Which is The Best Type of Facial Thread Lift?

Posted 2017年06月12日星期一

In DOCTOR SAYS, FACE, FEATURED, NEWEST, NON-SURGICAL FACELIFT

Thread Lifts used to lift sagging skin on our faces and neck have been around for some time. In fact, thread lifts first surfaced over a decade ago (Aptos threads) but facial thread lifts were besieged by problems such as breakage of threads and the permanence (non-resorbability) of the first-generation threads, making the removal of any errant threads an impossibility.

Which Thread Lift is Best for Me?

With subsequent generation of thread lifts, improvements were forged and Face thread lift procedures became not just safer and with less downtime, but produced superior effects for the face. Silhouette Instalift which utilizes Silhouette Soft threads produced remarkable lifting benefits for saggy skins, thus providing many women a non-surgical alternative to a younger looking visage without going under the knife.

Infinity Instalift on the other hand refers to a whole armamentarium of different unique PDO threads that are able to produce not just appreciable lifting benefits for sagging skin, but offers contouring and shaping benefits as well. When done as Infinity V-lift, it can contour lower face and jawline to give one a sharper, slimmer and more attractive V-shape face. One of the most successful innovations from this line is their Infinity Nose Lift which is able to elevate and define nose bridges and nose tips, offering ladies an elegant and long-lasting way to augment their noses without surgery.

One of the main advances in the field of thread lifts which has driven their recent popularity is the introduction of bio-absorbable threads. First generation Thread Lifts such as Aptos are made from non-absorbable material, which means the threads remain permanent fixtures under the skin. This may not sit well with many patients who reject the idea of having permanent foreign bodies sharing their dermal space. Recent innovations such as Silhouette Instalift and Infinity Instalift are made from 100% bio-resorbable material PLA (polylactic acid) and PDO (Polydioxanone) respectively. This material is slowly resorbed an replaced by a collagen matrix within your skin to secure the lifting effects with time.

“Patients who want to have maximal lift will usually undergo Silhouette Instalift. The procedure is easy and takes less than an hour. As Silhouette Soft threads are long and the anchor points are high near the hair line, you only need a few threads to produce maximal lifting benefits, about 2-4 on each side of the face” says Dr Low Chai Ling, who offers both Infinity Instalift and Silhouette Instalift at her practice.

“Infinity Instalift offers my patients a plethora of different enhancement effects for them to choose from. Those wanting a sharper V-shape face can opt for Infinity V-lift; those who want to rid their saggy double chins may flock towards Infinity Neck Lift; women who wants a sharper nose without surgery may choose Infinity Nose Lift” she explains.

Magnified View of Different types of Threads used in Thread Lifts at The Sloane Clinic

Different Types of Thread Lifts at a Glance

Types of Thread Lift	Aptos	Infinity Instalift	Silhouette Instalift
Origin	Older (first generation)	New (third generation)	New (third generation)
Material	non-absorbable polypropylene	100% bio-absorbable PDO (Polydioxanone)	100% bio-absorbable Poly L-lactic acid
How does it create ‘Lifting effect’?	Bi-directional barbs (like that of a barbed wire) with no anchor point.Threads are inserted in a manner that the thread cannot move either way because of the two-way direction of barbs.Threads do not dissolve	Cogs (bi-directional and uni-directional) available for different areas of the face.As threads dissolve, stimulate collagen matrix to support lift	Uni-directional ConesHigh anchor point near hair line allows maximal lifting with each thread.As threads dissolve, stimulate collagen matrix to support lift
Key strengths	Produces lifting effect.	Produces good lifting effectAble to shape and contour lower face to a slim V-shapeComes in different, unique options to target key areas: brow, nose, neck, lower face	Produces long-lasting and excellent lifting effect
Who is an ideal candidate	Generally replaced by newer generation threads.	Great for people who wants facial shaping.Great for people who wants to target specific smaller areas of the face such as brows, neck.Special Nose Threads enable lifting and elevation of nose bridge and nose tip.	Great for people who wants maximal lifting effect.
Main Side effects	Threads can break over time.Swelling of treated area for 1-2 daysPossibility of pin-prick marks and bruising.	Mild swelling of treated area for 1-2 daysPossibility of pin-prick marks and bruising.	Possibility of pin-prick marks and bruising.Mild dimpling of treated area for the first week.

The million-dollar question on everyone’s lips is: Is there one type of Thread Lift that trumps the rest?

“The ‘best’ Thread lift ultimately depends on two things: first, correct selection of thread lift for your desired outcome and second, the doctor’s technique” explains Dr Kenneth Lee, who has been training doctors on both Silhouette and Infinity Instalift.

“Even with the ‘best’ threads, a poor technique can still compromise the results. Choose a clinic whose doctors have abundant experience in thread lifts to ensure you are receiving the optimal treatment. After all, practice makes perfect” he adds.

For patients who are extra cautious, doctors we spoke to advise patients to choose a practice that offers more than one type of Thread lift procedure. This way, you know that the doctor will select the best type of Thread Lift to suit your facial concerns, rather than being limited by what is available at his or her practice.

Dr Low Chai Ling performing Infinity Instalift

Which is the best type of Thread Lift for me?

Dr Lee advises:

“Focus on what your desired effect is? If you want a thread lift to give you a V-shape face for instance, go for something like an Infinity V-lift. If you want a thread lift to deliver maximal lifting, opt for Silhouette Instalift.”

Neck Thread Lift Before & After

Dr Low advises:

“I ask my patients which part of their face they would you like to treat? If they want a small targeted area such as the neck, I would advise them to go for the Infinity Neck Lift as their threads are shorter and can navigate smaller areas. If they want to elevate or lift their noses, again Infinity Nose Lift would be the treatment of choice”