I am 69 and considering a thread lift. Will filler (before) help with skin thickness?

It is difficult to make any treatment recommendations without at least a photo or two. I can tell you that a thread lift can be performed at the same time as an injectable treatment like Sculptra. The dissolvable threads used for the procedure will also boost collagen production to enhance your results further. However, other collagen-stimulating treatments might be more appropriate for you, such as RF microneedling or laser resurfacing. Injectable fillers are also effective in restoring lost volume for a more youthful appearance. I advise you to schedule a consultation with an experienced, board-certified facial plastic surgeon for assessment and a customized treatment plan.

This can done at the same time. We typically recommend Thread lifts and Sculptra at the same session. Both procedures together are performed in under 30 minutes under local anesthesia

Be cautious with threads. I gave up threadlifting years ago. It is a relatively expensive, minimally invasive procedure that engenders some downtime and the results generally don't last more than a year, despite the marketing hype to the contrary. Sculptra is relatively expensive, does not result in any immediate improvement and requires at least three treatment sessions spaced at several weeks intervals in between sessions. So, I gave this up, as well, several years back. On the other hand, volumizing & lifting fillers, such as Voluma XC and Restylane Lyft have an excellent track record for lifting and contouring the skin to yield immediate improvements (seen right after treatment) in jowls, straightening of jawlines, contouring cheeks and creating more feminine, heart-shaped faces, etc. and in addition involve little to no post-treatment downtime. For general improvement in skin texture, hydration and tautness, injecting bioremodeling agents, such as Profhilo and skinboosters, such as Restylane Skinboosters or Viscoderm Hydroboosters work well for smoothing crepey, crinkled skin and for promoting new collagen synthesis. The amounts and timing of your treatments can best be determined after an up-close, in-person examination of your skin that allows for palpation and manipulation of the tissues. Make sure that you consult with a board certified aesthetic physician and be certain to ask to see his/her personal before and after photos before agreeing to proceed. Best of luck.

Dear sashacharlesmartin,Thank you for your question. It is difficult to make an accurate assessment and recommendations without an exam. I recommend you seek in-person consultation with a facial plastic surgeon or plastic surgeon or dermatologist who can perform a thorough evaluation and discuss with you non-surgical or surgical treatment options to address your goals. To help build collagen, you may be a candidate for skin resurfacing procedures such as microneedling and radiofrequency treatments and for filler treatments such as Sculptra. You would need multiple treatments spaced across months to see gradual results that likely need to be maintained in the long run. Best,Thuy-Van Tina Ho, MDFacial Plastic Surgeon

Much more information is needed, such as a full set of facial photographs to make a determination about the best procedure. At age 69, most patients will require a lower face and neck lift to accomplish tightening loose facial and neck skin, tightening loose Facial and neck muscles, lifting the jowls, improving the jawline and removing fat deposits in the neck which also includes a platysma-plasty. Noninvasive procedures are very ineffective in this area in the jawline. It's impossible to make your skin any thicker than already is with injections. Fillers in the cheek are used for hollowness to augment volume loss, and do not lift tissues.