Hugely popular overseas for more than two decades, thread lifts are hardly the newest cosmetic procedure on the block. But now they’re having a major moment stateside as well. During the treatment, tiny, dissolvable threads are inserted into the skin in order to lift it and the underlying tissue; the lifting effect gradually fades as the threads are broken down by the body. Initially offered as a much less invasive (albeit temporary) facelift alternative, thread lifts have moved into the body contouring space, and they’re being used by some doctors to lift the arms, knees, breasts, and even the butt. Here, everything you need to know about a thread butt lift and the derriere-enhancing results it can—and can’t—deliver.
What is a thread butt lift?
It’s really not that much different from a thread face lift. “There are two types of threads used. Larger, lifting threads are anchored into the skin and used to lift and reposition the skin. These are coupled with smaller threads that stimulate collagen production, resulting in smoother skin and improved laxity,” explains Dr. Jessie Cheung, a board-certified dermatologist in Willowbrook, Illinois. The former are typically used in a vertical direction, from the top of the butt, while the latter are cross-woven into a mesh pattern, explains Dr. Azza Halim, a physician in Boca Raton, Florida, specializing in thread lifts. Broadly speaking, a thread butt lift can lift the buttocks, improve the contour, and even diminish the look of cellulite (to a certain extent).
Who is a good candidate for a thread butt lift?
Not everyone. “This is a tweak, an adjunct therapy, not a one-stop solution,” says Dr. Halim. “It doesn’t replace having good muscle tone or the effects you can get from fat grafting or the Brazilian butt lift.” According to her, the ideal candidate is someone who is in good physical shape and not overweight. While the threads come in various tensile strengths—those used in the butt are stronger than those used in the face—they can only do so much. “They can lift the skin, sure, but they’re not going to be able to pull up an extra 20 pounds of fat,” explains Dr. Halim. On the opposite end of the spectrum, someone who’s underweight with a flat butt that lacks volume isn’t going to be a great candidate either. These patients first need one of the aforementioned procedures to add fullness; the thread lift can be performed afterward, to help smooth and lift the butt, Dr. Halim points out.
What kind of results can you expect?
Not only can lifting threads lift the butt from the top, they can also be used diagonally or horizontally in order to address what’s called the banana roll area, underneath the butt, says Dr. Cheung. Actual lifting aside, the more superficial improvements in skin texture are also noteworthy. The collagen-stimulating effects of the smaller threads make skin generally appear smoother and plumper, even helping to improve the appearance of stretch marks and cellulite, she explains. Skin tone looks better too: “As the threads break down, the body naturally produces nitric oxide, a blood vessel dilator. This translates to increased blood flow, resulting in healthier, glowier skin,” Dr. Cheung explains.
However, some doctors are much more skeptical. “Any kind of butt lift is challenging,” says Dr. David Sieber, a board-certified plastic surgeon in San Francisco. “Even when you perform a traditional lift, in which a piece of skin is excised, the end result tends to relax quite a bit over time.” And with threads, that’s even more so the case: “They’re just not designed to hold up someone’s butt. The improvements are subtle at best, and they have a very limited utility as a stand-alone procedure,” he says.
To that point, thread butt lifts are often paired with other treatments, for a more all-encompassing solution. Dr. Cheung mentions Qwo, a new injectable targeting cellulite, as well as fillers such as Sculptra; Dr. Halim says muscle-building treatments such as Emsculpt and Emsculpt Neo are good complementary options. Dr. Sieber agrees that thread lifts will yield better results when performed in conjunction with volumizing procedures, such as Sculptra or fat grafting. Still, he points out that these, in and of themselves, actually add some lift. “The additional volume and the way it’s distributed can create a lifted effect, even when the skin actually isn’t being lifted,” he says, rendering the thread lift somewhat moot.
How long do these results last?
Arguably the biggest drawback to thread lifts, no matter where on the body they’re performed, is that the results are temporary. “The lifting effect is immediate and lasts anywhere from six to nine months,” says Dr. Cheung. “The collagen-stimulating effects take about a month to kick in but can last up to a year and half.” [Editor’s note: the extent to which threads stimulate collagen is debated among doctors, and the research isn’t well-established yet.] All things considered, the maximum results of a thread butt lift are usually seen three to six months after the fact. According to Dr. Sieber, this is an important thing for patients to keep in mind when considering a thread butt lift. The results are short-lived, you get a subtle improvement at best, and the procedure can quickly end up being very expensive, he points out.
What is the procedure and downtime like?
Your doctor will first draw out the vector—essentially, a diagram that shows the placement of the threads based on what kind of lift and projection is desired—on your butt, explains Dr. Cheung. (If you’ve heard the term spider butt lift, this simply refers to a specific type of vector pattern that looks like a spider web and delivers more of a posterior projection than vertical lift, she says.)
There’s no general anesthesia involved, just topical numbing or some localized anesthetic at the entry points, where needles are used to puncture the skin and insert the threads, says Dr. Halim. It’s worth noting that your doctor may actually ask you to stand up during the procedure: “Gravity alters the way things look, as do shadows and contours that change depending on whether you’re lying down or standing up,” says Dr. Cheung. The entire procedure typically takes about 45 minutes to an hour, and downtime is fairly minimal. Walking is fine, but any intense exercise, weight lifting, or squatting is off-limits for two weeks. It takes two weeks for the threads to really anchor in place, and too much activity prior to this can dislodge them.
What are the side effects of a thread butt lift?
Standard side effects include minor swelling and soreness as well as a feeling of skin tightness. (Dr. Sieber adds that the force placed on the threads from sitting also increases the likelihood that they can end up pulling through the skin or break entirely, more so than when they’re placed in the face.)
The threads themselves are extremely safe, but an inexperienced provider can end up placing the threads incorrectly, resulting in strange contours and a generally weird-looking butt, warns Dr. Cheung. A more serious potential complication is puncturing the arteries in the area. The threads aren’t placed deep enough for that to be a common risk, but someone who doesn’t know what they’re doing could easily make that mistake, she cautions.
