Thread Lift

Definition: This is used to denote facelift using only sutures.

The collagen & elastin fibres in the skin tend to breakdown as somebody gets older. This is aggravated by the effect of gravity, sun & habits such as smoking. On looking in the mirror this is seen as sagging of the face with development of folds & wrinkles that begin to appear in the thirties. Traditionally, most patients like this will have gone for a full facelift but the thread lift is an effective, innovative & minimally invasive approach to achieving a face lift-like result.

Technique: Depending on the area to be lifted, a tiny incision or puncture is made in the scalp, behind the hairline & through this puncture a needle is passed underneath the skin with the threads which have barbs or hooks on them. By means of these hooks that part of the face is lifted up. For each particular area, two of these threads or sutures are passed & tied & buried underneath the skin (where they are placed determined by the area of the face that needs to be lifted up). In other words small, barely visible, scars are in the scalp. The sutures are clear sutures so they are not visible underneath the skin.

Areas that can be treated: The areas that can be treated include the eyebrows (brow lift), drooping or sagging cheeks (mid-face), the jowls (lower face), sagging neckline.

Anaesthesia: Usually performed under local anaesthesia. Anxious patients may require sedation.

Duration of operation: This will depend on the number of areas that need to be treated. A difficult area requiring lifting the cheeks & the jowls will probably take about an hour.

Time off work: This again will depend on the number of areas treated but usually about a week.

How long does it last: Studies have shown it to last about three to five years but factors that may affect this depend on how droopy or saggy the facial tissues are initially, the number of sutures or threads that have been used & the age of the patient.

Duration of stay in the hospital: Usually done as a day case so the patient can go home the same day.

Post-Op care: The patient is usually given antibiotics (orally) & also painkillers. Instructions about how to care for the face are given. Massage or rubbing of the face should be upward not downward for the first three weeks. This will include bath time or shower time when all application of soap & water should be upwards not downwards on the face. It's also advised that the face is held during coughing or sneezing because the straining of such manoeuvres pull the face down against the sutures & this should be observed for the first three weeks as well.

Risks/Complications: Usually a safe procedure. It is possible for people who have allergies to a local anaesthetic to react to it but this is uncommon. Minor complications include bruising & swelling, skin irregularities or puckering. This can usually be corrected within the first week by gentle massage of the area by the physician. More extensive folds usually settle within 3 weeks.