Gone are the days when facial lifts were reserved for older people seeking facial rejuvenation; today, people in their 30s or 40s opt for a skin lifting treatment to achieve a younger-looking appearance. Most of us prefer non-surgical treatments to delay the signs of ageing. So, what exactly is a non-surgical thread lift treatment and is it worth an investment?
Traditional Face Lift Surgery
A facelift is a cosmetic procedure that redefines or reshapes facial contours by removing excess or saggy skin from the face. These surgical treatments are generally completed as an outpatient procedure – you typically go home that day. Please note that a surgical facelift will require conscious sedation and the administration of local anesthesia and/or sedatives and occasionally even general anesthesia.
A typical facelift treatment can take anywhere from 2 to 5 hours, depending on the complexity of the surgical procedure. Depending on the degree of change you’d like to see, your facelift choices include a traditional facelift, limited incision facelift or a neck lift.
A traditional facelift incision often begins in the hairline at the temples, continues around the ear and ends in the lower scalp. Skin is then pulled over the uplifted contours and excess skin is trimmed away.
An alternative to a traditional facelift uses shorter incisions at the temples, continuing around the ear. “Mini-lifts” are usually reserved for patients with less skin relaxation, as the results are less rejuvenating than a full facelift.
A neck lift addresses the sagging jowls, loose neck skin and fat accumulation under the chin. The neck lift incision often begins in front of the ear lobe and wraps around behind the ear and ends in the posterior hair behind the ear.
The visible improvements of a facelift appear once swelling and bruising subside.
Risks And Complications
A surgical facelift is not permanent, which is a contradiction to the popular belief of giving lasting results. A surgical facelift can relapse after about five to ten years of the surgery. Possible side effects include but is not limited to:
- Infection
- Poor scar healing
- Keloid formation
- Unnatural results
- All the risks associated with surgery
Non-Surgical Thread Lifts
A surgical facelift is no longer the only option available for people looking for lifting or contouring options. Thread lifts have been gaining popularity over the years due to their ability to lift mildly sagging skin with minimal downtime.
Making its first appearance in the cosmetic industry in 2013, Silhouette Soft has helped over 130,000 people across the globe to lift sagging skin and reshape facial contours.
Silhouette Soft Thread Lift is a non-surgical procedure of lifting the skin tissue by using specialized suture material that contains polylactic acid which is considered bio-compatible. These sutures are inserted into the fatty layer below the skin with a small needle. These sutures have small cones that are capable of ‘grabbing’ on to the fatty layer and lift them to a higher position.
The effects are almost immediate and last for 18 months, making it a convenient option in the correct patient when compared to surgical facelifts.
Risks And Complications Of Thread Lifts
In this case, the threads are absorbable and dissolve in about 6 to 9 months after the treatment. The results of the thread lift typically last for about 18 months but some patients may only see results for 12 months. The risk is comparatively low, but in some cases, the following side effects can be seen:
- Infection
- Poor results
- Visible threads if placed too superficially
- Bruising and swelling that subside in 5 to 10 days
- Skin folding that subsides in 3 to 12 days
The potential complications that may arise from this procedure can easily be mitigated by choosing an experienced practitioner. The downtime is only about 3 to 10 days in comparison to a surgical facelift which takes about two to four weeks.
