Anti Aging Treatments

Thread lifts are sometimes dubbed as the “weekend facelift” or better yet, the “lunchtime lift”.  It’s the quick – and cheap – version of the facelift.  It needs fewer hours of downtime and can be done in as little as one hour.  This is because a thread lift is less invasive than the facelift.  Thus, there are no scars produced and no stitches needed.  The thread lift may also act as additional support to those who are getting a facelift procedure.

As we grow older, we get wrinkles and some sagging because the mechanism that supports our face deteriorates.  These include the collagen that “fills” up our face, as well as the elastin that keeps the skin, well, elastic.  As a consequence, the eyebrows, the neck, the jowls and the area around the cheeks get lose and look older.  We need an anti-aging facial treatment such as the thread lift to get rid of these signs.

This is how a thread lift works :  tiny threads (or miniscule barbed sutures, to be exact) are inserted into the face with the use of a thin needle.  The doctor makes the insertions on key areas and locks the thread in place.  The barbs in the thread work to lift any sagging skin and the end of the thread is anchored into the underlying facial tissues.  To put it simply, the threads do the work of the weakened support structure.  The whole procedure also has the effect of encouraging the production of collagen.

Currently in the United States, you have the option of getting a Feather Lift/Aptos Thread lift and a Contour thread lift.  The difference between the two is that with Aptos, the threads go in two directions while the contour threads go in one direction and are attached at the area where it was first inserted.

The number of threads really depends on the needs of each specific patient, but it can go from as little as 2 threads to as much as 20.

Thread lifts are considered as outpatient procedures, so usually, anesthesia is not called for.  In most cases, only an oral anti-anxiety pill is provided.  You can choose to stay awake during the entire procedure.  You can even have a mirror on hand while your surgeon does his job and you can provide him with feedback about the procedure as the thread is being pulled back

When going for a thread lift, it is best to hold off on the medications that you are currently taken.  You should also avoid eating or drinking anything past the midnight before the procedure is to be done.  As with all anti-aging treatments, it would also be good to talk about the procedure with your doctor so that there will be no surprises during the treatment.