What is a Thread Lift in Plastic Surgery?
Thread lift is one of the latest procedures in cosmetic surgery. Thread lift is a fast, less invasive procedure and can be performed without anesthesia.
If you don’t want to spend 50,000 to 60,000 thousand of Kroner on a face-lift then you are probably an ideal candidate for a thread lift. Known as the “lunchtime” facelift, the thread lift is inexpensive and the procedure itself only takes about 45 minutes to perform. There is no anesthesia, less scarring and the overall effect of the procedure is quite natural. Best of all individuals who have thread lifts are not stuck with that look like they are wearing a ponytail that stretches their features.
History & Advancements of Thread Lift Surgery
Thread lifts are not new as plastic surgeons in Paris have applied them for about thirty years. The idea of using thread to lift and support the skin of the face is not new. In fact, in the 1970s, thread facelifts sewn with gold thread were known as Stringlifts.
The problem with the old fashioned string lifts is the procedure, which uses surgical or gold thread to pull the skin back and up over the skull, did not always hold forever as sooner or later the sutures would rip or dissolve. Sutures would also migrate to the surface of the skin causing an asymmetrical appearance. Bunching effects would also sometimes appear above the hairline necessitating the removal of the entire string.
Lately, however, the surgery has been improved to the extent that patients can avoid these side effects altogether. Your Dr makes small incisions along a patient’s crown and then uses specially designed surgical “cogs”, which are attached to the skull. The thread is fed through the cogs and then pulled tight to give the appearance of a facelift. The effects of a thread lift are now said to last from three to five years.
Unlike an ordinary facelift, in which the patient is usually asleep with anesthesia, the patient is awake during this process. This allows your Dr to hold a mirror up to the client to see if she is satisfied with the results. If not the thread can be pulled tighter or let looser to achieve the desired tautness.
The procedure is also not that painful and only requires a two to three day recovery time. Another benefit is that unlike a conventional facelift, the patient has the immediate gratification of seeing the results of the operation immediately.
Are You an Ideal Candidate for Thread Lift?
Not everyone is an ideal candidate for a thread lift. The ideal candidate for a thread lift is a person that displays minimal signs of aging. A thread lift can make you appear more youthful, rested and alert but it cannot eliminate a turkey neck or deeply ingrained furrows and wrinkles from the face.
When time has taken considerable toll on the face contour, thread lift can not help. A thread lift is not recommended for people who have a lot of excess skin as the sutures simply will not be able to hold the weight of it. If you are over 60, traditional plastic surgery such as a face-lift or brow lift is probably a better option for you.
The best candidates for a thread Lift are young to middle-age patients who are looking to lift their brows, cheeks and jaw line. The procedure also has the effect of softening frown lines that extend from the nose to the edges of the mouth. Individuals who have already had a full surgical face lift sometimes get a thread lift to keep the results from fading.
The fact that there are very few complications and side effects from having a thread lift is more good news. There is very little bleeding during the operation and therefore a minimal risk of infection. Complications that tend to occur is skin bunching up, dimpling and asymmetrical results.
If you dislike the result of your thread lift, simply removing the thread easily reverses it. Results can also be adjusted by having your Dr adjust the tension of the thread.
Cost of thread lift is not much, but it the price it returns is commendable. As a thread lift is so affordable and non-invasive it should be your first line of attack in the fight against aging. It is a subtle face-lift but it can do a lot for your appearance as well as your self-esteem.