Return to Newsletter   ThreadLift™, "Non-Surgical Facelift" When facial aging is minimal, the facial skin can be lifted and tightened with the aid of Contour ThreadLift™ sutures. These sutures are non-absorbable Polypropylene barbed sutures that are threaded under the skin through small stab incisions behind the hairlines. The subcutaneous tissue is then loosened away from the deeper structures and then advanced over these sutures to a more elevated position. The advantage of this technique is that it is "minimally invasive" and can be performed without general anesthesia, and with very little down time. Because it is a rather new technique, its drawbacks and limitations have not been fully tested.  It can achieve rather dramatic results, as long as there is not much redundant facial skin. If there is much redundant skin, this excess skin must be excised as in a standard Facelift or it will gather in bunches on the sides of the face. Furthermore, the sutures can also fail their pulling capacity, be visible or palpable from under the skin, or even extrude through the skin. In case of extrusion, they can be very easily pulled out and trimmed. More so than other surgical procedure, the Thread Facelift technique's success is very dependent on the skills of the plastic surgeon and his/ her ability to direct the vector of the facial pull in a direction that will give a natural result while still making a difference.

The Contour Threadlift™ is a stand alone procedure. However, it is not uncommon to have this procedure combined with botulinum toxin to reduce facial muscle activity, dermal fillers to enhance volume, or peels and laser therapy to improve skin texture. Liposuction of the neck and jowls and chin augmentation are some of the other procedures that can be done in conjunction with a Contour Threadlift™ procedure.

According to Jeffrey Spiegel, MD, chief of facial plastic and reconstructive surgery at Boston University School of Medicine and Boston Medical Center, people are frustrated and disappointed with the expensive, minimally effective procedures touted as rapid solutions.  Medical News Today reports that a 47 year-old woman recently asked Dr. Spiegel to removed the barbed strings in her face.  "I'm so glad to have those things out of my face!" she said. 

"Unfortunately, the results weren't there, the speed of recovery wasn't there and the plastic threads were often viable poking at the skin," notes Spiegel.  "Less recovery doesn't do any good if there isn't any benefit from the procedure."

Using Facial Magic to contour and lift the face is much more reliable than strings. 

I have personally supervised the rehabilitation of a woman that had two types of strings inserted throughout her face.  In fact, this woman believed she had approximately 20 strings implanted after visiting a Mexican clinic about ten years prior to our sessions. 

Her face looked heavy due to the downward slide of tissue laden with strings.  Her skin lacked vitality and she could easily feel the strings when she began exercising.  We deliberately yet slowly approached each exercise movement so that no discomfort was experienced.  Her face responded throughout our association and she looks remarkably younger.  Her skin, her cheeks have lifted dramatically and she loves her results.  What do you think?

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