By A Thread

Posted: Friday 11 March 2011 07:27am

With age, our facial support structure weakens and we lose facial fat. This usually results creates a sagging effect in areas like the cheeks, eyebrows and around the eyes, the jowls and neck.

Overall the face starts to look longer, thinner … and older. Even younger people can experience “ptosis” (sagging caused by weakened muscles).

Dermal fillers are now increasingly used to “revolumise” droopy or hollowed features but may not provide enough of the lift you’re looking for. If a southward-bound face and/or neck is worrying you, but you don’t really need, or want cosmetic surgery, a clinical procedure (variously referred to as the “one-hour lift”, “lunchtime lift” or “weekend lift”) with threads may be an answer.

A new generation of absorbable sutures known as Promitalia Revitalizing Threads have the advantage of dissolving within 9-12 months, yet still maintaining the lifting effect for several years to before another procedure is considered.

Each thread is punctuated with patented double-spiked soft barbs (also known as cogs) that grip to the surrounding tissue rather like Velcro, helping to hold the skin in place to achieve the desired lift.

Boosting the overall effectiveness, as well as the skin’s texture and hydration levels, is that thread lifts depend on the body recognising the sutures as “foreign material” and generates fibrosis, or collagen bundles forming around them.

Thread lifting does not required hospitalisation or downtime that requires staying at home. Generally performed in a doctor’s clinic under local anaesthetic or light sedation, Promoitalia threads are inserted with a fine needle at strategic points on the treatment area.

The skin and subcutaneous tissue are literally lifted by a thread into a new, more aesthetically pleasing position. Depending on the extent of sagging (thus lift needed), threads are either “free-floating” or secured into place by tiny hooks.

Depending on your needs, the number of threads used could range from two to 20. The procedure takes approximately 10-15 minutes for smaller areas and 30-60 minutes for a full face or neck.

If visions of Frankenstein’s monster are popping into your mind, the procedure – which should be performed by a doctor fully trained in the Promoitalia technique – is not gruesome, bloody or painful (there may be some discomfort), no stitches are required, and no scars are produced.

For the mid-face procedure, a tiny incision is made close to the ear and the threads are positioned towards the chin and jaw line creating a firm hold on the underlying tissues without causing any trauma. The soft barbs (or cogs) hold to the tissue as they are gently contoured into place. No visible scar is left.

Thread lifts emerged because many people would like a facelift, but can’t afford it or don’t want the long recovery time of the standard facelift. They cost less and require less downtime for many people.

Ideal candidates are people 30-55 with minimal signs of ageing who need just a small lift; perhaps because they have begun to see more prominence of the jaw, a relaxed (or minimally sagging) mid-facial appearance or slight bags under the eyes or on the neck. Older people may undergo a thread lift during the more aggressive facelift procedure to provide additional support for the soft tissue area that was elevated in the facelift.

Other thread lift candidates include those who have had some relapse from a previous plastic surgery procedure such as a facelift or neck lift.

Patients usually go home 1-2 hours after the thread lifting is completed anfd in most cases, there is minimal bruising, swelling or discomfort. Ice packs are still recommended for the first 24-48 hours.

Depending on what you have done, some bandages may be required for a short time to keep the lift in place, but you can quickly begin resuming everyday activities being careful not stress or exert pressure on the treatment area. The majority of patients resume normal social activities within a few days and at around the 3-week mark, patients can begin confidently resuming their usual activities.

The cost of threadlifts depend on how many threads are required (at around $660 each), and the practitioner’s own fees.

Threads are now also being used more widely to recontour lips, firm moderately sagging upper arms and rejuvenate the backs of hands.

If you are consideration a thread-lifting procedure:

• Check the performing cosmetic physician or surgeon’s credentials and that they have the requisite training in the Promoitalia Revitalizing Threads technique. Also the number of times that he or she has performed thread lifts.
• View before-and-after photos of the surgeon’s thread lift patients, to help set reasonable expectations for your results.
• Bring a photo of the result you would like to see. The surgeon can help determine if this is a reasonable outcome that you can expect from a thread lift.
• Ask where the procedure will be performed and the nature of the treatment plan; the specific technique that is recommended for your situation. Techniques may vary among surgeons and patients.
• Review the pre-operative and post-operative instruction list the doctor provides.

by Jenni Gilbert

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