Face Procedure 14 · Thread Lift
Threads are the most oversold treatment in aesthetics — and genuinely useful in the right patient. The difference is being honest about which one you are.
Board-Certified Surgeons
DHA-licensed surgical facility
Dissolvable PDO and PLLA
Fully absorbable — nothing permanent remains
Local Anaesthetic Only
30–60 minutes, no hospital stay
Honest Suitability Assessment
We say so when threads would underdeliver
In Short
A thread lift places dissolvable sutures — usually PDO or PLLA — beneath the skin to provide subtle lifting and stimulate collagen production. It is a non-surgical procedure performed under local anaesthetic in around thirty to sixty minutes, with one to two days of downtime. Results typically last twelve to eighteen months as the threads dissolve. Threads suit mild laxity; they are not a substitute for a face lift where descent is moderate or advanced.
The Procedure
A thread lift uses absorbable sutures — most commonly polydioxanone (PDO) or poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) — inserted beneath the skin through a fine needle or cannula. Barbed or cogged threads grip the tissue and allow it to be repositioned slightly upward; smooth threads provide no lift but stimulate collagen production along their path.
There are two distinct effects, and they arrive on different timescales. The mechanical lift is immediate but modest. The biological effect is gradual — the body's response to the dissolving material stimulates collagen over the following weeks, which is what produces the improvement in skin quality patients often notice at one to two months.
This is a treatment we position carefully, because it is the most oversold procedure in aesthetic medicine. Threads work genuinely well for mild laxity in patients with reasonable skin quality who want improvement without surgery. They do not replace a face lift. If your jowls are established and your midface has descended, threads will disappoint you, and we would rather say so at consultation than take the booking.
Techniques & Options
01
Cogged or barbed threads that grip tissue and provide immediate mechanical lift to the mid and lower face. The lift is modest by design and the threads dissolve over roughly six to nine months, though the collagen response outlasts them.
02
Smooth threads placed in a mesh pattern to stimulate collagen without providing mechanical lift. Used for skin quality, fine crepiness and texture rather than repositioning.
03
Poly-L-lactic acid threads dissolve more slowly and produce a stronger collagen-stimulating response, giving a longer-lasting effect. Commonly chosen where the aim is durability rather than maximum immediate lift.
Candidacy
01
Your surgeon assesses whether threads will genuinely achieve what you want. Where descent is beyond what threads can address, we say so and discuss surgical options instead.
02
Thread type and the direction of each insertion vector are planned. Vector planning determines whether the lift looks natural or produces visible distortion when you smile.
03
Entry points are numbed with local anaesthetic. Most patients describe pressure and tugging rather than pain.
04
Threads are introduced through a fine needle or cannula along the planned vectors, through entry points concealed in the hairline or natural creases.
05
Barbed threads are gently drawn to reposition tissue upward. The lift is deliberately modest — over-tightening causes visible dimpling and irregularity.
06
Avoid facial massage, dental work and exaggerated facial movement for two weeks, and sleep on your back to protect thread position while tissue settles.
Techniques Compared
| Thread Lift | Face Lift | Ultrasound / RF Devices | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Surgery required | No | Yes | No |
| Anaesthetic | Local | General | Topical or none |
| Degree of lift | Subtle | Substantial | Minimal |
| Result duration | 12–18 months | 8–15 years | 12–18 months |
| Downtime | 1–2 days | 2–3 weeks | None |
| Addresses jowls | Mildly | Yes | Minimally |
| Repeatable | Yes | Rarely needed | Yes |
| Best for | Mild early laxity | Moderate to advanced descent | Skin quality and very mild laxity |
The Honest View
Threads deliver a subtle, temporary result lasting twelve to eighteen months — they are not a substitute for a face lift, and expecting surgical results is the most common cause of disappointment. Risks include bruising, swelling, dimpling, visible or palpable threads, asymmetry and, uncommonly, infection or thread extrusion. In thin skin, threads may be more noticeable. Your surgeon will tell you honestly whether threads suit your degree of laxity, including when they do not.
Recovery
Days 1–2
Swelling, tenderness and possible bruising at entry points. Mild tightness is normal and expected.
Days 3–7
Most patients return to normal social activity. Avoid facial massage and dental work.
Weeks 2–4
Initial tightness settles and the result begins to look natural rather than pulled.
Weeks 4–8
Collagen stimulation becomes apparent as an improvement in skin quality and firmness.
Months 6–9
Threads dissolve, but the collagen effect persists beyond them.
Months 12–18
Effect gradually diminishes. Repeat treatment is considered at this point.
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No, and the distinction matters. A face lift surgically repositions the deeper tissue layer and lasts eight to fifteen years. A thread lift provides a subtle lift with dissolvable sutures and lasts twelve to eighteen months. They address different degrees of ageing, and threads cannot produce a surgical result.
Typically twelve to eighteen months. The threads themselves dissolve over roughly six to nine months, but the collagen response they stimulate persists beyond that. Results diminish gradually rather than disappearing suddenly.
Local anaesthetic makes the procedure comfortable. Most patients describe pressure and a tugging sensation rather than pain. Tenderness for a few days afterwards is normal.
Occasionally, particularly in patients with very thin skin. Slight dimpling or puckering at entry points can occur early and usually settles within one to two weeks. Persistent visible irregularity is uncommon and can be addressed.
Anyone with moderate to advanced facial descent, established jowls or significant neck laxity — threads will underdeliver and the money is better spent on surgery. We would rather decline the booking than have you disappointed at your six-week review.
Yes. Absorbable threads dissolve fully and do not prevent a face lift later. Many patients use threads in their forties and move to surgery when descent progresses.
There is an immediate modest lift, though it is partly masked by swelling for the first week. The settled result appears at two to four weeks, and the collagen-driven improvement in skin quality continues developing for two to three months.
Related Treatments
A free consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon: your degree of laxity assessed honestly, vectors planned to your anatomy, and a straight answer about whether threads will do what you want — or whether surgery is the better route.