In the past, facelift surgery was the only remedy for facial skin laxity problems like drooping jowls and cheeks. However, if you’re unwilling or unable to undergo facelift surgery, there are now other options, and you may want to discuss those options with a Boston cosmetic surgeon.
Many of us would like the youthful look that facelift surgery can offer, but we don’t have time for a lengthy recovery period. Men and women in New England who are looking for a nonsurgical facelift alternative should consider a “thread lift” procedure.
What Benefits Does A Thread Lift Offer?
Over the decades, facial aging can detract from your appearance and even do some damage to your self-confidence, but for many people, surgery is not an option.
Only surgery can remove loose skin, while skin resurfacing and injectable compounds are only temporary solutions. However, the thread lift procedure offers reduced invasiveness, a faster recovery, and long-lasting results without facelift surgery or general anesthesia.
In a thread lift procedure, temporary sutures create a slight yet noticeable “lift” in a patient’s facial skin. A cosmetic surgeon “suspends” loose skin by actually stitching portions of it rather than surgically removing it. This pulls back the skin, subtly tightening and lifting the face.
The threads provoke a patient’s healing response so that the body directs collagen to the treated areas. This helps fight the effects of aging due to the role that collagen has in our aging process.
Why Is Collagen Production So Important?
Collagen keeps the skin strong and supple. It helps heal wounds. As we age, the body produces less collagen, so that skin thickness is drastically reduced. The loss of skin thickness and volume contributes to the emergence of wrinkles and excess skin.
As skin ages, it can no longer adequately support the tissues under it as gravity stretches and pulls. Infusing facial skin with new collagen at the earliest indications of skin laxity can reduce skin looseness while actually making the skin stronger.
The thread lift process thus provides continuing, progressive facial tissue rejuvenation. Patients will see ongoing improvement in the skin’s firmness and tone. The threads constantly activate a healing response because the patient’s body wants to “heal” sutured areas and absorb the sutures.
A patient won’t feel this process, and in fact, most patients can’t feel the sutures after the skin heals around them.
Is A Thread Lift Preferable To A Facelift?
For some patients, the primary advantage of a thread lift instead of a facelift is a quicker recovery. A thread lift uses local instead of general anesthesia, so patients can drive themselves home after the procedure and avoid the grogginess that comes with general anesthesia.
Facelift patients need a caretaker, usually for three to five days, after facelift surgery, and they need to arrange for about ten days total away from work. A thread lift entails none of this. After a thread lift, your face may feel sore for a few hours, but you’ll only need the rest of the day off.
Pain medicine is rarely necessary after a thread lift, and the procedure is ideal for those with busy schedules and/or children. Recovery isn’t difficult, but you should avoid vigorously rubbing your face while washing, and avoid sleeping directly on your face, for about a week.
What Are The Costs? Who’s A Good Candidate?
Since thread lifts are easier procedures than facelift surgeries, they are far more affordable. After your initial consultation and medical exam, your cosmetic surgeon should provide an estimate of the costs you can expect with a thread lift procedure.
The ideal candidate for a thread lift is typically in the age range from his or her mid-thirties to mid-fifties. Those who cannot have a surgical procedure due to high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, or type two diabetes can safely undergo the thread lift procedure.
Yes, a facelift will last longer than a thread lift. Facelift results can last for a decade, while a thread lift’s results last one to three years. Since the procedure is inexpensive and low-risk, some patients undergo a second thread lift after the old sutures have been absorbed and disappear.
Do Silhouette Instalift Threads Provide An Advantage?
Several different types of sutures, including Silhouette InstaLift threads, are now approved by the FDA for thread lifts. The Silhouette InstaLift threads contain sutures with tiny cones that allow the threads to gather more skin, creating a more noticeable lift to the jowls and cheeks.
The sutures used to perform a Silhouette InstaLift are absorbable and natural, improving the efficiency and safety of the procedure and stimulating the production of collagen.
How Does A Silhouette Instalift Procedure Work?
A Silhouette InstaLift procedure smooths the skin and contours the face to give you the best possible appearance. During the procedure, threads are inserted in and around the jawline and cheeks, gently tightening the skin while providing immediate contour and lift.
A Silhouette InstaLift procedure takes about 45 minutes. A needle designed to reduce discomfort inserts threads into the skin. Mild soreness may linger for several days, and a patient may opt for over-the-counter pain relief, but you will not need prescription painkillers or extra days off work.
Many patients combine a thread lift with another procedure to create comprehensive results. Even patients who’ve had facelifts can benefit from a thread lift. Silhouette InstaLift offers superlative benefits to patients with early facial aging that does not require a surgical facelift.
What’s The First Step?
Everyone’s results are different. After a thread lift procedure, your cosmetic surgeon may also suggest other treatments, such as injectables, that will enhance your long-term results.
A good Boston cosmetic surgeon can review your condition and situation, discuss your goals and needs, and help you decide if Silhouette InstaLift is the right procedure for you. As mentioned previously, a Silhouette InstaLift costs far less than a surgical facelift.
Many cosmetic surgeons offer several financing options. If you think that the Silhouette InstaLift procedure may be right for you, contact a good cosmetic surgeon and schedule a consultation. You can take control of your appearance and your future with the right cosmetic surgeon’s help.