Thread lift

A thread lift is a minimally invasive procedure that uses medical-grade suture threads inserted under the skin to reposition and support facial tissue, and to stimulate collagen formation along the path of each thread.

It is less invasive and less costly than a surgical facelift. It also produces a smaller change and a temporary one, and it carries its own risks. Both halves of that matter.

This information has been medically reviewed by Melbourne-based cosmetic doctor Dr Gordon Ku (MED0001169203).

How it works

Threads are inserted through a cannula under local anaesthetic. Once in place, small cones or barbs along the thread engage the surrounding soft tissue, allowing it to be drawn upward and held.

Two things then happen:

• The immediate lift - tissue repositioned by the threads at the time of the procedure.
• The collagen response - the body reacts to the thread by laying down collagen along its path. As the thread dissolves over the following months, that collagen provides some ongoing support. This is the part that develops gradually and is not visible on the day.

The procedure takes approximately 60 minutes.

The KuLift

Dr Gordon Ku performs a thread lift he calls the KuLift, combining several thread types - sometimes alongside a collagen stimulator - for mid to lower face rejuvenation. It is his preferred method. Dr Ku has performed thread lifts several hundred times and provides training to other doctors in the procedure.

Areas treated

Cheeks and mid-face, nasolabial folds, jowls and jawline, and the neck. See also neck thread lift and nose thread lift.

The main effect is on sagging and heaviness in the lower face and jawline, along with an improvement in skin quality from the collagen response.

The types of thread

Threads differ, and the difference determines how long the result lasts. There are three main materials:

• PDO (polydioxanone) - the most widely used and least expensive. Manufacturers state PDO threads last around six months to a year.
• PLLA (poly-L-lactic acid) - dissolves more slowly and generates a stronger collagen response. Results can last more than two years.
• PCA (polycaprolactone) - the slowest to dissolve, with results that can last more than two years.

Threads also divide into those designed to lift (with barbs or cones that grip tissue) and those that do not lift but stimulate collagen only. The two are not interchangeable, and a treatment made up of non-lifting threads will not reposition tissue however many are used.

Me Clinic's doctors prefer lifting threads with results lasting more than two years. Which thread is appropriate depends on your anatomy and what is being addressed.

Silhouette Soft threads use fully bio-absorbable material with cone technology, stimulating a supporting collagen matrix that anchors the lift as the threads dissolve over one to two years. See Silhouette Soft.

How long results last

Generally 18 to 24 months, depending on the thread type and the number of threads used. How long an individual result lasts also depends on age, metabolism and skin quality.

The effect is not permanent. Repeat treatment is needed to maintain it, and a review with the treating doctor at around 24 months is recommended to assess whether a repeat procedure is appropriate.

Thread lift compared with a facelift

	Thread lift	Surgical facelift
Anaesthetic	Local	General, or local with sedation
Setting	In clinic	Accredited hospital
Duration of procedure	About 60 minutes	1.5 to 6 hours depending on technique
Downtime	Days	Weeks
Degree of change	Modest repositioning	Substantial repositioning and skin removal
Excess skin	Not removed	Removed
How long it lasts	18 to 24 months	Commonly 7 to 15 years
Cost	From $4,600	$20,000 to $50,000

A thread lift is not a smaller version of a facelift - it does a different, more limited job. For mild to moderate laxity in someone not ready for surgery, it is a reasonable option. Where there is significant excess skin, it will not produce what a facelift produces, and being told that plainly is more useful than being sold a series of treatments that will not get you there.

Recovery

Recovery varies considerably between patients. Some have minimal downtime; others take longer.

• Small pin-prick marks at the entry points
• Initial swelling, partly from the local anaesthetic itself
• Bruising and swelling are possible but not usual
• Temporary skin dimpling or puckering along the thread lines, which generally settles
• Most patients can apply makeup after two to three days
• Avoid excessive facial movement, sleeping on your side, facial massage and dental work for a period as directed - all can displace threads before they settle

Risks

A thread lift is a medical procedure, not a facial. Risks include:

• Pain, swelling, bruising and tenderness
• Dimpling, puckering or visible irregularity along the thread line, which sometimes persists
• Threads becoming visible or palpable under the skin
• Thread extrusion - a thread working its way out through the skin, requiring removal
• Asymmetry between the two sides
• Infection - uncommon, but it does occur, and infection around a foreign material may require the thread to be removed
• Granuloma or nodule formation around a thread
• Nerve irritation or injury, causing numbness or altered movement
• Injury to a salivary gland duct
• Thread migration or breakage
• Little or no lift, particularly where skin laxity is significant
• An unsatisfactory result

Contact the clinic if you develop increasing pain, spreading redness, fever, a thread coming through the skin, or a persistent dimple that is not settling.

Please read our information on the risks and complications of cosmetic surgery before proceeding.

Cost

Cost depends on the type of thread and the number used. Thread lift procedures at Me Clinic start at $4,600; thread lift treatment with Dr Ku starts from $4,900. A full, obligation-free quote is provided after a consultation and assessment.

As at September 2024 and including GST, a consultation with a Cosmetic Doctor is $150. This is a cosmetic treatment and is not covered by Medicare.

Before you book

All procedures carry risks, cosmetic or otherwise. Before proceeding:

• Check the practitioner's registration and qualifications on the AHPRA public register - it is free and takes a minute
• Ask specifically what thread type is proposed and how long that material lasts
• Ask how many threads are included in the quote, and what a top-up costs
• Ask about complications, side effects and the expected recovery
• Ask to see photographs of comparable cases

An initial consultation is required for all cosmetic procedures at Me Clinic, to assess suitability and to help you make an informed decision. This website is general guidance and cannot substitute for that.

Booking

Book a consultation or contact the clinic. Me Clinic is at 4 Burke Road, Malvern East VIC 3145. Phone 1300 852 050.

Related pages

See thread lift before and after, neck thread lift, nose thread lift, Silhouette Soft, facelift, or all face procedures.

Individual results may vary. Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Before proceeding you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.