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How a Thread Lift Can Make You Look Years Younger

There are many wrinkle reducing treatments out there, and the anti-aging market can be tough to navigate. How do you know which wrinkle treatment is right for your specific concern? While it’s always best to work with a board-certified dermatologist, it’s helpful to do some independent research about your options too. Let’s examine the popular thread lift procedure, a highly effective treatment for wrinkles, sagging, and crepe-like skin.

What to Know About Thread Lifts

What Is a Thread Lift?

You’ve likely heard of a facelift before. A thread lift is similar but slightly different. This wrinkle treatment is a minimally invasive procedure that tightens skin through the use of medical-grade thread. This thread pulls the skin taught, effectively “lifting” the area.

Thread lifts tighten areas of sagging skin and therefore are most commonly used in the cheeks, neck, and breast area. They can also be used along the chin and jawline for sagging jowls, across the browline for hooded or drooping eyelids, and on the forehead. They’re often used after a patient loses a lot of weight or following a pregnancy to firm up the excess skin.

Most people who receive thread lifts are between the ages of 30 and 60. This particular procedure is especially ideal for those who can’t receive a facelift because they’re unable to have general anesthesia administered due to health concerns or adverse reactions with medication. Thread lifts, also known as barbed suture lifts, only require the use of a topical anesthetic on the area of skin where the treatment is performed. Thread lifts also tend to be a fraction of the cost of facelifts, making them more accessible to many people.

What Should I Expect from a Thread Lift?

During this wrinkle reducing treatment, a licensed professional will apply the topical anesthetic and prepare the area for the procedure. During the surgery, the medical-grade thread is inserted beneath the skin using a special needle. All that is felt during this time is a light pressure or tightness under the skin, not pain. The entire thread lift procedure only takes about 45 minutes to one hour. Since general anesthesia is not used, you’re free to return to work or home life immediately following the treatment.

While results will be immediately noticeable post-treatment, these should also become more evident over the days and weeks that follow. These increasing results happen when the body is healing from the procedure, producing more collagen — the substance responsible for the skin’s firmness. Generally speaking, thread lifts don’t last forever, but the results can last up to three years.

Are There Any Adverse Side Effects?

There may be some minor swelling and bruising that’s visible, but this typically subsides within a few days to a week following treatment. Complications are rare, but the most common issues are dimpling, bleeding, unintentional movement of the thread, or infection. If you notice anything suspicious following a thread lift, like bleeding, fever, or discharge around the sutures, you should contact your doctor immediately.

Blood thinners and alcohol consumption can cause complications, so you should refrain from both prior to the procedure. You’ll also be asked to sleep on your back propped up on pillows during the healing process. You should avoid intense heat, strenuous exercise, and certain types of skin care products following the thread lift treatment.

Contact Louisiana Dermatology Associates

If you’re in Baton Rouge or the surrounding areas and want to learn more about a thread lift, contact Louisiana Dermatology Associates today for an appointment with one of our board-certified specialists.

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