The contour thread lift received FDA approval in 2005—but in the wake of countless complaints, ranging from infection to asymmetry to lackluster results, the FDA canceled its approval in 2007.
Most RealSelf members deemed their contour thread lift “Not Worth It,” citing a variety of issues, from visibility of threads to discomfort to disappointing outcomes. One had this to say: “At 60, I wanted to look younger. I chose contour thread lift because it was in-office, with no downtime…. After the procedure [though], the skin on my face felt like it was stretched over a basketball. My face was very swollen and black and blue down the neck. One year later, I had slight tightening in my cheeks. Two years later, there was no change.”
Doctors on RealSelf have voiced complaints as well. Dr. Otto Joseph Placik, a plastic surgeon in Chicago, had this to say in a RealSelf Q&A: “Contour thread lifts generated much enthusiasm and were thus used on individuals who were likely better candidates for traditional surgery. But disappointing results occurred as a consequence of unrealistic expectations, [including] pain, visibility, palpability, [and] infection. Given the relatively high cost of the threads, [contour thread lifts’] popularity began to wane, and surgeons ceased to recommend it.”
Because of this, while they were popular 10 to 15 years ago, contour thread lifts are rarely done today. Modern thread lifts (aka absorbable suture suspension systems), such as the Silhouette InstaLift and NovaThreads, use dissolvable sutures that are less apt to trap bacteria and cause infection. Both NovaThreads and Silhouette are FDA-approved for lifting facial skin.
