A sagging face or deepening wrinkles needn't always be reasons for a surgical intervention. A non-surgical facelift method has recently become more and more popular, carried out using lifting threads and a combination with meso threads. This minimally invasive method of rejuvenation very successfully replaces the scalpel, or rather postpones its necessity.
It may seem unlikely but this technique has been used already for some decades. Already in the 1990s lifting threads were familiar in facelift procedures. These were non-dissolving threads with reverse barbs that allowed skin to be fixed subcutaneously in a suitable "new location." Today there is a boom in threads produced from bio-absorbable materials, in particular polydioxanone monofilament, which gives rise to fewer complications in contrast to its non-dissolving counterparts. This is a biocompatible material with a reduced risk of causing granulomas or inflammatory complications, which at the same time, after it has dissolved (according to the type of thread, this is a period of one to two years), does not complicate any potential subsequent surgical facelift procedure.
Through this 'thread' method we are able to sculpt the contours of the face, raise the corners of the mouth, eyebrows, and cheeks, and fill in facial wrinkles, as well as carry out liftings of the neck, sagging busts, excess arm skin, buttocks, and thighs. Of course certain criteria must be met: not everyone is a candidate for this treatment. It is necessary to understand that the critical condition for carrying out a procedure of this type is the quality of the hypodermis, and therefore it is sometimes necessary to use special formulas of amino acids or hyaluronic acid before applying the threads. These formulas can be taken by injection or in the form of a drink, and will regenerate the hypodermis and promote the generation of collagen. Only then is it possible to carry out this procedure with a likelihood of success. Applied to a hypodermis that is too thin, the threads can be visible, their barbs have nothing to hook into, and the result will be entirely unsatisfactory.
Rejuvenation with threads is possible in practically all age groups, and is appropriate for both men and women, but because its results depend on the quality of the skin and hypodermis, ideal results should not be expected in older individuals or individuals with heavily sagging skin. The average age of the typical (or ideal) candidate is therefore between 35 and 45 years old.
In an actual procedure, the use of threads of different profiles and types is ideal. These differ not only in their strength and length but also in the type of barbs and grooves. Dissolvable cannulated 3D threads are now a hit. A new generation of threads based on polydioxanone with lifting barbs have appeared on the market, which can be inserted into the skin through a cannula just from tiny punctures in the skin, which we numb with a local anaesthetic. So everything is painless and microscopic. The number of threads used depends on the individual case; nevertheless it's not a matter of dozens of them, as it used to be and still is in meso thread procedures, but rather of about five to ten per side of the face on average. The exact number depends on the location treated and on the desired effect.
Threads composed of polydioxanone completely dissolve in eight to ten months, eliminating the possibility that they will become visible in the case of patient weight loss. If needed, it is possible to repeat the procedure after ten to twelve months, thereby reinforcing and improving the initial outcome.
Without a doubt the biggest advantage of thread lifting is its nearly painless application. The procedure is carried out with only local anesthetic in an outpatient facility, so you can go home right after treatment. Risk of swelling and bruises is minimal. What's more, the principal of their operation is not only mechanical lifting, and the supportive effect is not owed only to the presence of the hooks; the reaction of the surrounding tissue to the presence of the "foreign material" is also important, as it stimulates the generation of collagen. This new collagen structure in the hypodermis maintains the effect of the lift treatment even after the threads themselves have dissolved. After the procedure, we recommend wearing a compression mask for facelifts during the whole day in the first week and just at night for one month. It's also a good idea to limit your activity, at least in the first three to four weeks. A combination of homeopathics and medicine is normally used to prevent swelling before and after the procedure.
