Cellulitis or Broken Threads After Contour Thread Lift?

Question

My surgeon did not feel that the Contour Thread Lift threads broke. He believes I have cellulitis, and said if it doesn't resolve, he will remove the thread. I am confused and terrified of further complications. I am missing work and losing money. What do you think? Have you heard of anything like this before? My surgeon is very experienced with contour threads and has been doing this procedure for awhile so it is not new to him.

Benjamin C. Marcus, MD · Answer

Cellulitis simply refers to an infection the skin.
Specifically, cellulitis refers to an infection of the tissue just below the skin surface. Even something as small as a scratch or an insect bite allows bacteria to enter the skin, which may lead to an infection. Usually, the immune system kills any invading bacteria, but sometimes the bacteria are able to grow and cause an infection. So you can imagine how any invasive procedure can cause this. Treatment is antibiotics.
That being said, I have done many thread lifts and the sutures rarely break. They do, however, lose their effectiveness relatively quickly. That is why I stopped doing the procedure.
Most of my patients had a return to their pre-procedure look within a year.

Raj S. Ambay, MD · Answer

Thread lifts (contour lift) use permanent sutures that are placed under the skin. The names change based on marketing but the anatomical principle is the same. The results are temporary because they do not access the prime issue with ageing: Descent of the structures that contain muscles (fascia). In a facelift, the main fascial system is elevated and sutured to another fascial system which provides longer-lasting results because this is the strength layer.  While people are a bit anxious about getting a facelift, it has lasted for more than 30 years because is addresses the anatomy of ageing not the marketing hype of the time.  In the thread lift only the skin is elevated and as we all know, skin is elastic and over time sags.  The procedure can cost anywhere from $3-$6000 depending on your geographic locale.  As I mentioned, the sutures are permanent and if placed to superficial can cause irritation to the skin.  Good technique is always critical to the success of any surgical procedure. See a board certified plastic surgeon to assess what is best for you.

Cellulitis or Broken Threads After Contour Thread Lift?

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Cellulitis or Broken Threads After Contour Thread Lift?

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Everything you need to know about Contour Thread Lift

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