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Facelift Cost ≈ $12,100 average cost

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What is a Featherlift?

I have heard of a procedure called a Featherlift. What is a Featherlift and how is it different from a facelift?

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sagging

Featherlift - Not even good in theory

Just a couple of years ago, "thread" lifting or "suture" lifting was a media darling. And now? Contour threads ("Thread lift") have been removed from the market and APTOS threads (the "Featherlift") are gone, too. Unfortunately, these procedures were unimpressive in their results and flawed even in theory. The idea was that barbed sutures--like porcupine quills--could be inserted under the skin, engage the tissue and then either lift it or bunch it... more

David C. Pearson, MD

Jacksonville Facial Plastic Surgeon

Featherlift Will Probably Not Hold Up Over Time

Featherlift will probably not hold up over time for your facelift, or as a technique. Some patients have had satisfactory results from this technique that uses sutures with barbs to tighten tissue. However, the sutures are expensive and little, if any money is saved with the technique. The barbed sutures are supposed to make less cutting and sewing necessary, but this does not seem to be holding up well, and has created some disturbing dimples or folds.

Paul C. Zwiebel, MD

Denver Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

My Advice on XYZ Lifts

As a surgeon with over 20 years experience, I have seen a lot of these “newest and greatest” procedures come and go. I can only name a couple that have truly stood the test of time. A few keep coming back every few years with a new twist and a new brand name, but the same basic results. Put all the “blah-blah-blah lift” varieties in this category, along with cellulite reducing creams and non surgical bust enhancers. Here's my advice on XYZ lifts: Mini... more

Ricardo Rodriguez, MD

Baltimore Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Featherlift lies in the graveyard of trendy procedures

Featherlift is a great case example of why patients should do their research before embarking on a procedure because it is new or trendy. Truthfully, it was one of the most worthless procedures ever introduced to the American public (barbed sutures placed under the skin). It lies in the graveyard of failed trendy cosmetic procedures, a place with plenty of open spots for future gimmicks.

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Stephen Prendiville, MD

Fort Myers Facial Plastic Surgeon

Featherlifts have flown the Coop

Hello, A Featherlift is a procedure that received a lot of attention a few years ago that offered minimal incisions and recovery and promised improvements in a patient's jowls and jawlines. It is done by making a small incision in the hairline by the ear and inserting a linear suture with hooks on the end that would lift the jowls up. A nice little procedure in theory but the results were overall disappointing for most patients. A Facelift has various forms but on the whole feature larger... more

Kamran Jafri, MD

New York Facial Plastic Surgeon

Marketing terms and a facelift

It used to be that advertising in plastic surgery, or medicine in general, was not the norm. Now of days, there are so many "cosmetic" surgeons who have approached these procedures without formal plastic surgery training, that they tend to use marketing, advertising and catchy names to try to promote business. Don't get fooled by a fancy ad, but make sure you discuss your complaints with a board certified plastic surgeon.

Jason Brett Lichten, MD

Columbus Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

What is a Featherlift?...

Featherlift is a brand name for contour thread lift. This is a minimally invasive facelift. Permanent barbed sutures elevate the skin. Early results are achieved but do not last.

Robert Sleightholm, MD

Brampton Plastic Surgeon

Featherlift is a version of Thread lift

My understanding is that Featherlift procedure is a version of contour thread lift technique. The idea was good and it involved placing sutures throughout the face with small barbs attached to it in order to lift up the face. It was supposed to be done without incisions, under local anesthesia, in the outpatient office setting. Also it was supposed to be much less expensive than the facelift, or mini facelift procedure. Unfortunately, they do not work and they fell... more

Boris Volshteyn, MD, MS

Reno Plastic Surgeon

Featherlifts...what are they

Feather lifts is a name branded procedure. Essentially it uses sutures with tine barbs on it like barbed wire. the theory is that these barbs will hold up the skin and a lift can be done in a few minutes. Don't waste your money. The fact is they don't work. If you really want rejuvenation, see a board-certified surgeon to discuss your options. Your options include a spectrum of procedures from facial resurfacing procedures, injectable... more

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Raghu Athre, MD

Houston Facial Plastic Surgeon

Featherlifts Disappoint

Featherlift is a branded procedure which uses sutures with barbs (like on fishhooks but made of nylon), to lift the face. These sutures run across the face, forehead, and neck. The reality is that they simply don't work. The face is a dynamic structure and these sutures are static. In very short order the facial movements cause things to slip back to where they were. Furthermore, the suture ends can poke out or cause dimples requiring removal. more

Louis W. Apostolakis, MD

Austin Facial Plastic Surgeon

Featherlift Alternatives

A Featherlift procedure utilizes barbed permanent suture threads that are placed under the skin in an attempt to elevate the facial soft tissues to a more youthful position. Unfortunately, this procedure has really fallen out of favor amongst facial plastic surgeons. Firstly, the patients that were considered good candidates for this procedure were few and far between. You couldn't be too thin nor could you be too heavy to have the procedure. Secondly, the results from a Featherlift... more

John M. Hilinski, MD

San Diego Facial Plastic Surgeon

Featherlift works but has limitations.

A featherlift uses thread or barred sutures that put in under the skiin to pull the jowls and neck skin upwards and backwards. The featherlift procedure last 6 months to 2 years.

David A. F. Ellis, MD

Toronto Facial Plastic Surgeon

Buyer beware of gimmicks

Many patients seeking facial rejuvenation want the best result with the least downtown, and minimal expense. Not that these are bad goals, they are just a bit unrealistic. Many facelift techniques are marketed as being minimally invasive, with short recoveries and minimal expense. Unfortunately, most if not all of these techniques come with limited results. Most of the post-operative result pictures are taken early in the post-op period. At six months or later, many of these patients... more

Patti A. Flint, MD

Scottsdale Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Featherlift

A featherlift is a minimally invasive procedure with threads that are barbed . They are threaded into the tissue and then placed under tension to affect a lift in certain areas. I have never been that impressed with the concept nor the results that I have seen. In general they are most frequently used by non-surgeons who want to get into the cosmetic field. I do not recommend them. Best, Tal Raine MD

Talmage J. Raine, MD

Chicago Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

FeatherLift is a facelift

A FeatherLift is a thread facelift which has been proven by numerous studies to be less than optimal in terms of long term results, long term pain, and extrusion of threads. Talk with a facial plastic surgeon who performs a range of facelift procedures to determine what is best for you.

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D.J. Verret, MD

Dallas Facial Plastic Surgeon

Featherlift sutures

Featherlift is one of many minimally invasive procedures that were designed to refresh the face without surgery. Unfortunately it just doesn't work. The patient might notice some temporary improvement in the appearance of the face, but the results do not work as the suture eats through the tissue, and the sagging face re-emerges.

Boris M. Ackerman, MD

Newport Beach Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

Beware of gimmicks

A feather lift is one of several types of procedures that utilize attempts at quick fixes and tend to produce unhappy patients. Utilized primarily by non-plastic surgeons because of it's ease of marketing. the feather lift utilizes barbed sutures threaded through the face in an attempt to lift the tissue. The result is often a poor aesthetic outcome, which is often temporary. Problems with reactions and extrusion of the threads are a secondary issue.

Adam David Lowenstein, MD

Santa Barbara Plastic Surgeon

ASPS

In other words, What's in a name

I find it quite humerous and upsetting that people try to coin cute names for procedures that very often deliver alot less than they promise. If a doctor is telling you you don't need a facelift but a featherlift or a Smartlift or a Lifestyle lift or a Bandaid lift, get a second opinion. Most patients I see come in shortly thereafter asking why the procedure didn't give them what they expected. Always remember, if it sounds too good to be true it probably is! more

Steven Schuster, MD

Boca Raton Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

A "Featherlift" is synonymous with "snakeoil"

A well-executed facelift gives predictable and long lasting results with little risk. There are variations, but the properly executed operation is thorough and addresses all aesthetic problems. Post-op pain should be minimal and patients should be up and about the next day. Period. Lesser procedures might be enticing, but most of the time the patients are disappointed. They are no less risky and the convalescence is the same. Don't buy snake oil.

Vincent N. Zubowicz, MD

Atlanta Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Featherlifts do not work

A Featherlift is a provedure where permanent barbed sutures are used to elevate the skin. These were proven to not be effective but the extremely high rate of problems and failures. Next came the threadlift which was just a new and improved featherlift suture, but this too had the same track record, and now is also well accepted as a poor procedure that does not work.

Jason B. Diamond, MD

Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

Featherlift

A feather lift is a well marketed procedure using barbed sutures to elevate soft tissues around the cheeks. It is not a substitute for facelift and certainly does not last.

Steven Wallach, MD

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Feather Lift

Feather lift, Lifestyle face lift, one hour face lift are branded names done by someone who does not know how to do a face lift . They are JUNK MEDICINE.

Samir Shureih, MD

Baltimore Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

Featherlift

Featherlift was a good intentioned procedure but end up flopping. This involved threading sutures with barbs through the fat layer of the skin then pulling up on the strings to elevate sagging skin. However, over time (less than a year), gravity won out and the sagging skin fell again. The end result is that your left with sutures in your face that don't do anything for you. Look into a minilift procedure. Best, Dr. S.

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Oleh Slupchynskyj, MD

New York Facial Plastic Surgeon

Featherlift

These procedures are rarely performed anymore. They tended to be popular about 5 years when several of these operations were performed using a variety of sutures with barbs or other techniques to snag and lift the skin with relatively minimal surgery. Several different technologies were concurrently promoted such as Contour threads or Aptos threads, etc. Companies or surgeons developed marketing terms to desribe operations performed with these devices. For the most part these have been... more

Otto Joseph Placik, MD

Chicago Plastic Surgeon

ASAPS ASPS

It is a defunked procedure

A few years ago, a great deal of interest came about with the concept of lifting the face and brows using barbed sutures without open surgery. Unfortunately, these procedures proved to be very expensive and didn't produce results that lasted even a year in most cases. These procedures carried different names such as "featherlift" and "threadlift." Rarely do you see any real plastic surgeons doing these anymore.