Thread lift was developed as a cosmetic procedure alternative to improve the face by giving patients a more youthful and attractive appearance. While the thread lift is increasingly popular in the world of plastic surgery, it can present complications.
The traditional face lift not only requires a hefty amount of time and money, but it can also be a traumatic experience for patients, with high risk and potential complications.
Side effects of a thread lift are few, especially compared to other face lift techniques. However, it is not uncommon for the treated area to be bruised and swollen, subsiding within a week or less. In some cases, the treated areas may also experience numbness.
Complications of Thread Lift
Threads can fail in a few different ways, but these tend to be minor and mostly happen in the first 1–2 weeks.
Breaks within the Threads
Thread breakage occurs more with the older Aptos threads, and with older methods of suturing. As new technology is developed, it is becoming increasingly rare for threads to break.
When breakage happens, it almost always happens at the ends where the threads meet the incision. This is because the threads have high tensile strength and cannot be pulled apart. This breakage is most common in patients who take poor care in the first couple of weeks following the procedure.
Excessive facial movements, facial rubbing, or contact sports can cause the threads to break loose.
Once the incisions heal, the threads become more set in place and the risk passes. Threads are very strong, do not decay, and do not break over time.
How Do I Know if a Thread has Broken?
There are a few signs that threads aren’t where they should be, including:
Visible threads.
With a good surgeon, the threads should be implanted so deep that they are invisible. A visible thread is migrating upwards is usually a sign that it broke.
Noticeable early decline in appearance.
Thread lifts are not permanent, but they should work great for at least six months, and ideally more. If your lift peaks earlier than that, you probably have a thread loose.
Extrusion.
In some cases, threads may extrude through the skin. This will be painless, but is often noticeable.
Dealing with Broken Threads
In most cases, this will be easy for your surgeon to fix. That said, it absolutely needs to be brought to surgeon’s attention as quickly as possible. In the meantime, do not touch, pull, or scratch the broken thread.
Extrusions are fixed by trimming the thread and re-sealing it below the skin. Other breaks can be treated by reshaping how the tissue rests on the threads. In either case, the procedure will fix the problem.
Thread Lifting Characteristics:
There are 3 characteristics for threads: Absorption, length and surface texture (Smooth vs barbed).
Absorption
When a thread is “absorbable” it means that over time the thread will break down and be absorbed into the body. The main absorbable thread used is Polydioxanone (PDO) thread, which traditionally was used for surgical stitches and is the material used in cosmetic procedures.
There are other absorbable threads as well such as Silhouette Soft thread which uses PLLA (Poly L Lactic Acid) and lasts around 12 months. PCL (Polycaprolactone) threads are absorbed 24 months after treatment.
The threads used for treatment will be determined by individual preference, location of procedure and desired length of effect.
Texture
The texture of threads, both absorbable and non-absorbable, is really important to get effective results. Depending on the treatment area, some textures might work better than others or a combination of threads may be used.
The threads can be barbed in one direction only (called Uni-directional barbed threads), barbed in two directions (Bi-directional barbed threads) or non-barbed. Bi-directional threads are favored by doctors due to the thread being locked into the tissue in both directions, anchoring the thread and giving stability.
Uni-directional and non-barbed threads can be added to create a structure or a mesh-like net (shown in the diagram in the following section). These two threads can be moved to make adjustments and corrections after the procedure, but eventually must be anchored in the tissue by doctor.
Length
The length of the threads are categorised as being long or short. PDO and all its thread types usually are short in length which is why it is really good for procedures like HIKO nose thread lifting. Barbed threads tend to be longer in length and can be used across the face, neck, chest and even parts of the body.
Side Effects from a Thread Lift
Most of the side effects of a thread lift occur in the first 24–48 hours after the procedure takes place, and will often resolve quickly. Some of the potential problems take a few weeks, or possibly even months, to resolve.
These potential side effects include infection, bruising, swelling, tenderness, numbness, and slight asymmetry (small unevenness). Sometimes a suture will show itself just below the skin, as well.
