What are Thread Lifts?

The GOOD:
Thread lifts offer a minimally invasive method to achieve lift and suspension of facial features that are a common complaint of patients. Also, they can add volume without the use of more traditional facial fillers like hyaluronic acid, calcium hydroxyapatite or fat. They are widely available at med spas, aesthetic centers and dermatology and plastic surgery offices and they carry a relatively low risk profile.

The BAD:

Noticeable, positive results…initially. Look at any before and after picture set of a patient that has undergone thread lifting. What do you notice? The after pictures are always immediately following the procedure. These offer basically no longevity at all. Threads are placed in the fat and dermis of the skin above the level of the face and neck that must be addressed to achieve predictable and long-lasting results. If a patient is content with a short lasting, temporary result then this is reasonable, but for the price paid it generally leaves one wanting. The price to get threads can be steep and ultimately be thousands of dollars per session representing a seemingly poor return.

The Ugly:

Thread related complications, while thankfully not common, can be devastating. Ultimately, this is a foreign body being placed within a patient’s body. When done incorrectly with poor sterilization protocols, or just bad luck, the skin and surrounding tissues can become badly infected, inflamed and sometimes even had tissue death. But uglier than the physical risks is the advertising to an unknowing client base promising powerful results and not being truthful with the client about what the limitations and expectations of these thread lifts should be. There is a reason the vast majority of board-certified facial plastic surgeons, myself included, do not offer threads and generally are opposed to their use.

Simply, they don’t work as advertised.

I want my patients to be as informed as possible about the products and services they pursue to achieve their aesthetic goals. I will always have detailed and thoughtful discussions about their motivations and expectations and help guide them to a product, service or surgery that will serve them the best.