Non-surgical face lift

Lift “10 years” off your face with
a non-surgical, injectable alternative to traditional surgical facelift procedures.

WHAT ARE ‘THREADS’ & WHAT CAN BE TREATED?

“Threads” are fine synthetic fibres made of a material called Polydioxanone (PDO), which has a long history of safe and reliable use in surgery as “stitches” to close wounds. This material will dissolve over time and be completely eliminated from your body.

Traditionally, the only reliable treatment available for loose skin or skin laxity issues was to wait until the problem was serious enough to undergo a surgical “facelift” operation, with therapies such as HIFU and RF only able to be used for mild cases of skin laxity and proving largely unreliable.


Threads now offer a non-surgical, injectable alternative to traditional surgical facelift procedures as well as having the potential to improve the condition of the skin. The treatment objective depends on the type of thread being used:

  1. Mono Threads – Skin rejuvenation, tightening & reconditioning eg. reduction of fine lines, wrinkles & improvement in texture by stimulating Collagen.
  2. Cog Threads – Reduction of mild-moderate skin laxity by providing mechanical support and physically lifting sagging tissues.

Areas that can be treated include:

  • Cheek & Mid-face lifting
  • Eyebrow lifting
  • Lower face, jawline, jowl & neck lifting
  • Naso-labial fold reduction (nose to mouth lines)
  • Marionette line reduction (corners of the mouth)
  • Reduction of lip lines
  • Nose projection and elevation
  • Generalised skin tightening & reconditioning

 

WHAT CAN I EXPECT DURING THE PROCEDURE?

After diagnosing the condition, your medical practitioner will determine the type, number and position of Thread placement that will be required to achieve the desired results and local anaesthetic will be administered to the skin. The PDO thread is then placed in the skin using a disposable cannula or micro-needle, which should be completely painless.

Treatment time varies depending on the condition being treated but generally is between 30-60 minutes, after which you will be able to resume your everyday activities. If the “lifting” threads are used then results will be apparent immediately after the procedure. With all thread types however, collagen production takes time and results will continue to improve over the following 2-3 months, lasting up to 2 years depending on the nature of the treatment provided. The thread itself will dissolve completely after about 6 months.

 

WHAT CAN I EXPECT AFTER THE TREATMENT?

Immediately after treatment, the area will still be numb for several hours and you should not eat, drink or manipulate the treatment area until you regain sensation. The treatment area may be red, swollen and bleed briefly (which will be controlled by your Doctor), resulting in some bruising. Do not schedule any major events on the day of, or for two weeks following treatment, to allow for any bruising or swelling to subside.

After the anaesthetic wears off there may be some transient pain and discomfort, especially a tight pulling feeling if you have had a lifting procedure. These feelings usually ease within a week and can be controlled with medication, though you should follow a soft diet and limit the degree of mouth opening until feelings of discomfort have passed.

A full list of post-treatment care instructions will be provided by your medical practitioner in order to minimise potential side effects and maximise results in your individual case.

You should schedule a review appointment with your medical practitioner two weeks after receiving treatment, at which time further treatment (either more threads or alternative therapies) maybe required to achieve the desired outcome.

ARE THERE ANY POTENTIAL PROBLEMS?

Thankfully, PDO threads have been shown to be very reliable and safe, yet all medical and dental procedures have the potential to cause unwanted side effects/complications and you should discuss these with your medical practitioner.

While problems are rare, the most common issues come from the injection process rather than the threads and can include redness, swelling, itching, bruising, bleeding and skin infection.
The thread may damage or affect the function of muscles, nerves and other structures or the threads may move out of position. These events could result in various aesthetic and functional defects, as well as pain, that would require further medical intervention.

While exceptionally rare, life-threatening allergic reactions are possible.

Rest assured that your medical practitioner will conduct a thorough review of your health and medical history prior to delivering treatment to ensure that you are safe to receive this therapy and unlikely to encounter problems. Pregnant or breast-feeding women should not undergo these procedures.