Thread Lift
The Pros:
- Minimally invasive
- Can be done under Local Anaesthesia +/- Sedation.
- Quick recovery, short downtime.
- Leaves no obvious scars.
- Few potential complications
- Affordable
- Can be repeated as often as necessary to counter the natural ageing process.
The Cons:
- Only suitable for those with early facial ageing.
- Average duration of correction is 1-1½ years.
Potential Risks and Complications of a Thread Lift
- Temporary Bruising and Swelling.
- Initial discomfort/feelings of skin tightness.
- Infection – uncommon, and treatable with antibiotics.
- Contour Irregularities of the skin in the early post-operative period sometimes occur but usually settle quickly. Permanent surface irregularities are rare.
- Asymmetry: no two sides of anyone’s face are ever perfectly symmetrical to begin with. Therefore, it is unreasonable to expect that both sides will be perfectly symmetrical after the procedure.
- Temporary ‘bunching’ of the skin where it is pulled back.
- Loss of correction in the early post-operative period if any shearing forces are applied to the face.
- Inadvertent injury to deeper structures such as nerves, blood vessels or salivary glands.
- Allergic or other reactions to anaesthesia.
The Cost of a Thread Lift in Sydney
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Thread Lift
Impossible to provide a total cost for a Thread Lift in Sydney until you’ve had a consultation because our doctor will first need to determine:
- Which areas of the face are to be lifted.
- The design of Threads required.
- The number of each type of Thread required.
- Whether you prefer the standard technique, or our unique ‘Anchoring Technique’ described above.
Once our Doctor has discussed all these choices with you
at the Initial Consultation, he/she will give you an itemised quotation including a total cost.
Can I Claim a Medicare or Private Health Insurance Rebate?
Unfortunately, NO.
Cosmetic treatments cannot be claimed on Medicare or Private Health Insurance.