Smas facelift after thread lift?

Dear Daf1962Thank you very much for your question. I often have patients, who have recently had a thread lift, ask whether they can have a facelift afterwards because they are not happy with the thread lift results.The thread lift procedure is very quick however it does not have the same longevity as a facelift. I have pioneered a new technique called the Concept Facelift where i perform the surgery under local anaesthetic, working on the SMAS muscle, and the results are instant and have the same longevity as a traditional facelift. The procedure does not require the patient to have any bandages or drains. In fact there are no dressings at all. The sutures are absorbable at the incision sight and my technique reduces the amount of bruising and swelling so many clients are out and about the next day with no trouble at all. Please ensure you see an accredited, board certified surgeon and ask to see their portfolio of work. I would like to wish you all the very best for the future.With kindest regardsMr Amir Nakhdjevani

Your question is a perfect illustration of why I don't do threadlifts: they historically are not predictable and fraught with problems. One month is too soon to have another surgery. Wait another five months or so and then go for the SMAS lift. The results will be much more dramatic and can last up to 8-10 years. In the meantime, shop around for your ideal facial plastic surgeon. I hope this helps.

Great question.  Thread lifts have come and gone at some point during the last 15 years.  There is always improvements made to the material and incremental gains in what can be achieved with them.  However, they are limited in what they can achieve and for how long.  That being said, as others have noted,  this will not decrease the possibility of having a tuck up lift at some point later on - however, you should wait 6 months to a year before embarking on this as you want the tissue to settle.  Even if old threads are encountered during lifting, you can take care of them during the surgery.  



You don't lose anything by starting the consultation process now.  It would give your surgeon a chance to examine your tissue and get an idea of where the threads were placed such as to know what to expect.  Best of luck!

Unfortunately "Thread Lifts" have lost their popularity and hype over the past decade. Simply put, most of these minimally invasive techniques just were not able to give enough result for most clients requesting a lift of their jawline or neck. Typically a more formal SMAS lift or Minilift (with muscle tightening) is necessary to achieve noticeable and acceptable results. The good news is that you can still safely have a more traditional lower facelift/SMASlift. Even if the previous threads are encountered, they can be removed or cut so that they do not effect the new result. It would be best to wait 1/2 year before having your lift in order for all thread lift results to settle. Certainly you could go for your initial consultation now so that you can have a game plan in place, as well as have the opportunity to interview a few different surgeons. Hope this helps.

the surgery is possible, but it is better to wait 6 months to one year before doing another surgery, 

Yes, you can have "real" surgery after the thread lift. I would prefer to have you wait at least three months from surgery though in order to let some of the natural inflammation resolve.

Yes you can have a SMAS facelift after a thread lift, but you are probably best to wait several more months until the tissues have softened adequately.  

 We have performed many SMAS  facelifts and removed threads that were previously placed.  Probably best to wait a few more months after that initial thread lift  placement before having them removed with the facelift.

Yes, a facelift can be done following a threadlift.  Because a threadlift is a minimally invasive procedure that relies on the integrity of threads to hold you up, they can be cut and removed at the same time as a facelift.  Once removed, the SMAS facelift proceeds as usual.  A SMAS facelift will provide a more predictable and long-lasting result.  Your plastic surgeon can show you the difference at the time of your consultation.

Unfortunately I've seen many people who have had similar disappointing results after a thread lift. The good news is that experienced facelift surgeons have achieved excellent results in doing a SMAS lift in patients like you. I suggest you wait until swelling secondary to the thread lift has resolved. Consult with a facial rejuvenation specialist about the timing of your procedure.