At Skin Excellence Clinics, we offer thread lifting treatments, including silhouette soft thread lifts and the latest generation of thread lifting, APTOS. The non-surgical procedure offers lifted, tighter, and more youthful-looking skin on the face and neck via non-invasive surgery and leaves no scarring.
In this blog, we break down what thread lifting is, how it works, who it’s suitable for, and the key benefits of the procedure. We’ll also guide you in choosing the right practitioner and educate you on the complications.
What is Thread Lifting?
Thread lifting is a minimally invasive, non-surgical cosmetic procedure that helps lift and rejuvenate the face and neck and improve the appearance. It’s known to be a subtle approach to getting that fresh and young-looking appearance most of us yearn for when those wrinkles start to show.
Thread lifting involves inserting fine threads underneath the skin using cannulas or needles to help lift sagging tissues, improving the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines and providing a subtle lift to drooping areas of the face and neck (especially to lift the cheeks and jowls).
Often referred to as the ‘non-surgical facelift’, a thread lift often gives results like the surgical procedure, lasting for up to two years when in the right hands.
How Does Thread Lifting Work?
Unfortunately, due to the ageing process, the skin and superficial fat pads beneath loosen their connections to the deep layers of the face and (with gravity having an effect) the skin and fat pads start to drop down – this is known as ptosis. Ptosis effects include the deepening of the nasolabial folds (nose to mouth lines), the marionette folds (mouth corners to chin lines) and the jowls, resulting in the loss of the jawline contour.
You can easily see the effects gravity has on your face by simply lying flat and looking in a mirror. You’ll instantly see the skin and fat reposition back to a more youthful position! Thread lifts aim to achieve exactly this, repositioning and lifting the skin back to its more youthful position and resisting the force of gravity.
After small injections of local anaesthetic, the threads are inserted painlessly beneath the skin and anchored into the tissues to lift and reposition them to achieve the desired effect. Small holes are created to insert the threads, which, in most cases, disappear within a day or two post-procedures.
Once the threads are in place, the body’s powerful healing response is triggered, stimulating natural collagen production in the target area. This helps to restore facial volume and smoothen lines and wrinkles buried deep within the nooks and crannies of the skin.
When undertaken correctly, the threads aren’t visible or palpable beneath the skin.
Before & After Silhouette Soft
What Are the Benefits of Thread Lifting?
There are many benefits associated with thread lifting, including:
- Minimally invasive
- Natural-looking results
- Long-lasting up to two years
- Restoring volume in the cheeks
- Minimises jowls
- Prevents sagging
- Treats deep wrinkles
- An affordable treatment
- Safe procedure with minimal risk of complication
- Alternative to invasive, surgical face lifting in suitable patients
These benefits often help to improve self-confidence and self-esteem in patients.
The Types of Thread Lifting Procedures
Thread lifting is currently trending and is popular among those looking for a procedure to help treat laxity issues and facial sagging without the need for traditional facelift surgeries, as these often come with risks such as trauma, prolonged healing, increased recovery times, and higher costs.
At Skin Excellence Clinics, we offer the option of different thread lifting procedures that can target various areas of the face and neck depending on patient selection – namely APTOS and Silhouette Soft.
Both thread types are long-lasting and are proven to stimulate natural healthy collagen production, unlike PDO threads. In our experience, PDO threads don’t offer long-lasting results due to the lack of collagen stimulation and the fact that the thread itself degrades quicker when inserted (usually within six months). APTOS and Silhouette Soft threads typically take 12-18 months to fully degrade.
Often a combination of both APTOS and Silhouette Soft threads is used to create a natural and bespoke treatment.
At your consultation, Dr Strawford will advise on your suitability for a thread lift procedure and which threads are best suited to your needs.
Before
After
Our thread lifts are effective for:
- Sagging jowls
- Redefining the jawline
- Lifting marionette lines and mouth corners
- Redefining and lifting cheeks
- Correcting facial asymmetry
- Tightening and lifting the upper neck
- Brow lifts
- Nose tip lifting and reshaping
Who is a Thread Lift Suitable For?
Thread lifts are suitable for people of all genders aged between 35 and 60 years depending on factors such as skin quality, volume, and degree of laxity. However, not all potential patients will be suitable for a thread lift, but this will be discussed at your consultation with Dr Strawford.
If you are suitable for a thread lift, you will need to consider the post-procedure advice to achieve and maintain the best results. This includes not participating in high-intensity and impact sports and exercise and avoiding dental treatments for two weeks. However, most patients can return to normal daily activities and work after a few days.
Thread lifting is excellent if you want a minimally invasive procedure that can be done under local anaesthetic. However, prospective patients should be aware that a thread lift is not surgical, so it doesn’t have the same results or longevity, but typically the effects will last for 12 to 18 months, depending on the individual.
Reasons to Choose Our Clinic & Practitioner
At Skin Excellence Clinics, you will be in the good hands of our world-renowned practitioner, Dr Ian Strawford. Thread lifting can only be done at CQC Regulated medical clinics where the highest levels of care and infection control are in place. In fact, some practitioners, including many who are not even medically qualified, are breaking the law by carrying out thread lifting in non-regulated clinics. You can rest assured that Dr Strawford and the team at Skin Excellence offer the highest levels of patient safety and care.
Choosing the right practitioner is essential for quality results and overall safety. You should choose a practitioner who uses the correct type of threads and can analyse your anatomy and expectations. Some patients aren’t suitable for thread lifts due to having too little or too much skin laxity (among other reasons individual to them).
Dr Strawford is a highly reputable and respected doctor who strives to build honest, trustworthy, and safe relationships with his patients. Dr Strawford was one of the first doctors in the UK to start offering thread lift procedures over ten years ago and has treated many thousands of patients since then. He is a well-respected key opinion leader and international trainer having spoken at many conferences across the world. He has trained many doctors and surgeons in thread lifting procedures.
If you choose a thread lift procedure at Skin Excellence Clinics, you can have peace of mind knowing that you’re in the safe hands of one of the world’s leading experts.
This November 2022, you will find Dr Strawford presenting at the World Experts Meeting in Barcelona, Spain.
Thread Lifting Complications
Dr Ian Strawford is highly experienced in dealing with any complications should they arise. Like with any treatment, there is a risk of complications, but thread lifting in expert hands presents minimal risk of complications.
Minor discomfort can be expected as a result of thread lifting, such as swelling and bruising. These are short-term and are usually resolved within 1-2 weeks. For most patients, these issues are minimal when the procedure is undertaken by Dr Strawford due to his experience and skill set.
More serious complications, such as infection, nodules and lumps, are extremely rare in healthy patients suitable for thread lifting. You will be prescribed a course of prophylactic antibiotics following your treatment to reduce the risk of infection post-procedure.
Should complications arise following a procedure on a rare occasion, Dr Strawford and his team are always on hand to advise and offer solutions to treat and correct any issues.
Thread lifting is the perfect treatment if you are looking for an affordable, effective, and quick solution for a more lifted and rejuvenated but natural looking new you!
Book your consultation today or call us on 0800 298 2391. We have clinics in Plymouth and Wells that provide the highest quality, safest, non-surgical treatments in the South and Southwest.